History makers!
Boyz whip Haiti to claim semi-final berth at Pan Am
RIO de Janeiro, Brazil - Jamaica's Under-20 Reggae Boyz created history yesterday by beating Haiti to top Group 'C' and book their place in next Tuesday's semi-finals of the XV (15th) Pan American Games here.
The Wendell Downswell-coached junior team brushed aside their Haitian counterparts, 4-0, at the Zico Football Centre in the Brazilian capital to become the first Jamaican team to progress to the last four.
The Boyz, who ended with maximum nine points after recording victories against Colombia (1-0) and Argentina (2-0), will face giants Mexico on Tuesday at the Maraca Stadium for a place in the final.
Mexico secured their place in the last four by finishing second behind Bolivia in Group 'B'.
No Caribbean team has ever won this tournament as Cuba took silver in 1979, while Curacao and Trinidad & Tobago secured bronze medals in 1955 and 1967, respectively.
James Thomas opened the scoring in the second minute by latching onto a right-sided cross supplied by Reno's Obrian Woodbine.
Midfielder John-Ross Doyley netted arguably the goal of the game, when he struck a left-footed pile-driver of a free kick from some 40 yards to beat Haitian goalkeeper Dorleans Shelton.
Kemmar Daley netted his fourth goal of the tournament in the 26th minute to give the Young Reggae Boyz a 3-0 cushion at half-time.
The diminutive Daley pounced onto a fumbled ball by the Haitian goalkeeper after a rasping free-kick from Doyley, who was later ejected from the game - in the 49th minute - for an unnecessarily dangerous tackle in the centre circle.
Daley wasted a glorious opportunity to notch his fifth goal of the tournament when he uncharacteristically muffed a penalty kick, tapping tamely towards the left of the goalkeeper, who had all the time in the world to effect the save.
However, skipper Ricardo Cousins killed off any hopes the Haitians had of using their one-man advantage to claw their way back into the game, unleashing a powerful free kick from about 30 yards that left Shelton planted firmly to the ground for the final score of 4-0.
'We went out there and stuck to the game plan as the coach (Downswell) told us to keep our composure and continue the hard work to get the result,' captain Cousins told the Sunday Observer minutes after the game.
'It feels very good to score, especially in an international game,' he added.
For his part, Downswell expressed satisfaction with the performance of the team. 'We're particularly pleased with the performance of the team. We came here not to exert ourselves too much. I think we played tactically disciplined in terms of our approach,' he said.
'We just cruised in the second half. It's just unfortunate that John Ross (Doyley) got that red card and probably that is the only blemish in the team's performance, but overall we're pretty satisfied,' Downswell added.
Jamaica (U-20) - Duwayne Kerr (84th Dwayne Miller), Ajuran Brown, Jermaine Jarrett, Ricardo Cousins (capt), Eric Vernon, Kemmar Daley, James Thomas (80th Alanzo Adlam), Obrian Woodbine, Dwayne Smith (69th Andrae Campbell), John-Ross Doyley, Troy Smith.
Booked: E Vernon (5th), JR Doyley (Red 49th)
Subs not used: E Campbell, N Bailey, D McNain, D Thompson.
Haiti (U-20) - Dorleans Shelton, Jerome Mechack, Desrivieres (46th Ismael Gregory), Pierre Elusma, Jean Bitielo, Saint Cyr Widner, Saint Louis Wiselet (63rd Gilberto Sylvain), Normil Valdo, Joseph Peterson Capt (78th Nicolas Perou), Charles Herold, Joseph Guemsly.
Booked: C Herold (17th), N Valdo (Red 85th).
Subs not used: G Lesly, J Geraldy.
Copyright© 2000-2001 Jamaica Observer
After Sunday November 4, 2007 the Reggae Train will begin gaining more momentum leading into 2008.
