Parris hits brace as Young Boyz whip Bermuda 6-2
By Sean Williams (Jamaica Observer)
Jamaica’s Under-17 Reggae Boyz made a winning start in a patchy display, but it was sufficient in the end to brush aside Caribbean minnows Bermuda 6-2 in their opening game of Group A in Caribbean Football Union (CFU) men’s World Cup qualifying tournament at the Ato Boldon Stadium yesterday.
The Jamaican display, while workmanlike in nature, was not as polished as it ought to have been, as their control of the game faded in and out, resulting in them conceding goals, which was never part of the plan.
Still, the margin of victory was comfortable.
For Jamaica, Kaheem Parris led the scoring with a brace (17th-penalty, 72nd), followed by one each from Raewin Senior (fifth), Kendall Edwards (37th), Nickque Daley (42nd) and a Keishon Bean own goal (90th).
Bermuda’s goals were scored by Rahzir Smith-Jones (30th minute) and Tokia Russell (80th).
In the other game of the double-header yesterday, Haiti defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2-0.
Jamaica’s next game will be against Haiti tomorrow, while hosts Trinidad and Tobago take on Bermuda.
In yesterday’s match, Bermuda threatened as early as the second minute when Jaquari Paynter timed his run, latching onto a perfectly weighted ball from midfield, but the Jamaica goalkeeper Tajay Griffiths was down early to smother the danger.
But in their first real attack of the game, the young Reggae Boyz broke the deadlock when the crafty Parris cleverly scooped the ball over the heads of the Bermudan defenders to find a wide open Raewin Senior. In textbook fashion, Senior controlled and fired home low with the left boot, beating Quinaceo Hunt to his left.
Jamaica doubled their tally in the 17th minute from the penalty spot. Parris, who responded appropriately to a defence-splitting pass down the right from Kimani Gibbons, was cut down in the box as he prepared to unleash.
Trinidadian referee Rodphin Harris, with little option, pointed to the penalty spot. Parris, voted man of the match, quickly got to his feet and made no mistake from the 12-yard mark.
The Boyz could have made it 3-0 in the 24th minute, but Blake White’s effort from a sublime cutback by Parris was tame from 12 yards.
Bermuda, after serving notice of their potential as an attacking threat earlier on, confirmed it in the 30th minute when Rahzir Smith-Jones benefited from Jamaica’s indecisive defensive response by beating Griffiths with a low shot from inside the 18-yard box.
The Boyz responded seven minutes later in a combination of the central defenders who had come forward for a corner. From Coby Atkinson’s left-sided in-swinger, Jamoi Topey headed down for Kendall Edwards to blast home from six yards to make it 3-1.
After a spell of probing, Jamaica went further ahead in the 42nd minute when Nickque Daley expertly finished off Jeremy Verley’s searching pass.
In the 63rd minute Jamaica got a rare second-half glimpse at goal when Daley glided in from the right side to crack a left-footed shot, but the Bermudan goalie conjured up a reaction save, diving to his right.
Parris, who kept the Bermudan defenders retreating all evening with his silky-smooth footwork and penetrative dribbling, made it 5-1 in the 72nd minute when he whipped a deceptive curler home from a 22-yard free kick.
When it appeared Jamaica had tightened their grip on affairs, their defence was slow to react to a Bermudan raid in the 80th minute, allowing Tokia Russell to fire into an unguarded goal after the goalkeeper and last defender were caught out.
Jamaica got a serendipitous goal in the 90th minute when Keishon Bean headed into his own goal from a corner to put the icing on the cake — the Jamaican cake.
From the eight-nation, two-group tournament, the top-five teams will book places to the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship to be held April 21-May 7 in Panama City. That would be the four semi-finalists and the best third-placed team.
Four teams from the CONCACAF tournament will earn places to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in India next summer.
Teams:
Jamaica — Tajay Griffiths, Kendall Edwards, Jamoi Topey (Cal-Wayne Allen 80th, Damani Osei, and Kiamani Gibbons, Jeremy Verley, Nickashe Murray (Coby Atkinson 28th), Blake White, Nickque Daley (Chad Letts 69th), Raewin Senior and Kaheem Parris.
Subs not used: Daniel Russell, Renato Campbell, Omar Thompson, Horace Ramsay, Jamari Morrison, Jordan Petrekin
Booked: Topey (60th)
Bermuda — Quinaceo Hunt, Edry Moore, Bliaze Hall (T’al Williams 75th), Mateo Isaac (Tokia Russell 55th), Brandon Jones, Link Smith Jr, Keishon Bean, Jaquari Paynter (Diego Richardson 79th), Kane Crichlow, Zuhri Burgess, Rahzir Smith-Jones.
Subs not used: Lejaun Mathews, Robert Edwards, Moziah Selassie, Mical Hatdtman, Simeon Burrowes, Richard Jones.
Booked: Smith-Jones (64th)
Referee: Rodphin Harris (T&T)
Assistant Referees: Walter Rodriguez (Dom Rep), Kenroy Willis (Cayman)
Fourth Official: Tristley Bassue (St Kitts)
Match Commissioner: Romeo Kabeli (Suriname)
