Warner Brown Brace Sends Jamaica to Third Round of World Cup Qualifiers

Reggae Boyz progress in World Cup Qualifiers with 3-0 victory over Guatemala. Jon Russell opened the scoring, while Arnett Gardens striker Warner Brown added two more to seal the win

Warner Brown has now scored four goals in just three starts for the Reggae Boyz (Photo: rvy.jr/ JFF)

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz secured a spot in the third round of World Cup qualifiers with a commanding 3-0 win over Guatemala at the National Stadium on Tuesday night.

Arnett Gardens striker Warner Brown led the way with a brace, taking his tally to four goals in just three starts for the national team. Jonathon Russell opened the scoring in the 26th minute, heading in a pinpoint cross from Leon Bailey to mark his debut goal for Jamaica.

Brown made it 2-0 in the 37th, reacting quickly to slot home the rebound after Guatemalan keeper Nicholas Hagen parried Bailey’s penalty. The in-form striker sealed the victory in the 73rd minute, finishing a low cross from Demarai Gray.

With Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Sports Minister Olivia Grange, and entertainers like Aidonia, Jahshii, and Iwaata in attendance, the Reggae Boyz celebrated their fourth consecutive win in World Cup qualifiers—marking their best streak in over 25 years.

Head coach Steve McClaren’s side now turns its attention to the Concacaf Gold Cup, kicking off their campaign against Panama in the U.S. on June 16.

Steve McClaren praised the team’s execution, saying: “It was a complete performance. We were very disciplined, very organized, and very aggressive. Once we got that shape and we were compact, and we won the ball—that’s our strength, the speed we have on transition.”

He added, “The goals that we had at the beginning were to show that we could win here. We had to show the Jamaican crowd that we could win here—to make this part of a fortress.”