Jamaica (National Football)

France entered its Women's World Cup opener against Jamaica considered a mortal lock to start the tournament 1-0. Oddsmakers had France listed as a -6000 favorite, meaning you had to bet $6,000 to take home a measly $100.

Well, that's why they play the game.

Jamaica scratched and clawed its way to a 0-0 draw on Sunday, a shocking result that could put France's positioning in the group stage in jeopardy.

The result is nothing short of a nightmare for France, which dominated possession for 72 percent of the match and took 14 shots on goal but could not find the back of the net against a determined Jamaican defense.

The draw marks the first-ever World Cup point for Jamaica, which entered the event ranked 43rd in the FIFA standings.

Still, the result was not without disappointment. Jamaican star Khadija Shaw, who spent most of the match giving France fits with her physicality, was sent off with a controversial call in stoppage time after earning her second yellow card. As a result, Shaw will have to sit out Saturday's match against Panama.

Despite the loss of Shaw, it's impossible for Jamaica to feel anything less than joyful following this result. The team needed crowdfunding to even make the trip to the World Cup and was widely expected to be bounced from the group stage without even making a peep.

Instead, Jamaica will now have an outside shot at reaching the knockout round. A win over Panama next weekend would put the underdog into a potential win-or-go-home match against Brazil, which kicks off its tournament Monday against Panama.

As for France, the Group F favorite will now have to scramble if it hopes to come away with a group victory.

Jamaica advanced to the semifinals of the 2019 Gold Cup for the third straight time, defeating Panama 1-0 on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Darren Mattocks converted a penalty in the 75th minute for the only goal of the game.

It was a tough decision for Panama, as Mattocks headed the ball onto the hand of Panama defender Michael Murillo.

The Reggae Boyz now await the winner of the United States and Curacao quarterfinal. They'll return to action Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

Following Mexico's 5-4 victory over Costa Rica in a penalty shootout Saturday, El Tri coach Tata Martino criticized the absence of video assistant referee in the Gold Cup.

"It is impossible with the technology there is today and with VAR used in Mexico and in the United States that there isn't VAR in this tournament," he said, per ESPN FC's Tom Marshall. "In the Copa America they stop the game 200 times for VAR; they've pulled back four goals because of VAR, and we don't have VAR."

With the benefit of VAR, Mexican defender Luis Rodriguez almost certainly doesn't concede a penalty in the 51st minute. A day later, the same is probably true for Murillo.

Murillo's arm wasn't in an unnatural position as he was leaping in the air to compete with Mattocks for the ball. Then he had no time to react once the ball came off the Jamaican forward.

Beyond just the penalty, Panama will come away frustrated with the fact it had 61 percent of possession yet managed only two shots on target, per ESPN FC.

Los Canaleros coach Julio Dely Valdes knew exactly how Jamaica was going to approach this match. Jamaica had four goals in the group stage, three of which came in its win over Honduras. Although Leon Bailey gives the Reggae Boyz a creative presence out wide, they're still a work in progress in the attacking third.

Panama simply couldn't find the breakthrough against Jamaica's defense. As a result, it's exiting in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup for the second consecutive tournament.

Former track and field superstar Usain Bolt intends on trying out for the Jamaican national soccer team once he recovers from a hamstring injury, as he told U.S. Formula One Grand Prix.

"I think I can make the Jamaica team easily," he said, per Alan Baldwin of Reuters. "I wouldn't say they are that good at this point."

Bolt noted that playing for the national soccer team had been a lifelong dream, though he added he would maintain realistic expectations during the process of trying to make the team.

"If I feel I can't do it, I'm going to say, 'You know what, forget this.' I'm not trying to embarrass myself," he noted. "But if I go out there and feel I can do this then I will give it a try. It's a dream and another chapter of my life. If you have a dream that you always wanted to do, why not try and see where it will go?"

Pace certainly won't be an issue for the 31-year-old Bolt. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist is the greatest sprinter in history, holding world records in the 100-meter dash (9.58 seconds) and 200-meter dash (19.19 seconds).

He's also the only sprinter in history to win each of those races in three consecutive Olympics.

But with his legacy secure in track and field, Bolt is now turning his attention to the pitch and plans to train with Borussia Dortmund in the coming weeks.

"It's just my hamstring is keeping me back right now," he noted. "In two weeks I can start training again and get back into some shape. Then I can really explore the situation. [Dortmund] say the invitation is always open so it's all about me getting over my injury and then getting into shape. Then I can do the trials and see what level I'm at."

The long-time soccer fan and Manchester United supporter was supposed to play for the Red Devils in their legends match against Barcelona in August. His hamstring woes prevented him from taking part in the contest, however, though it's no secret that Bolt has long dreamed of playing for United.

He even talked to legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson about that possibility.

"He said, 'Alright, get into shape and I'll see where that goes'," Bolt said of his exchange with Ferguson.

Suffice to say, Bolt is aiming high when it comes to his prospective soccer career.

Jamaica qualified for its second straight Gold Cup semifinal Thursday night with a 2-1 win over Canada at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, thanks to Romario Williams' 50th-minute strike.

The goal, which was captured by Fox Soccer on Twitter, put Jamaica up 2-0 and gave it the breathing room necessary to withstand a fierce late charge from Les Rouges. 

Canada controlled the majority of possession in the first half (63 percent), but its work in the attacking third proved careless at times. 

Despite outshooting Jamaica 9-4 over the opening 45 minutes, Canada managed one shot on goal and committed a slew of unforced errors that resulted in transition opportunities and breakouts for the Reggae Boyz. 

Canada was also in trouble because it was forced to play from behind after Shaun Francis capitalized on a Darren Mattocks cross at the top of the box and propelled Jamaica in front just six minutes into regulation, as Fox Soccer documented on Twitter: 

Mattocks had a chance to double Jamaica's lead 10 minutes later when he slipped behind the Canadian defense, but goalkeeper Milan Borjan stood tall and made a one-on-one save to keep the deficit at a single goal.  

ESPN FC's Tom Marshall provided a concise breakdown of the early action: 

It wasn't long before Williams doubled Jamaica's lead, but the final 30 minutes proved to be a nervy affair for the Reggae Boyz as Canada ramped up its attacking pressure. 

The highlight of that second-half resurgence was a 62nd-minute wonder-strike from Junior Hoilett, who curled one into the right side of the net past Andre Blake to trim Jamaica's lead in half. 

Hoilett thumped another one from distance in the 72nd, but Blake stood tall and came up with a huge diving save to keep his side in control. 

The reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year was instrumental in propelling Jamaica back to the semis, and he will need to come up with another clutch performance if the Reggae Boyz want to work their way back to the championship stage after doing so in 2015. 

Jamaica will meet either Mexico or Honduras on Sunday night, with a spot in the final on the line.   

Jamaica's unexpected run to the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final ended with a comprehensive defeat to Mexico, losing 3-1 on Sunday night at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

But the Reggae Boyz should take pride from what was a strong overall performance in the tournament.

Drawn into Group B with regional power Costa Rica, Jamaica defied expectations by topping the table and advancing as group winners. Following a narrow victory over Haiti in the quarterfinals, Winfried Schafer's side caused the shock of the tournament by beating the United States 2-1 in the semifinals.

While casual onlookers might have been stunned, those who followed the Reggae Boyz throughout the summer were hardly surprised.

Jamaica's long road to the Gold Cup final actually began last month in South America as one of two non-CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) teams invited to play in the Copa America. The other was Mexico, but unlike El Tri, Jamaica used the same squad for both tournaments.

The decision paid off, as the Reggae Boyz built chemistry and solidified their tactics and formation with three hard-fought 1-0 losses.

Back in CONCACAF, opponents found Jamaica difficult to break down. After allowing two goals to Costa Rica in the opener, Schafer's side didn't concede again until the semifinals.

Schafer deserves a healthy amount of credit for Jamaica's success this summer. Always an athletic team, Jamaica have added a new level of organization and defensive solidity under Schafer. After winning the 2014 Caribbean Cup, the Reggae Boyz made history by advancing to the Gold Cup final for the first time.

While they were beaten soundly in the final, one could make the argument that Jamaica were the most consistent team in the tournament until that point.

The challenge for Schafer and Jamaica will now be to turn this summer's strong showing into further progress. The first opportunity will come quickly: Beginning next month, the Reggae Boyz will face Nicaragua in a home-and-away series in the third round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

If they advance past that stage, Jamaica would then enter the fourth round. At that stage of qualifying, they would face with Costa Rica, Panama and likely Haiti for the right to enter the final round—popularly known as the Hexagonal.

Based on their showings this summer in the U.S., Jamaica have the talent, tactics and footballing savvy to compete with any team in the region. If Schafer and his players can sustain this level of play, the Reggae Boyz have a strong shot to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

All of that is in the future, but even after defeat on Sunday to a superior Mexican side, Jamaica should be proud of what they have accomplished in the present.

Follow @MiguelCominguez.

As if selecting another new batch of local Argentine players could only be the solution to the problems Maradona has inflicted upon La Seleccion .

Once again, Argentina coach Diego Armando Maradona has announced a fresh squad for the completely unnecessary international friendly game against Jamaica to be played on Feb. 10.

Ironically, as if it weren't enough to continue to call-up domestic players who, at least hopefully, will not make the cut for Argentina's World Cup squad in the summer, Maradona has decided to excuse Estudiantes players Clemente Rodriguez, Enzo Perez, Jose Sosa, and Mauro Boselli, from the selection due to Estudiantes' Copa Libertadores match against Peruvian side Juan Aurich on Feb. 11.

Atletico Tucuman attacker Juan Pablo Pereyra and Huracan midfielder Patricio Toranzo are among the replacements for the quartet, taking the number of players gaining their first call-up to seven.

Also, Mariano Echeverria (Chacarita Juniors), Walter Acevedo, Leonel Galeano (both Independiente), Lucas Licht, and Gabriel Mercado (both Racing Club) join the list of players set to make their Argentina debuts.

For supporters of the Argentine national team, let us pray that Maradona, or someone above him, puts a cease to this foolish domestic scheme and begins to focus on this summer's World Cup, which will hopefully feature the likes of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Javier Zanetti, Angel Di Maria, and Carlos Tevez.

But, with the bewildering Maradona, you can never be quite sure.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers: Cristian Campestrini (Arsenal), Nelson Ibanez (Godoy Cruz)

Defenders: Matias Caruzzo (Argentinos Juniors), Ignacio Canuto (Argentinos Juniors), Mariano Echeverria (Chacarita Juniors), Leonel Galeano (Independiente), Lucas Licht (Racing Club), Gabriel Mercado (Racing Club)

Midfielders: Patricio Toranzo (Huracan), Juan Mercier (Argentinos Juniors), Federico Insua (Boca Juniors), Jesus Mendez (Boca Juniors), Walter Acevedo (Independiente)

Forwards:  Franco Jara (Arsenal), Osvaldo Nicolas Gaitan (Boca Juniors), Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors), Juan Pablo Pereyra (Atletico Tucuman), Gabriel Hauche (Racing Club)

The question many American fans were left with after the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics was: How were those Jamaicans so fast?

The only answer provided comes from the Jamaican athletes and their coaches, who say it has everything to do with their home-based training and loyalty to their country.  

Elite Jamaican sprinters including triple-medal winner and World Record holder Usain "Lightning" Bolt, former record holder Asafa Powell, and Beijing women's gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser all train in their home country; Bolt at the University of the West Indies, Powell and Fraser at UTECH (Jamaica's University of technology).

All of these sprinters have been offered countless full scholarships to come and run at various prestigious universities in the States, but choose to stay home and train where they are confident.  The weight rooms they train in are not what Americans would consider "high class".  The facilities contain old rusty weights, a lack of air conditioning, and cramped physical space to work with.  The tracks that they train on are typically traditional grass-field tracks.  One could easily state that the majority of high school runners in the U.S have better training conditions than the top sprinters in the world.  

The athletes claim that the home-style training "means more" to them, according to Fraser.  They appreciate the close relationship that they build with the coaches who are obviously not there for the money (not much to be had) and care about the heart of their sport.  Bolt explains how he did not want to take a scholarship to run in the U.S because the way they run in college would cause him to "burnout".  His opinion is that America strays away from the running aspect and tries to hard to make it complicated.  Bolt's main diet consists of mostly chicken nuggets and yams.  He says that the comforts of home, along with the discomforts of his training facilities and methods, have all combined to mold him into the condition that he has achieved, that of world domination.  

The main question that many brought up after the Olympics was that of performance enhancement.  While the Jamaicans claim to be all natural, not even using legal supplements, many believe that they have a far advanced system of blood doping.  This could just be an excuse for how badly Jamaica beat everyone in August, or a legitimate insight into how advanced their seemingly antique methods really are. 

While it is obvious that not any athlete could train in their backyard and run a 9.69 100m dash at the Olympics, there is definitely something to be said about the pride-driven attitude of these Jamaican superstars.  Does the U.S really "burn out" runners by working them too hard in high school and college, shortening their careers, or are athletes like Bolt, Powell, and Fraser simply freaks who are just born that great?

Obviously, there are great arguments for both sides.  Former 200m and current 400m world record holder Michael Johnson sprinted well into his thirties, and he ran the college and pro circuits throughout his career.  Both philosophies on training are enticing to look into, the coming years of track and field should be filled with new world records and exciting competition.

Forget Team USA Basketball doing what they were suppose to do against Spain and getting lucky with Ginobili getting injured in the semifinals playing Argentina, since you will when the NBA season starts (exception: San Antonio Spurs fans). As much credit is deserved to Michael Phelps for his 8 Gold Medals and 7 World Records in this past Olympiad, the true star of Beijing was the goofy, flamboyant, 6’5” lanky, Chicken McNugget eating speed demon from the yam fields of Trelawny, Jamaica.

For what most American expected a continued domination of the 100m and 200m Sprints in the 2008 Olympics with Tyson Gay leading the charge fell apart quicker than Devin Hester Returning a punt. In life the show must go on, and if the star is cannot perform then the understudy must give the performance.

Perhaps in began during the Reebok Grand Prix on May 3, 2008 in New York City, it was only the fifth time he ran the 100m as a professional. Bolt achieves his first world record of 9.72s surpassing his fellow countryman Asafa Powell’s mark of 9.74s with lightning striking from a distance in the sky. After his race Gay admitted “It looked like his knees were going past my face” realizing the Lightning athletic potential. Perhaps this has haunted Gay while giving Bolt peace of mind with the accomplishment.

Two months later Tyson Gay qualifies for the 100m but fail to do with a hamstring injury for the 200m during Team USA tryouts. In the Games Gay failed to advance to the finals of both the 100m Dash and 4x100m Relay with him and him alone at fault.

This along with Lolo Jones’s surprising finish in the Women’s 100m Hurdles (Dawn Harper took her slack), Sheena Tosta losing out to Jamaica’s Malaine Walker for Gold in the Women’s 400m Hurdles, and Sanya Richards’ Bronze medal in the Women’s 400m (Ohuruogu (GBR) Gold, Williams (JAM) Silver) showed the continued demise of USA Track escaping the past shadows of greatness embarrassment.

With a no show of Gay in the 100m final on August 16 in the Bird’s Nest, Usain turned in his greatest performance yet. With an ecstatic Michael Johnson screaming like a little girl in te stands, the Lightning Bolt from lane 4 devastated the competition even when pulling up through the last 20 meters. At 9.69s the fastest man alive celebrated his new triumph, though some throughout the world would accuse him of showboating. Staying cool and loose before and after the dash his only goal for the 100m was to win Gold with the record owned by him months before.

His win was only the start of the Jamaican onslaught of the 100m and 200m events within that week. Shelly-Ann Fraser won Gold in the 100m Women’s with her teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart tying for the Silver medal 0.2 seconds behind the next day. On August 21, Veronica Campbell-Brown retained her 200m Women’s title from the Athens Olympiad against Allyson Felix a day after Usain Bolt broke Michael Johnson’s 19.32s record by 0.02s to win the Men’s 200m. Bolt followed his two records by taking a third in the Men’s 4x100m Relay with Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, and Powell in 37.10s on August 22.

Sure some people may not like the presentations Usain does but in my opinion he brings youth and a breath of fresh air into the sport. His hamming of the 100m has left us wondering what if keeping us in tuned incase he does surpass 9.69s. In the era of Tim Montgomery, Marian Jones, and the recent steroid allegations of Carl Lewis from 1987-1988, the recently 22-year-old Bolt distracted us with his blazing speed and charisma to show us the future of track for the next two, possibly three Olympics from now.

Swimming was in no need of saving for Michael Phelps to turn in his feat, nor did the US Basketball Team needed to worry about basketball falling apart if they did not win Gold (though much grief would be given). The World of Track was in turmoil and needed a guiding light to a better place as the Beijing Games close. As a new fan of his skills and celebrations, I must proclaim that Usain Bolt is the Savior of Track.