Football - News

Reggae Boy Evan Taylor (left) battles Marlon James of St Vincent & the Grenadines for an aerial ball during their friendly international match at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won, 5-1. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Jamaica produced a spirited, if somewhat patchy performance, to humble St Vincent & the Grenadines 5-1 in their friendly international football encounter at the National Stadium last night.

Played in front of a decent mid-week crowd, the Reggae Boyz, who open their CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying campaign against the Bahamas at the same venue on June 15, romped to victory through goals from ace striker Marlon King (26th and 42nd), Demar Phillips (17th), Deon Burton (74th) and captain Ricardo Gardner (87th). Marlon James replied for the visitors in the 56th minute.

In was the ninth meeting between the teams, and the Boyz stretched their already dominant position to seven wins, one draw and a loss.

The Boyz were out of the blocks quickly with Ricardo Fuller forcing goalkeeper Melvin Andrew into an early save from an Andy Williams corner.

Jamaica's captain Ricardo Gardner (right) evades a lunging tackle from Millon Prescott of St Vincent & the Grenadines during their football friendly at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won, 5-1. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

The opening goal was not long in coming and just after the quarter-hour mark Phillips gave the crowd what they were waiting for. He received a cross-field pass from Rudolph Austin deep inside the opponents' defensive area and after skillfully eluding his marker, placed the ball firmly out of the reach of Andrew to give Jamaica a well-deserved lead.

Almost 10 minutes later captain Gardner was sent through with a well-weighted pass down the centre of the field by Williams, but the Bolton Wanderers man was brought down just before he shot goalwards and referee Alfredo Whittaker from the Cayman Islands had little difficulty pointing to the penalty spot.

King, who plays for Wigan Athletic in the English Premiership, calmly and expertly slotted the ball home, wrong-footing Andrew in the process to increase the lead to 2-0.

The situation went from bad to worse for the visitors thereafter, as the home side turned up the tempo and the hapless SVG failed to respond adequately, especially after their technical director and head coach Stewart Hall was ejected.

Three minutes from the break, King notched his second when he volleyed home superbly from inside the penalty area, after good interplay between the energetic Phillips and Austin on the right flank.

He then went inches from registering a hat-trick when he slid Fuller's pull-back from a penetrating dribble just wide of Andrew's right upright.

The Boyz were on song and Gardner was denied when Andrew blocked his rasping right-footed drive from outside the penalty area as Whittaker signalled the players to the dressing room, much to the relief of the visitors.

Jamaica continued from where they left off in the second half, but they appeared more profligate in front of goal, as King again failed to notch his third, going close to making contact with Fuller's cross, and they were made to pay for their generosity when Marlon James soared high over the Jamaican defence to head home and reduce the deficit after Phillips lost possession in the defensive third.

Jamaica should have hit back immediately, but Williams booted well high after being perfectly served well inside the 18-yard box by Phillips.

Then Fuller also skied an effort from just outside the area before the Boyz' play fell away and the visitors assumed control of the vital midfield area.

Jamaica was still the better team and was always dangerous on the counter-attack, despite the many changes by technical director Rene Simoes.

One such substitution, 1998 France World Cup hero and veteran striker Deon Burton, almost added to the lead with his very first touch.

Fellow substitute Luton Shelton sped down the left flank and centred for the striker, whose ferocious left-footed volley was superbly blocked by Andrew for a corner.

From the resulting kick, Ian Goodison rose high and the back post and headed the ball down out of the reach of Andrew and Burton just managed to get the final touch ahead of Williams as the ball crossed the goal line.

Shelton also had a chance to add to the tally, but he dragged his right-footer wide after being played through by Burton, who looked sharp in his 20-minute spell.

Burton was also intricately involved in the fifth and final goal when he took advantage of the visitors' poor defensive scheme to attack the back post and cross the ball for Gardner to have the easiest of chances to tap into an unguarded net and bring the curtains down on a decent effort from the Boyz.
But Simoes and his back room staff will be well aware that there is still a lot of work to be done as the World Cup Qualifying campaign nears.

The Reggae Boyz leave for Trinidad and Grenada tomorrow for two more friendly engagements.

Teams:

Jamaica - Donovan Ricketts, Ian Goodison, Adrian Reid (Jermaine Taylor 69th), Simon Ford (Keneil Moodie 76th), Evon Taylor (Richard Langley 82nd), Ricardo Gardner, Andy Williams, Demar Phillips, Rudolph Austin (Jamal Campbell-Ryce 65th), Ricardo Fuller (Luton Shelton 70th), Marlon King (Deon Burton 72nd).

Subs not used: Shawn Sawyers, Obrian Woodbine, Jermaine Johnson, Omar Daley.

Booked: Reid (66th), Fuller (70th).

St Vincent & the Grenadines - Melvin Andrew, Roy Richards, Oscar Nero, Kendal Velox, Sean Glynn (Shandell Samuel 68th), Cornelius Huggins, Millon Prescott (Troy Jeffers 46th), Theon Gordon (Randolph Williams 46th), Emerald George (Dorren Hamlet 88th), Darren Francis (Cornelius Stewart 65th), Marlon James.

Subs not used: Benford Joseph, Richard Hayde, Alwyn Guy, Winslow McDonald.

Booked: Williams (60th), Nero (87th).

Referee: Alfredo Whittaker (Cayman)
Assistant Referees: Garnett Page (JA) & Triston Tulloch (JA)

Fourth Official: Kevin Morrison (JA)

Match Commissioner: Anthony Cooke (JA)