Mexico draws with Jamaica to clinch CONCACAF Nations League semifinals spot

Mexico topped CONCACAF Nations League Group A with a 2-2 draw against Jamaica at a wet and wild Azteca Stadium on Sunday night.

An early golazo from Jamaica's Bobby De Cordova-Reid and an Edson Alvarez own goal was offset by Orbelin Pineda's tidy finish and a Hirving Lozano penalty for Mexico in a back-and-forth first half that ended 2-2.

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The result -- following a scoreless second half -- puts Mexico through to the CNL semifinals after finishing with eight points from four matches in the group. Diego Cocca's side had already booked a spot in this summer's Gold Cup, which takes place between June 16 and July 16 with the final being played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

After Cordova-Reid opened the scoring for the visitors with a beautiful swerving attempt from outside the area, Mexico got back on level terms when Lozano slipped in behind the Reggae Boyz defense and cut a cross back in front of goal that found Pineda, who squared his hips and slipped a shot past Jahmali Waite to make it 1-1.

Alvarez could not get out of the way of a corner kick Mexico had conceded against the run of play and the ball bounced off his thigh and past Guillermo Ochoa to give Jamaica the lead shortly before the players were removed from the field for a weather delay in the 34th minute.

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When play resumed, Lozano rattled the crossbar from distance just before half-time, then converted from the spot to equalize after Ravel Morrison's clumsy challenge on Henry Martin earned Mexico a penalty.

Cocca went to his bench just after the hour, bringing on Wolves forward Raul Jimenez for Martin and Tigres attacker Diego Lainez for Pineda as Mexico looked to put the game away.

The match remained deadlocked as full-time approached and Jimenez should have done better when he flashed a shot from the top of the area wide of Waite's goal before Lainez struck a beautiful swerving effort from the right side off the crossbar.

The last three semifinalists will be decided as CNL play wraps up on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the finals from June 15 to 18 at Allegiant Stadium, the home of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders.