Injury scare ........5 Boyz see doc

[Karl]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Injury scare ........5 Boyz see doc after bruising win over Hong Kong</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline>Brilliant McCallum among the injured</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=139 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>The Reggae Boyz' reward for Sunday's 5-3 penalty shoot-out victory over the Hong Kong League XI was a day of rest and recovery yesterday.<P class=StoryText align=justify>But as the Boyz enjoyed the brief period of R&amp;R, coach Bora Milutinovic was left sweating over the fitness of five players, who suffered varying degrees of knocks in Sunday's game.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The most serious appears to be Waterhouse's goalkeeper Richard McCallum, who was the hero of the penalty shoot-out triumph. He is suffering from a few swollen fingers on his right hand.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The 22-year-old custodian continues to receive treatment from Dr Mark Sanderson, but he has complained of pain whenever he tries to clutch the ball.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The other potential serious case is that of Harbour View's 29-year-old defender, Oneil Smith, who received a hard knock to his right shoulder in a challenge.<P class=StoryText align=justify>He, too, is being treated, but like McCallum, there is still pain.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Smith's Harbour View team-mate, Jermaine Taylor, is suffering from what Dr Sanderson suspects is a groin injury, while a third player from the National Premier League leaders, striker Kavin Bryan, is recovering from knocks to the foot (ankle area), following crunching challenges from the big Hong Kong League XI defenders.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Nicholy Finlayson, of Reno, is also hurting from knocks to the leg, but like Bryan, should be fit and ready for tomorrow's 8:15 pm (7:15 am local time) final against China's Under-23s.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The third place play-off is scheduled for 6:00 pm (5:00 am local time) between Hong Kong League XI and Australia's Under-23s.<P class=StoryText align=justify>On Sunday, Fabian Taylor made a dramatic return to international football when he opened the scoring for Jamaica in the 42nd minute, through a delicate header off a right-sided centre pass from Bryan.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Taylor was making his first appearance at the international level in three years, since being stricken by numerous injuries.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The Boyz held the lead until 11 minutes from the end when St Kitts &amp; Nevis striker Keith Gumbs equalised through a header from substitute Kim Wo Lee's right sided corner.<P class=StoryText align=justify>But the Boyz displayed their superiority from the spot with five unerring penalty kicks from Finlayson, Adrian Reid, Jermaine Taylor, Demar Phillips and Lovel Palmer.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Gerard Ambassa Guy, of Cameroon, Gumbs and Sai Ho Cheung were successful for the home side, but third kicker Fladimir Da Cruz Freitas, who had threatened with freekicks during play, had his shot blocked by McCallum.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Yesterday morning, the starters from Sunday's match enjoyed a relaxing session in the swimming pool atop the 16th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel, while the remainder of the squad was taken for a one-hour pitch session by Bora.
And last night, members of the team journeyed a few metres outside the hotel to the harbour of the Kowloon island to mix with the locals and enjoy the half hour fireworks on the beautiful Hong Kong skyline, as celebrations for the th

[Karl]

RE: Injury scare ........5 Boyz see doc

Reggae Boyz surprise 'Bora'
published: Tuesday | February 20, 2007 <DIV class=KonaBody j4lQv="true">


Technical director Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic displays a souvenir he picked up in Hong Kong. - Hong Kong FA web site photo

SO KON PO, Hong Kong (CMC):

The Jamaican camp is buoyed by their fighting win over the Hong Kong League XI in their opening match of the four-team 2007 Lunar New Year Cup tournament on Sunday evening at the Hong Kong National Stadium.

The Jamaican unit, made up primarily of Under-23 players preparing for Olympic qualifying competition, squeezed a 5-3 penalty shoot-out win over the star-studded local side after the game had finished 1-1 in normal time.

Jamaica will play for the Lunar Cup tomorrow against China, who won the evening's other match 2-0 over Australia.

Technical director Bora Milutinovic, on debut as the new man in charge of Jamaica's football, praised the players" effort.

Having completed a mere nine sessions with the squad in a few weeks, Milutinovic admitted that the players delivered more than he had bargained for.

"They performed much better than I thought they would and got a good result," he said.

Jamaica's new football boss

Milutinovic, who signed up late last year as Jamaica's new football boss, has the world-record distinction of taking five national teams to the World Cup Finals - the U.S.A., China, Nigeria, Costa Rica and Mexico.

The Reggae Boyz were flawless in their penalties as Nikolay Finlayson, Adrian Reid, Jermaine Taylor, Demar Phillips and Lovel Palmer all struck excellent kicks from the spot under intense pressure in unfamiliar territory to secure the win.

"The way they handled the penalties was quite professional,"head coach Wendell Downswell told CMC Sport.

"We are looking forward to capping things off by winning the championship," Downswell added.

Fabian Taylor's first half goal - three minutes before the break - placed Jamaica in front for a huge chunk of the match, but ace St. Kitts and Nevis international striker Keith Gumbs grabbed a late (79th minute) equalizer for the local League XI that sent the game into penalty kicks.

The Lunar New Year Cup, being televised throughout the Caribbean by CMC, celebrates the first day of the Chinese New Year and is one of the most prestigious events on the Hong Kong sporting calendar.</DIV>