Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport EditorPANAMA CITY:
JAMAICA'S REGGAE Boyz fought back gallantly to earn a 1-1 draw with Panama at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium here last night.
Captain Theodore Whitmore scored the important equaliser for the Boyz in the 74th minute. Panama had earlier taken the lead thanks to Roberto Brown in the 23rd minute.
The result kept Jamaica in second position in the Group A standings on five points with Panama. Both teams trail leaders the United States, who beat El Salvador 2-0 last night to move to eight points in the four-team CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying semi-final series.
El Salvador are at the bottom of the standings on three points.
"It's a nice feeling. It's a long time since I have been on the score sheet and being in a situation like this, it's good to know that we got a point out of the game," Whitmore said after the match.
The team's head coach, Sebastiao Lazaroni, was thankful for the result.
"The game didn't develop like we planned," the Brazilian said. "We made tactical changes, but only in the second half we played better and got two good chances to score. Since Andy (Williams) came in we changed the game. The players played their hearts out, but Panama is a good team."
The team plays its next match against El Salvador at the National Stadium on Wednesday and Lazaroni said victory was a "must".
The Boyz looked out of character and chased the home side for most of the first half. They completely surrendered midfield and offered the Panamanians too much time and space to play.
OFFERING
Panama gracefully accepted that offering and utilised it to enforce the strong areas of their game by feeding the dangerous and always unmarked Julio Medina balls on his favoured left to swing in crosses for their two forwards, who are good at winning headers in front of goal. Jamaica never paid heed to the constant threat posed by this attacking method.
It almost bore fruit in the 18th minute when Medina's free kick was met with a firm header unchallenged from Brown, which crashed on to the upright. This almost perfect finish never provided the antidote for a wake-up call for the Boyz, who ultimately paid the price by conceding a goal five minutes later.
A cross, for the umpteenth time, was again supplied by Mediana on the left to Brown, who was free at the back post. This time he again made a solid header which went under the body of a diving Donovan Ricketts in goal.
For his part, Ricketts did well to even get a hand to the ball, but the big six footer would have done himself and his team more help by advancing from his goal line to claim the ball which was served up on the edge of his six-yard box.
Rickett's indecision completely reflected that of his team, which was slow and beaten at all times to the second ball and more often to the first.
Additionally, the Jamaicans consistently gave away the ball with too many bad passes. They did get looks on goal but strikers Marlon King and Ricardo Fuller did not shoot off the left foot when given early chances to score, which would have muzzled a vociferous crowd which inspired its warriors on the field.
The Panamanians confidence was at a much higher level than the first leg game in Kingston when they were completed out-played on their way to securing a very fortuitous win. This time, up to the 60th minute, it was the Panamians, who dominated play and the shots on goal.
JA'S SHOT
Jamaica never put a shot on goal until the 62nd minute and when it came, Tyrone Marshall's volley from the top of the penalty box lacked the venom it needed to threaten the 'keeper.
Clearly, Jamaica needed to put some sting into its play and Lazaroni went to his bench for Williams to provide that injection. He came on shortly after the hour mark and the Jamaicans slowly began to impose themselves on the game.
They converted that advantage with a goal made from a penetrating run from Fuller who provided a delightful chip that gave Whitmore a free header that he finished from six yards out to put the Boyz back in business.
Lineups:
Panama: Donaldo Gonzalez, Luis Moreno, Jose Anthony Torres, Carlos Rivera, Luis Henriquez, Alberto Blanco, Engi Mitre (Manuel Torres, 63), Julio Medina (Victor Miranda 79), Ricardo Phillips, Roberto Brown (Jorge Dely Valdes, 85), Julio Dely Valdes.
Jamaica: Donovan Ricketts (Aaron Lawrence, 59), Craig Ziadie, Tyrone Marshall, Fabian Davis, Ricardo Gardner, Jamie Lawrence (Ian Goodison, 46), Micah Hyde, Theodore Whitmore, Damani Ralph, Marlon King (Andrew Williams, 61), Ricardo Fuller.
STANDINGS
P W D L GF GA Pts
GROUP A
| United States | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| JAMAICA | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| Panama | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| El Salvador | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3 |
GROUP B
| Guatemala | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| Honduras | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 6 |
| Costa Rica | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
| Canada | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
GROUP C
| Mexico | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 6 |
| Trinidad | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| St. Vincent | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 3 |
| St. Kitts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
