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They have done it! Boyz stun USA in WC Qualifying thriller

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  • They have done it! Boyz stun USA in WC Qualifying thriller

    They have done it! Boyz stun USA in WC Qualifying thriller

    • Boyz break US jinx with 2-1 World Cup Qualifying win • Austin, Shelton the goal-scoring heroes

    BY IAN BURNETT Sport Editor
    Saturday, September 08, 2012

    FINALLY, the jinx has been broken and it could not have come at a better time.


    In the year when the nation celebrates its 50th Independence anniversary, like the great Olympians, Jamaica's Reggae Boyz, after boldly promising victory, duly delivered on a first-ever senior football victory over the mighty Americans with a well-deserved come-from-behind 2-1 victory in front of a near capacity crowd at the National Stadium last night.

    Jamaica goalscorer Rodolph Austin (right) gets away from the USA’s Kyle Beckerman during their CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match at the National Stadium last night. Austin’s teammate Ryan Johnson watches the action from a distance. Jamaica won 2-1. (Photos: Garfield Robinson)
    Kavin Bryan of Jamaica (left) engages the USA’s Fabian Johnson during their CONCACAF World Cup qualifying match at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won 2-1.






    Ace striker Clint Dempsey, who only recently engineered a transfer move away from Fulham to Tottenham Hotspur, put the United States ahead after 37 seconds to silence the massive home crowd.

    But coach Theodore Whitmore's side grew in confidence and pulled level when Rodolph Austin, who signed for Leeds United in the English Championships, powered home a rasping free-kick on 23 minutes and then skipper Luton Shelton put the icing on the cake with an even more brilliant free kick in the 62nd minute to bring the mighty USA and its German coach Jurgen Klinsmann to their knees.

    The result left Jamaica atop the Group A CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying play-offs at press time with seven points, three ahead of their USA rivals. In the other game in the group, Antigua and Barbuda were leading Guatemala 1-0 in the latter's capital at press time.

    Jamaica and the USA will renew rivalry in the return-round next Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio. At the end of this semi-final phase, the top two teams from each of the three groups will advance to the final round with the top-three advancing automatically to the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals, with the fourth-placed team going into a play-off with the fifth-placed team from the South American COBMEBOL region.

    The victory marks the first in 21 outings between the two countries, including two Olympic Games Qualifiers in 1972. The USA enjoy 11 victories and nine matches have been drawn.

    Jamaica Football Federation president Captain Horace Burrell could not have asked for more, a win in front of a packed 'Office'.

    Mexican referee Mario Antonio Rodriques Moreno had barely signalled the start of the game when Maurice Edu picked out Herculez Gomez with a delicious through pass. The burly striker outmuscled Adrian Mariappa inside the penalty area before playing inside for Dempsey to slot home from six yards.

    Austin, who was employed in a more advanced role in midfield, tested Everton's goalkeeper Tim Howard with a rasping long-range effort which soared just over the top.

    The hard-working midfielder drove forward into the heart of the American defence yet again but was pulled down by Kyle Beckerman. He picked himself up, dusted himself off before driving home a grounded shot which beat the sprawling Howard to spark wild celebration inside the National Stadium.

    However, the home side dodged a bullet on the stroke of half-time when Dempsey, left unmarked from the same spot in which he scored, was denied by the outstretched arms of Dwayne Miller, much to the relief of the home crowd.

    The Boyz appeared more positive in the second half and Lovell Palmer asked Howard a serious question with a long-range effort, but the Everton '`keeper proved equal to the task, parrying over the horizontal for a corner.
    Then came that historic moment just after the hour mark. Austin had proven dangerous all night, but yet the Americans never learnt, as the wily midfielder was cynically blocked from about 25 yards out. With himself and Shelton standing over the ball, Howard must have been fooled thinking Shelton would try to sell him a dummy, instead the striker curled a beautiful free-kick into the net, well out of the reach of the flailing hands of the goalkeeping captain.

    From then on it was just a matter of trying to stay in front, and the Reggae Boyz did it superbly, moving the ball around and defending stoutly when needed, even in the three minutes of time added as the Americans threw everything into attack.

    But destiny was ordained and when the final whistle came, spectators and the Reggae Boyz bench celebrated as if they had just booked a ticket to the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals. That might just be a premonition.



    Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...#ixzz25t943AzN
    "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

  • #2
    Brilliant Boyz

    Brilliant Boyz

    Published: Saturday | September 8, 2012



    Jamaica's head coach Theodore Whitmore (right) greeting the United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann before the start of last night's game. Jamaican won 2-1 to earn their first-ever victory over an American senior football team.



    Jamaica's captain Luton Shelton is overjoyed after scoring the free kick which turned out to be the winner against the United States in the CONCACAF semi-final round World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium last night. -Ricardo Makyn/Staff photographer




    Goalscorer Rodolph Austin is mobbed by supporters at the end of last night's game which saw Jamaica's senior Reggae Boyz earn a historic 2-1 win over the United States.

    1 2 3 >

    Jamaica's 'ballers create history at 'The Office'Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sports

    FINALLY, JAMAICA'S senior men's football team has scored a victory over the United States.

    In the year when the nation celebrates its 50th year of Independence and after 19 tries, Rodolph Austin and Luton Shelton struck contrasting free-kick goals in each half to hand Jamaica their historic win, a 2-1 World Cup qualifying result.

    From near 30 yards, Austin powered home his kick in the 24th minute that sped along the turf and past the wall to beat the diving American keeper Tim Howard inside the far post; while Shelton, in the 64th, perhaps benefiting from the expectancy of Austin's booming tries earlier, spectacularly curled his free kick, from near 22 yards, over the wall and well beyond the reach of the diving goalie.

    Clint Dempsey had earlier scored a tap-in goal for the United States in the first minute, which stunned the Jamaican team and its near 25,000 supporters.

    Scenes of wild celebration greeted the final whistle, with hundreds of fans scaling the perimeter fencing to celebrate the famous win with their heroes on the pitch, rekindling memories of the Reggae Boyz's historic World Cup Finals qualification for France '98 when the team's current head coach, Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, was a player.

    sealed in 'The Office'
    Their qualification then was also sealed inside the National Stadium, which the Reggae Boyz have grown to call 'The Office' because of the manner in which they have dominated opponents on its turf, during the France campaign and onwards.

    The three points garnered from the win catapulted Jamaica to the top of Group A on seven points after winning two and drawing once in three matches of this quadrangular elimination series that promotes two teams to the CONCACAF Finals that will include six teams. The Americans who the Reggae Boyz will again meet on Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio, remain on four points. At the outset, it was actually the US which put themselves in pole position for zone leadership, as the homesters made a horrible start, on the back of a horrendous defensive mistake by centre half Adrian Mariappa.

    The US controlled possession from kick-off, playing mainly safe passes at the back before making a couple probing passes. Maurice Edu attempted to dissect the central and wing defenders with a pass to Herculez Gomez that Mariappa intercepted. However, the defender was dispossessed in the penalty box, leaving Gomez with a clear chance to score. He took two shots, which were charged down by goalkeeper Dwayne Kerr and Nyron Nosworthy, who did some risky defending on occasions. On the second rebound, Gomez passed inside for the unmarked Dempsey to place the ball safely into the goal from four yards.

    team passing game
    The US' style was consistent throughout, as they worked a team passing game, largely attempting to expose the Jamaican defence by dissecting the central defenders and fullbacks, especially on the flanks from where they would serve in crosses.

    Jamaica's was more direct and included more individualism, even though Je-Vaughn Watson - who hardly put a foot wrong for the entire night - Austin and Jason Morrison were playing at a level in the first half which enabled them to establish a real sense of danger.

    It never quite materialised into clear-cut openings, but more through booming drives from distance from Austin, who hit about 10 tries on goal for the night.

    Little surprise it was that he scored, with one of probably two hits that went below the crossbar.

    The US got a clear chance to regain the lead at the 44th minute when Maurice Edu was fed a grounded cross at six yards by Gomez. But his feeble finish was saved by Jamaica's goalie, Dwayne Miller, diving to his left.

    Jamaica were out of the blocks like its Olympic women's 100 metres champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, in the second half, peppering the US goal area with shots and earning a series of corner kicks.

    They continued to press forward and finally made the Americans pay for a series of fouls in dangerous areas just outside the goal area when Shelton produced a gem of a free kick on a move where he had actually earned the foul when brought down from behind.

    JAMAICA: 13-Dwayne Miller (GK), 2-Nyron Nosworthy, 18-Adrian Mariappa, 14-Lovel Palmer, 19-Jermaine Taylor, 7-Jason Morrison, 17-Rodolph Austin, 15-Je-Vaughn Watson, 21-Luton Shelton, 18-Kavin Bryan (5-Darren Mattocks), 9-Ryan Johnson (Omar Cummings 89th).

    USA: 1-Tim Howard (GK),5-Kyle Beckerman (14-Danny Williams), 7-Maurice Edu, 8-Clint Dempsey, 9-Herculez Gomez, 13-Jermaine Jones, 15-Michael Parkhurst, 17-Jozy Altidore, 20-Geoff Cameron, 21-Clarence Goodson, 23-Fabian Johnson.

    Subs not used:
    JAMAICA: 1-Duwayne Kerr, 23-Jacomena Barrett, 4-Shavar Thomas, 3-Dicoy Williams, 12-Andrae Campbell, 16-O'Brian Woodbine, 22-Ewan Grandison, 11-Dane Richards, 20-Tramaine Stewart.

    USA: 2-Jonathan Spector, 3-Carlos Bocanegra, 4-Michael Orozco, 6-Steve Cherundolo, 10-Joe Corona, 11-Brek Shea, 12-Brad Guzan, 16-Danny Torres, 18-Terrence Boyd, 19-Graham Zusi, 22-Sean Johnson.

    http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...iller_12480001
    "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

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