Jamaica Stun Copa America Champions
Reggae Boyz triumph over world no.3 outfit
Winfried Schäfer pulled off his biggest career win by guiding Jamaica to an outstanding 2-1 friendly triumph in Chile. Clayton Donaldson and Joel Grant goals put the Reggae Boyz in control before Chile’s debutant striker Nicolas Castillo snatched a late and lucky consolation strike.
Schäfer had been uncharacteristically quiet before this Copa America warm-up match against the world no.3 outfit, obviously busy plotting Chile’s downfall.
Chile and Jamaica had never met before in an official international, and both came into the friendly with unwanted different records as well as the opportunity to blood new players. Hosts Chile had not kept a clean sheet for five matches, the last being a 2-0 success over Brazil in their 2018 World Cup qualifier.
Jamaica had registered just a single victory in their past five outings, and were brushed aside 3-0 by Costa Rica in the previous game on the road, so facing Chile on their own patch was treated with trepidation.
Yet any fears soon vanished as Schäfer’s side continued their usual tactics of resolute defending and rapid counterattacks – which worked wonders recently for Leicester City in capturing the English Premiership.
The hosts looked lively and Eduardo Vargas set the tone for a promising first-half with an ambitious long-range effort in the second minute.
Giles Barnes fluffed the chance to give the Boyz the lead on the counterattack, unable to drive home the ball from the middle of the penalty area.
And 10 minutes later Jamaica were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty after keeper Johnny Herrara sent Donaldson tumbling.
But Donaldson finally found a way past Herrara and broke the deadlock on 36 minutes, although not with his neatest of touches. Yet it was the build-up to the opening goal that bamboozled the hosts.
Je-Vaughan Watson picked out Gareth McCleary and his ball from the right wing found the Birmingham City forward who toe-poked the ball past the advancing Herrara from close range.
This strike stunned Chile and their fervent fans alike inside the Estadio Sausalito in Santiago’s Vina del Mar.
Chile went all out on the attack to snatch an equaliser, but to no avail.
Arsenal’s influential Alexis Sanchez saw his free-kick tipped over the bar by Ryan Thompson. Gary Medel’s overhead kick was scrambled off the line and Jean Beausejour’s effort curled wide of the target.
With the Boyz desperately holding onto their half-time lead, Schäfer bravely brought on a trio of fringe players to start the second half – Duwayne Kerr replacing Thompson between the sticks, Grant taking over from Michael Hector and Montego Bay’s speedster Allan Ottey coming on for Dever Orgill.
Hector had only arrived at the team’s base earlier that morning following a 20-hour flight from England and a further two-hour bus ride to the hotel, so it was understandable why he was hauled off.
With stalwarts such as Bronby’s Rodolph Austin and Leicester City’s Wes Austin given time to rest ahead of the Boyz second shot at next month’s Copa America, Schäfer opted for a depleted yet experimental squad in Chile.
And his decision to bring in new players after the interval paid rich dividends, Kerr brilliantly keeping out Mauricio Pinilla’s header then Grant extending Jamaica’s lead on 53 minutes.
Barnes whipped in a cross from the right that Grant headed home to send the Boyz into a frenzy at the scoreline.
Chile turned up the heat but squandered their seemingly endless goal-scoring opportunities with Medel, Sanchez and substitute Edson Puch all guilty of not scoring when they should have.
Chile manager Juan Antonio Pizzi threw on Castillo for his debut, and was rewarded with a goal from the hot-shot after just 12 minutes on the pitch.
But it was a scrappy goal, Kemar Lawrence’s attempt to clear the danger saw the ball hit Castillo and beat Kerr.
This left eight minutes for the Boyz to anguish and avoid any wobbles before Mexican referee Roberto Orozco blew the whistle for a famous victory.
JAMAICA: Thompson (Kerr); Lawrence, Mariappa, Taylor, Watson; Orgill (McAnuff 46), Williamson (Vanzie 46), Hector (Grant 46), McCleary; Barnes; Donaldson (Ottey 64). Subs: Harriott, Morris.
CHILE: Herrera; Isla, Jara, Vargas (Fernandez 46), Medel; Orellana (Fuenzalida 64), Beausejour (Puch 64), Silva, Aranguiz, Sanchez; Pinilla (Castillo 70). Subs: Toselli, Suazo, Pulgar, Roco, Melendez, Cuadra.
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