Jamaica Hit Rock Bottom With Haiti Defeat
Reggae Boyz humbled at home in World Cup qualifier
Jamaica’s final 2018 World Cup qualifier ended in jeers from the 2,000-strong crowd following their tepid 2-0 reversal at the hands of minnows Haiti inside Kingston’s National Stadium last night (August 6).
With Haiti having failed to score in their five previous Group B games, then it should have been a forgone conclusion – on paper at least – that the Reggae Boyz would capture a long overdue morale-boosting win. But Haiti, who leapfrogged Jamaica in Group B with this win that left the hosts hitting rock bottom, didn’t comply with the script despite being badly hit by injuries and withdrawals.
Kevin La France broke the deadlock on 68 minutes and in the dying stages Duckens Nazon’s strike sealed an unlikely victory.
But the Boyz, who had only bagged two goals during their dismal World Cup qualifying campaign, never really looked like they could snatch a win with such a disjointed display.
And with Jamaica head coach Winfried Schäfer suspended, for what many believed would have been his last game at the helm, it was left to his assistant Miguel Coley to call the shots.
With zippy striker Giles Barnes injured, it was Coley who officially rang in the changes from their recent lacklustre 2-0 defeat in Panama. He brought in the duo Coley Burke and Dever Orgill as his strikeforce in a bid to end their four-game goal drought.
Defenders Kemar Lawrence and Jermaine Taylor were relegated to the bench. Former skipper Adrian Mariappa, who was playing his first competitive match of the season, joined fellow Michael Hector and Wes Morgan in the 3-5-2 formation.
The much criticised Je-Vaughn Watson returned from defensive duty to his usual spot in midfield alongside four new faces from Jamaica’s last outing. The physical attributes of ex-captain Rodolph Austin, Shaun Francis, Jobi McAnuff and Alvas Powell were given the runaround in midfield to try to keep the visitors at bay.
Haiti may be minnows in a group that saw Costa Rica and Panama progress with aplomb to the final World Cup qualifiers, yet Les Grenadiers arrived in Kingston having only conceded four goals from their five ties.
The Boyz, who have been shot-shy during their campaign, made a promising start when US-based ant Burke cleverly set up Orgill only for the chance to go begging.
On the counter-attack Sebastien Thuriere beat goalkeeper Andre Blake only for his thunderbolt to crunch against the crossbar.
The hosts were beginning to feel the pressure yet on 14 minutes Orgill was gifted a scoring chance, but again fell apart in front of the goalmouth.
Nazon’s superb dribbling skills turned Jamaica’s back three around in circles, but his low effort was denied by Blake, and that completed the first-half drama.
The sides came out for the second 45 minutes with the contest seemingly petering out into a dull scoreless draw.
But the Boyz were buzzing after their half-time talk and hit a 10-minute purple patch, Hector’s thumping free-kick, Orgill’s drive and Burke’s close-range header almost unsettling the visitors.
The industrious and tricky La France showed Jamaica how to finish by opening the scoring and from then on it was game over.
The Boyz never bounced back from conceding and it was only a question of time as to when Haiti would score again, the reward for another goal being that they would overtake Jamaica in the four-group table.
It was Nazon who came up with the goods with just two minutes remaining, dancing his way into the area before unleashing his effort low past Blake.
Stuttering out of their World Cup qualifiers with Schäfer’s position in severe jeopardy and no sign of ending their goal drought leaves fans, players and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) scratching their heads for a solution.
Schäfer, whose role is subsided by Brazilian firms, has made a remarkable U-turn in a desperate bid to remain as head coach.
He has a contract with the JFF until 2018 and in June claimed: “Team building is what I like. We need more players from England, it is the future.”
But this month has contradicted his firm plans and said: “I want a local national team plus players from overseas, not players from overseas with local players.
“I’m not finished with my work here, I want to stay to build a national team with local players and with some overseas-based players.
“We want new players on the bench, we have to change, I want to see other players for the future.”
Whether Schäfer has a future with the JFF remains to be seen, especially as those players that he has recently relied on are obviously not in his plans so undoubtedly they won’t be supporting the man they once called boss.
JAMAICA: Blake; Mariappa, Morgan, Hector; Francis, Austin, Powell (Harriott 62), Watson, McAnuff; Orgill (Holness 75), Burke (Donaldson 74). Subs: Barrett, Thompson, Taylor, Harriott, Lawrence, Williamson, Binns.
HAITI: Placide: Ade, Jerome, La France, Arcus; Delice (Pierre 70), Herold, Thurier, Delva (Hilaire 59), Belfort (Desire 49) Nazon. Subs: Odelus, Ceus, Germian, Vernet, Aristide, Louima, Vorbe.
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