Reggae Boyz Bag a Point Against Costa Rica (Video)
Schäfer won’t smile at Jamaica keeper’s Gold Cup comedy of errors
Joel McAnuff’s sublime strike spared goalkeeper Dwayne Miller’s blushes as Jamaica fought hard to eek out a 2-2 stalemate against Costa Rica in their California clash to kick-start their Gold Cup campaign on Wednesday.
And it was a relief that the Reggae Boyz were working as a unit at the Stubhub Centre in Los Angeles after the squad missed Monday’s training session in a salary stand-off with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), which was only resolved 24 hours before kick-off.
Assistant coach Miguel Coley said: “It was good that we can stand up for each other because we didn’t plan for the negotiations at this time.”
Miller, an outstanding figure against Argentina in their final Copa America tournament debut, was expected to be a safe pair of hands after head coach Winfried Schäfer gave him the nod as first choice custodian.
And Miller had a gentle start to the tie against Costa Rica, nicknamed Los Ticos, who arrived at the tournament with three defeats and two draws from their past five matches.
With Los Ticos’ confidence on edge it was Jamaica’s Garath McCleary who made the shock breakthrough on 12 minutes, left-back Junior Diaz deflecting his effort on the right edge of the six-yard box past helpless keeper Esteban Alvarado.
McCleary waited patiently after a long throw from the left flanks by the industrious Kemar Lawrence that almost landed on the penalty spot then bounced over Diaz, who then turned and inadvertently helped the ball past Alvarado after lunging to try to block the shot.
It wasn’t a goal of international quality, but then neither were the two that followed from Los Ticos.
Six minutes later Lawrence fluffed his chance to double the lead, steering his shot wide of the target and within 45 seconds Costa Rica finally made their first goal-bound effort, Miller easily scooping up Cristian Gamboa’s tame effort.
On the half-hour mark Je-Vaughn Watson should have done better but his drive followed Lawrence’s earlier example, prodded narrowly wide of the upright as the Reggae Boyz continued to bustle for every ball – often to full effort.
Yet these couple of goal scares simply jolted Los Ticos, who stepped up their game and were immediately rewarded for hitting top gear with two goals within a five-minute ‘purple patch’.
A well-executed three-man set-piece brought an equaliser on 32 minutes from Roy Miller.
Skipper Bryan Ruiz rolled the ball across the face of the penalty area for David Ramirez to chip over the non-existent defence, all simply clueless after the wall broke up, for centre-back Miller to freely head pass the on-rushing keeper with striker Giles Barnes guilty of not jumping to stave off the danger.
Action replays from behind the goal showed that the shotstopper was out of position chasing the loose ball and had he stayed on his line he would have most likely prevented his namesake from notching an embarrassing equaliser.
And with Jamaica temporarily disheartened Los Ticos took advantage to strike another body blow on the Boyz, once more Miller was guilty for the goal as he raced too eagerly off his line only to be caught out by David Ramirez.
A hopeful long-range hoof from Celso Borges picked out exactly the same vulnerable spot at Jamaica’s right-back position, Ramirez flicking the pass over the outstretched keeper and Wesley Morgan’s attempted goal-line clearance sending the ball laughably into the roof of the net after the latest comedy of errors.
With the Boyz suddenly on the rack and playing nervously, Los Ticos dominated the remainder of the 45 minutes and Johan Venegas would have scored if he hadn’t screwed his shot wide of the gaping goalmouth.
But the Boyz bounced back with aplomb after the half-time interval, and were buzzing again with Miller now able to curb his enthusiasm for needlessly racing off his line.
Whatever Schäfer shouted during the interval did the trick as the Boyz equalised with an immediate response through a stunning McAnuff solo effort two minutes after the turnaround.
The no. 10 cut through the opponents like a knife through butter, racing down the centre of the pitch with some neat trickery before coolly poking his left-footed effort cleverly past Alvarado for a textbook strike that any player would be proud of.
The Boyz were back in the hunt, but soaked up the pressure only for Giancarlo Gonzalez and Gamboa to waste a good chance.
In need of new blood to inject some much-needed life, Schäfer hauled off the ineffective Giles Barnes on the hour-mark with livewire Darren Mattocks replacing him. And it was Mattocks who came the closest to scoring for the Boyz, only for Alvarado to be equal to the shot.
And goalscoring hero McAnuff was tiring after continuously trying to emulate his fabulous strike, replaced by Lance Laing with 11 minutes remaining of a tie that had become flat and tedious compared to the thrilling opening half.
Both sides fluffed golden opportunities to snatch maximum points with late efforts saved by the respective keeepers from Los Ticos’ Deyver Vegas and Jamaica’s Simon Dawkins, but a point seemed a fair share of the spoils.
Although the Boyz have found their scoring boots, a real relief after shooting blanks at the Copa America in Chile – albeit against the powerhouses of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay – once more a recognised striker failed to net.
And Schäfer must be getting frustrated by his keepers giving away needless goals, both goals against FIFA world no. 14 Los Ticos could have been prevented if Miller hadn’t scampered off his line.
An invaluable point was won against the toughest team in Group B, who reached the last eight of last summer’s World Cup in Brazil, which should lift the spirit of the Boyz with the next clash against Canada on Saturday.
If the Boyz continue to produce doggedly determined performances and make things difficult for opponents, they only need keeper errors and lack of goals from strikers to be ironed out to make progress in the 12-team tournament and show their worth to the JFF.
JAMAICA: Miller; Lawrence, Morgan, Austin, Mariappa; McAnuff (Laing, 79), Watson, Taylor, McCleary; Dawkins, Barnes (Mattocks, 60) Subs: Blake, Thompson, Hector, Powell, Laing, Phillips, Humphrey, Grant, Clennon, Ottey, Seaton
COSTA RICA: Brown; Diaz, Miller, Gonzalez, Gamboa; Cubero, Venegas (Saborio, 58), Borges; Campbell, Ruiz (Aguilar, 67), Ramirez (Vega, 73) Subs: Carvajal, Pemberton, Calvo, Umana, Brown, Myrie, Angulo, Guzman, McDonald
JAMAICA’S REMAINING GROUP B FIXTURES
July 11: Canada v Jamaica (BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, 5.30pm ko local time)
July 14: El Salvador v Jamaica (BMO Field, Toronto, 6pm ko local time).