Jamaica’s ‘Mr. Consistent’ delivers in crucial moment: CONCACAF

CONCACAF said on Monday that Jamaica DF Amari’i Bell is not one to score that many goals.

With club side Luton Town in England, the 29-year-old tallied just once over the course of 47 league games during the 2022-23 season, and in 13 previous matches with the Jamaican Men’s National Team, Bell had never found the back of the net.

But CONCACAF said that changed in “a very big way” on Sunday in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In the 51st minute of the Reggae Boyz’s 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal with Guatemala, CONCACAF said Bell received a “surgical pass” from Demarai Gray and delivered a tidy finish inside the near post for a goal that held until the final whistle for a 1-0 Jamaica win and a place in the semifinals.

It was Jamaica’s first 1-0 win since their 2019 quarterfinal victory over Panama.

Afterward, CONCACAF said Bell was “beaming at having scored such an important goal for his side.”

“It’s an amazing feeling. In this tournament we’ve got some guys who have got some goals, so I thought, you know, I want a piece of that,” Bell told CONCACAF. “Luckily today I got one. It’s amazing for me and my family, and it’s definitely a moment I’m going to cherish.”

CONCACAF said the reaction from Bell’s teammates and coaches said it all, stating that he was “swarmed after scoring against the Chapines and then was hailed by Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson in the post-match press conference.”

The Jamaican manager called Bell “a consistent performer” and “a true warrior.”

“It’s pleasing to get them words from a coach. Playing for Jamaica is something that means a lot to me, so every time I’m on the field, I’m going to battle hard and give it everything and show my quality,” said Bell.

CONCACAF said Bell’s winning goal lifted Jamaica to their fourth Gold Cup semifinal in the last five editions, an achievement unmatched by any Caribbean nation.

It also sets up a date with familiar foes Mexico, who Jamaica defeated in the 2017 semifinals, CONCACAF said.

“It means a lot to get to another semifinal,” Bell said. “The last Gold Cup I played in we went out in the quarterfinals, so I didn’t want that feeling of going home so early.

“I wanted to get through to the next round, which we did,” he added. “But we’re not going to stop. Mexico are a big nation and a good team. I’ve never beaten Mexico, so I really want to win that semifinal.”