Up against it after losing to Venezuela in their opening game, Ecuador secured a direly needed victory in their second group game against Jamaica.
Ecuador got on the board early through a Kasey Palmer own goal before Kendry Paez’s penalty doubled their lead right before halftime.
Jamaica pulled a goal back early in the second half as Michail Antonio scored the nation’s first ever goal at Copa America. Jamaica then thought they had a route to parity when VAR called the referee to the monitor to review a possible handball, but Ecuador breathed a sigh of relief when he opted not to award a spot kick.
Leading 2-1 in stoppage time, Alan Minda added to Ecuador’s winning margin with a clinical counterattacking goal. That extra goal was crucial as it gave Ecuador a lead over Mexico in goal difference, meaning that a draw in tonight’s match sends Ecuador through at Mexico’s expense.
