Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz took the lead in Group B of the Concacaf Nations League A after a comfortable 2-0 win over Nicaragua in their top-flight match at the National Stadium in Managua on Thursday.

A first-half own goal and a second-half strike from Romario Williams helped the Reggae Boyz improve to seven points, one more than Honduras, which beat French Guiana 3-0 earlier in the day.

The defeat ended Nicaragua’s 14-game unbeaten streak in the Nations League and saw the Central American side slip to third place in the group with four points.

Jamaica took the lead in the 32nd minute when Nicaraguan defender Josue Quijano accidentally fumbled Bobby Reid’s cross over his own goal line.

Williams, who had missed a wide-open header early in the first half, gave the Jamaicans a two-goal lead in the 69th minute when he was left unmarked at the left post and slotted home a header from a Greg Leigh corner Reid shot, which appeared to go into the net.

Coach Steve McClaren will have to make at least one change to the starting line-up against Honduras at the National Stadium in Kingston on Monday as centre-back Damion Lowe will be suspended for accumulated yellow cards after being booked again in Thursday’s game.

-Paul A Reid