Tweet
Boyz top P'Rico
Winning start for U-20s in World Cup QualifiersLIVINGSTON SCOTT, Observer staff reporter, in the Cayman Islands
Thursday, July 24, 2008
GEORGETOWN, Grand Cayman - Jamaica opened their first round Under-20 World Cup qualifiers with a 1-0 win over Puerto Rico as Group B action kicked off at the Truman Bodden Sport Complex in the Cayman Islands yesterday.
Ramone Palmer netted the game's only goal, scoring from an unselfish pass from Alanzo Adlam in the 34th minute as the Jamaicans secured three valuable points.
"When I watched the Puerto Rico team yesterday (Tuesday), I predicted that it was going to be a difficult game. They are an organised team, a quality team that is technically good and physically they had the advantage," noted head coach Alfredo Montesso.
"But we were composed, we passed the ball a lot and that created some openings and it was a good team effort from our players," he added.
Puerto Rico's Brazilian coach, Charles Gatinho, said he was not overly disappointed with the result and he added that he was confident that his team would advance.
"It was a good result, because the goal Jamaica scored was the only difference. But the rest of the game was pretty level," he said.
Jamaica created the first chance of the match after 12 minutes, when Andre Clennon forced a diving save from Christiana Meija in Puerto Rica's goal.
They continued to look the better team after the first quarter-of-an-hour, but the Puerto Ricans had a good chance to level the scores in the 20th minute, but Wilfred Cotto's tame effort from 12 yards was easily handled by Andre Blake in the Jamaican goal.
After 30 minutes the Boyz continued to have the better off play, but were finding scoring opportunities difficult.
But in the last 15 minutes of the first half, the game opened up and the Boyz had four great opportunities to score, but only took advantage of one.
In the 33rd minute, Clennon lifted the ball over the cross bar from four yards after a perfectly-weighted cross from Palmer.
However, Palmer put the Boyz ahead a minute later when Adlam stole possession and with only Meija and a defender to beat, set up the midfielder, who slotted home from about the penalty spot.
Five minutes before the break, Clennon and Adlam combined to rob the Puerto Rican defence, but Clennon failed to beat the advancing Meija from inside the area.
Then in the 45th minute, Romario Campbell sent the striker clear on goal with a through pass, but this time he shot wide of the target.
After the break, Clennon came closest to increasing the score, but his header from a Levaughn Williams cross just went wide.
The fleet-footed Williams then forced the Puerto Rican custodian to parry a fierce shot across the face of his goal two minutes later.
The Jamaicans play their next game against the Bahamas tomorrow. At half-time last night, the Bahamas were tied 0-0 with hosts Cayman Islands.
Teams:
Jamaica - Andre Blake, Andre Campbell, Levaughn Williams, Ramone Palmer, Alanzo Adlam (Shavon Brown 70th), Romario Campbell, Davian Thorpe (Yannick Salmon 75th), Andre Clennon, Theo Brown, Keithy Simpson, Andre Darby.
Booked: Andre Campbell (36th)
Subs not used: Andre Steele, Romeo Parkes, Sean Fogah,
Dennis Taylor, Damaine Thompson.
Puerto Rico - Christian Mejia, Steven Enrichs, Anthony Vasques, Wilfred Cotto, Christopher Fiegenbaum (Alberto Reigo 78th), Antonio Pacheco, Fernado Gonzalez (Javier Fiol 73rd), Joel Rodriguez, Richard Pardo, Andres Cabrero, Nicholos Ramirez.
Booked: C Fiegenbaum (60th)
Subs not used: Gabriel Negron, Jerry Luna, Mauel Mazo, Jorge Padial.
Referee: Sandy Vasquez (Dominican Republic)
Assistant Referees: Alberto Castillo, Jose Luis Jarquin (Dominican Republic)
Fourth Official: Francisco Bautista (Dominican Republic)
Match Commissary: Boris Punch (Trinidad & Tobago)
Referee Inspector: Luis Yero (Cuba)
Winning start for U-20s in World Cup QualifiersLIVINGSTON SCOTT, Observer staff reporter, in the Cayman Islands
Thursday, July 24, 2008
GEORGETOWN, Grand Cayman - Jamaica opened their first round Under-20 World Cup qualifiers with a 1-0 win over Puerto Rico as Group B action kicked off at the Truman Bodden Sport Complex in the Cayman Islands yesterday.
Ramone Palmer netted the game's only goal, scoring from an unselfish pass from Alanzo Adlam in the 34th minute as the Jamaicans secured three valuable points.
"When I watched the Puerto Rico team yesterday (Tuesday), I predicted that it was going to be a difficult game. They are an organised team, a quality team that is technically good and physically they had the advantage," noted head coach Alfredo Montesso.
"But we were composed, we passed the ball a lot and that created some openings and it was a good team effort from our players," he added.
Puerto Rico's Brazilian coach, Charles Gatinho, said he was not overly disappointed with the result and he added that he was confident that his team would advance.
"It was a good result, because the goal Jamaica scored was the only difference. But the rest of the game was pretty level," he said.
Jamaica created the first chance of the match after 12 minutes, when Andre Clennon forced a diving save from Christiana Meija in Puerto Rica's goal.
They continued to look the better team after the first quarter-of-an-hour, but the Puerto Ricans had a good chance to level the scores in the 20th minute, but Wilfred Cotto's tame effort from 12 yards was easily handled by Andre Blake in the Jamaican goal.
After 30 minutes the Boyz continued to have the better off play, but were finding scoring opportunities difficult.
But in the last 15 minutes of the first half, the game opened up and the Boyz had four great opportunities to score, but only took advantage of one.
In the 33rd minute, Clennon lifted the ball over the cross bar from four yards after a perfectly-weighted cross from Palmer.
However, Palmer put the Boyz ahead a minute later when Adlam stole possession and with only Meija and a defender to beat, set up the midfielder, who slotted home from about the penalty spot.
Five minutes before the break, Clennon and Adlam combined to rob the Puerto Rican defence, but Clennon failed to beat the advancing Meija from inside the area.
Then in the 45th minute, Romario Campbell sent the striker clear on goal with a through pass, but this time he shot wide of the target.
After the break, Clennon came closest to increasing the score, but his header from a Levaughn Williams cross just went wide.
The fleet-footed Williams then forced the Puerto Rican custodian to parry a fierce shot across the face of his goal two minutes later.
The Jamaicans play their next game against the Bahamas tomorrow. At half-time last night, the Bahamas were tied 0-0 with hosts Cayman Islands.
Teams:
Jamaica - Andre Blake, Andre Campbell, Levaughn Williams, Ramone Palmer, Alanzo Adlam (Shavon Brown 70th), Romario Campbell, Davian Thorpe (Yannick Salmon 75th), Andre Clennon, Theo Brown, Keithy Simpson, Andre Darby.
Booked: Andre Campbell (36th)
Subs not used: Andre Steele, Romeo Parkes, Sean Fogah,
Dennis Taylor, Damaine Thompson.
Puerto Rico - Christian Mejia, Steven Enrichs, Anthony Vasques, Wilfred Cotto, Christopher Fiegenbaum (Alberto Reigo 78th), Antonio Pacheco, Fernado Gonzalez (Javier Fiol 73rd), Joel Rodriguez, Richard Pardo, Andres Cabrero, Nicholos Ramirez.
Booked: C Fiegenbaum (60th)
Subs not used: Gabriel Negron, Jerry Luna, Mauel Mazo, Jorge Padial.
Referee: Sandy Vasquez (Dominican Republic)
Assistant Referees: Alberto Castillo, Jose Luis Jarquin (Dominican Republic)
Fourth Official: Francisco Bautista (Dominican Republic)
Match Commissary: Boris Punch (Trinidad & Tobago)
Referee Inspector: Luis Yero (Cuba)
Comment