Reggae Boyz off to good semi-final start

Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor
TORONTO, Canada:

JAMAICA'S REGGAE Boyz earned an excellent result on the road as they kick-started their semi-final-round campaign with a 1-1 draw against a strong Canada team in their Group Two CONCACAF World Cup qualifier at BMO Field here last night.

Julian de Guzman fired Canada into the lead in the 47th minute while Andy Williams equalised for Jamaica with a quick reply in the 52nd.

Guzman also hit the bar with a rasping drive from 20 yards out at the 86th minute.

Both teams shared a point in the four-team group that also includes Mexico and Honduras.

The top two will move on to the six-nation finals of the qualifying series from which three will advance automatically to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The fourth-placed CONCACAF team will play off against the fifth-placed CONMEBOL (South America) country for another spot.

Heavy concentration

Last night's contest began tentatively with heavy concentration on possessing the ball with diagonal passes at the back in the opening five minutes.

Gradually, Canada, under more pressure to score because it was their home fixture, made some attacking probes and though they got off the first four shots before minute number 20, Jamaica's goal was not threatened as goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts never had to make a save.

It represented the difficulties posed by Jamaica's defence, which hemmed in the spaces in the middle of the ballpark with a cluster of midfielders.

Clearly, they were playing to a plan to shut out the Canadian midfield. Apart from Deon Burton and Andy Williams, to a lesser extent, there was not much commitment by Jamaica to get forward up to the 25th minute.

Burton, though, playing as the lone striker, was a handful for the Canadian defence through his constant hustling.

Canada appeared frustrated and tried to press the Jamaicans into errors but the ploy only served to squeeze some flair out of their opponents, who transformed that confidence into a nice little attacking sequence with some good ball movement through to the end of the half. Several plays led to dangerous crosses in front goal and two speculative shots from juvenile Evan Taylor, who was steady at central midfield.

Second kick-off

Jamaica lapsed at the second kick-off and conceded after only two minutes when Dwayne De Rosario, who had been delivering dangerous crosses from the flanks, hit the ball to Tomasz Radzinski at the far post. He headed to Deportiva de la Coruna midfielder de Guzman, who hit a grounder across goal into the far post for a 47th-minute lead.

Jamaica responded positively and equalised in the 52nd minute when Williams scored directly from the corner as Canadian 'keeper Pat Onstad advanced too far and was beaten by the flight of the curling ball.

Jamaica next play Mexico in World Cup qualifying at the National Stadium on September 6.