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02/23/2011
Jamaica completes U-17 semis, head to World Cup
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FIND YOUR TEAM'S GEARMONTEGO BAY, Jamaica - Jason Wright scored a goal in each half and Jamaica qualified for the Under-17 World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Honduras on Wednesday that also sent the "Young Boyz" to the semifinals of the CONCACAF championship.
Wright's goals gave him four for the tournament and assured Jamaica of its second trip to the world championship and first since 1999.
Honduras, which didn't manage a shot until the 51st minute, pulled within a goal in the 65th on a header by Bryan Rochez and had several late chances to equalize.
Wright put Jamaica ahead in the 13th minute and doubled the lead 21 seconds after the second-half kickoff to enable the Caribbean nation to claim the last World Cup berth from CONCACAF and the 14th overall. Only Europe's six and South America's four berths remain undecided.
Jamaica advances to Friday's semifinals against the United States. Canada will play Panama in the first semifinal. All four teams have qualified for the World Cup.
The host pushed from the outset and was not challenged until midway through the second half.
Omar Holness put a shot from the top of the area just over the crossbar in the sixth minute and Wright gave them a lead only seven minutes later.
Holness' long throw-in into the area deflected off a gaggle of players on the six in front of the net and deflected out, where Wright dashed in to toe-poke the ball from eight meters.
Honduras keeper Roberto Lopez kept his team close for the rest of the half, thwarting several Jamaican chances, including two consecutive saves in the 42nd.
Lopez stymied Jevani Brown one-on-one after the Jamaican was sent in alone on a long ball out of the back from Alvas Powell, and a moment later did the same to Wright who took a shot off the rebound.
But Wright doubled the lead in the 46th when Brown fed a ball from the byline into Wright standing just outside the six. Wright trapped the ball, spun to his right and hit a low shot across the face of the goal while defender Jeffri Flores appealed in vain for a handball, claiming Wright settled the pass from Brown with his hand.
Honduras failed to maintain hardly any possession in the Jamaican half until David Carranza managed a shot high from 20 meters in the 51st. But when Honduran coachj Elimano Umanzo inserted Rochez for Carlos Andrade in the 64th, the match changed quickly.
Less than a minute after Rochez entered the field, Honduras found space down the right and Ramon Amador curled a right-footed cross into the area. The ball sailed just over the head of Powell and Rochez was in position just outside the six to drive a header inside the far post.
Honduras almost immediately enjoyed an equal share of possession and chances, with Rochez working into threatening positions on a handful of occasions.
Amador had one of Honduras' best chances late, striking a right-footed free kick from 30 meters that Jamaica keeper Odean Clarke had to make an athletic effort to save at the left post.
Rochez had a shot from inside the area blocked by Romario Jones in injury time and Oscar Roque put an attempt high seconds later to add to the Honduran frustration.
Jamaica completes U-17 semis, head to World Cup
Share | |
VIDEO
Previews and highlights PHOTOS Game galleries RELATED COVERAGE More news Teams | Results | Standings | Stats | More SHOP CONCACAF FIND YOUR TEAM'S GEARMONTEGO BAY, Jamaica - Jason Wright scored a goal in each half and Jamaica qualified for the Under-17 World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Honduras on Wednesday that also sent the "Young Boyz" to the semifinals of the CONCACAF championship.Wright's goals gave him four for the tournament and assured Jamaica of its second trip to the world championship and first since 1999.
Honduras, which didn't manage a shot until the 51st minute, pulled within a goal in the 65th on a header by Bryan Rochez and had several late chances to equalize.
Wright put Jamaica ahead in the 13th minute and doubled the lead 21 seconds after the second-half kickoff to enable the Caribbean nation to claim the last World Cup berth from CONCACAF and the 14th overall. Only Europe's six and South America's four berths remain undecided.
Jamaica advances to Friday's semifinals against the United States. Canada will play Panama in the first semifinal. All four teams have qualified for the World Cup.
The host pushed from the outset and was not challenged until midway through the second half.
Omar Holness put a shot from the top of the area just over the crossbar in the sixth minute and Wright gave them a lead only seven minutes later.
Holness' long throw-in into the area deflected off a gaggle of players on the six in front of the net and deflected out, where Wright dashed in to toe-poke the ball from eight meters.
Honduras keeper Roberto Lopez kept his team close for the rest of the half, thwarting several Jamaican chances, including two consecutive saves in the 42nd.
Lopez stymied Jevani Brown one-on-one after the Jamaican was sent in alone on a long ball out of the back from Alvas Powell, and a moment later did the same to Wright who took a shot off the rebound.
But Wright doubled the lead in the 46th when Brown fed a ball from the byline into Wright standing just outside the six. Wright trapped the ball, spun to his right and hit a low shot across the face of the goal while defender Jeffri Flores appealed in vain for a handball, claiming Wright settled the pass from Brown with his hand.
Honduras failed to maintain hardly any possession in the Jamaican half until David Carranza managed a shot high from 20 meters in the 51st. But when Honduran coachj Elimano Umanzo inserted Rochez for Carlos Andrade in the 64th, the match changed quickly.
Less than a minute after Rochez entered the field, Honduras found space down the right and Ramon Amador curled a right-footed cross into the area. The ball sailed just over the head of Powell and Rochez was in position just outside the six to drive a header inside the far post.
Honduras almost immediately enjoyed an equal share of possession and chances, with Rochez working into threatening positions on a handful of occasions.
Amador had one of Honduras' best chances late, striking a right-footed free kick from 30 meters that Jamaica keeper Odean Clarke had to make an athletic effort to save at the left post.
Rochez had a shot from inside the area blocked by Romario Jones in injury time and Oscar Roque put an attempt high seconds later to add to the Honduran frustration.
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