PRIESTLYSAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras, CMC:
JAMAICA'S YOUNG Reggae Boyz opened their CONCACAF Under-20 Group B World Cup Qualification Final Round in disappointing fashion when they were hammered 4-2 by Honduras Wednesday night.
Playing at the Estadio Francisco Morazan, Jamaica went behind early and trailed 0-3 by half-time and despite scoring two goals in the second half to fight their way back, surrendered a late goal to lose badly in the end.
The win for Honduras was their first over the young Reggae Boyz in a CONCACAF Under-20 qualifying match since a 5-1 victory on November 10, seven years ago in Guatemala.
STRIKERS
Wendell Downswell-coached Jamaica were undone by strikers Cesar Guity and Ramon Nunez ,who both bagged braces to give the hosts the upper hand while Akeem Priestley and Obrion White scored for the losers.
Cesar Guity struck in the 23rd minute to opening the scoring for the Hondurans and added a second four minutes from half time to send his side 2-0 up. On the stroke of half-time, Ramon Nunez put the game out of the reach of the Jamaicans with a 45th minute strike.
Priestly restored some Jamaican pride when he scored 10 minutes after the break, and when White netted in the 69th, Jamaica were back in the hunt for full points.
NO RESURGENCE
But Nunez scored three minutes later to knock the steam out of the Jamaicans and ensure there would be no resurgence from the visitors.
Jamaica will now face Mexico today and Canada on Sunday.
In the other game, Ryan Gyaki scored twice to lead Canada to a 2-1 win over Mexico and extend the Maple Leaf's unbeaten streak to seven in CONCACAF Under-20 qualifying games. Marco Parra had the only goal for Mexico.
Two teams from Group B will join Panama and the U.S. as the CONCACAF representatives at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands.
