Reggae Boyz’ World Cup Dreams Come Crashing Down In Panama
Paul Hall’s Reggae Boyz need a mathematical miracle to qualify for Qatar 2022 after they were dismantled 3-2 at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez by Panama yesterday (30 January).
Jamaica made a promising start with an early lead through a Michail Antoni spot-kick, and were spurred on when Andre Blake saved a first-half penalty.
But Javain Brown’s own goal just before the interval lifted the hosts in Panama City. Then Panama, who have never lost a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier to Jamaica, added two more goals after the turnaround. Yet substitute Andre Gray had the final say with a late consolation strike for a flattering result for Jamaica.
Head coach Hall, having lost his opening two games in temporary charge, persisted with his bizarre 4-1-4-1 formation despite having half-a-dozen in-form strikers available to chase vital points to keep alive their dreams of making it to Qatar.
He did make a trio of changes, veteran Adrian Mariappa called in for suspended defender Damion Lowe plus the attacking duo of Cory Burke and Bobby Decordova-Reid replacing Junior Flemmings and Lamar Walker.
Despite the tie being played behind closed doors, because of a FIFA ban over home fans’ homophobic chants against Mexico last year, there was clearly vocal support for the hosts.
These spectators were swiftly silenced when Ravel Morrison went tumbling in the area and was awarded a penalty, after the referee called for a VAR review. Sole striker Antonio sent goalkeeper Luis Mejia the wrong way, to slot into the bottom left corner for Jamaica’s first World Cup goal against Panama since Marvin Elliott scored nine years ago.
Midfielder Morrison went from hero to zero after foolishly conceding a spot-kick in the 18th minute with a silly shoulder charge. VAR confirmed the penalty, but Blake spared Morrison’s embarrassment by saving Eric Davis’ low effort down the middle.
After this narrow escape, the Boyz upped their tempo for the rest of the opening half and it was the industrious Morrison who almost made amends. His mazy run ended in a miscued shot that slowly rolled into Mejia’s hands.
With both sides desperately seeking maximum points the clash was getting tense towards half-time. But a defensive mix-up saw Panama snatch an overdue 43th-minute equaliser to hand the hosts a lifeline.
Jamaica skipper Blake missed his attempt to punch Edgar Barcenas’ telling cross from the right, which Brown headed into his own net past the scrambling keeper to level matters.
Panama took the bull by the horns after the turnaround, with Flemmings thrown on for Burke at half-time, and were rewarded for their endeavours with a well-worked strike to take a 51st-minute lead.
After the Boyz were dispossessed in midfield, a rapid counter-attack saw Barcenas test Blake with the rebound falling perfectly for Davis to blast low into the bottom left of the gaping goalmouth.
This goal disheartened the Boyz, who lost their way amid the high humidity, and Hall mirrored the exact tactics of axed head coach Theodore Whitmore by throwing on two substitutes with 25 minutes remaining.
Morrison, who had been brandished a yellow card, was a straight swap with Kevin Stewart but there was a glimmer of hope when forward Gray came on for defensive stalwart Kemar Lawrence.
With an obvious gap in defence, Panama took immediate advantage and on 68 minutes delivered a massive blow to the Boyz with Azmahar Ariano converting Rolando Blackburn’s corner.
The extra space from Hall’s changes seemed obvious and head coach Thomas Christiansen quickly tinkered his line-up with an array of substitutes, which frustrated the visitors until Gray headed home Decordova-Reid’s cross for a consolation goal with three minutes left.
Hall’s third defeat at the helm questions whether the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) were hasty to give Whitmore the boot, as he had steadied the ship with an unbeaten run of four games and only conceding twice.
Jamaica are in total disarray and reaching this year’s FIFA World Cup finals seems impossible as they are unlikely to be able to play catch up, lying a massive 10 points behind Panama with four games remaining.
With just one victory from 10 World Cup qualifiers cost Whitmore his job, and Hall’s dismal record – partly due to his favoured yet strange formation – is unlikely to result in four successive wins against Costa Rica, El Salvador, unbeaten Canada and basement side Honduras.
The JFF will witness Wednesday’s home tie against Costa Rica and then surely start drawing up plans to install a head coach who can restore Jamaica’s place as one of the top teams in the CONCACAF region.
Stuttering Jamaica are effectively out of the race to secure places for Qatar 2022 and slipped to seventh place in the eight-team table, leapfrogged by El Salvador who breezed past hosts Honduras 2-0.
Table-topping Canada have a four-point cushion following their 2-0 success over the United States, while the chase for third spot has hotted up with Mexico held to a scoreless home draw by Costa Rica.
Hall’s Jamaica teams are leaking goals despite his defensive tactics. Unless he considers playing at least two strikers in their usual position there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, and he could end up with an unwanted record of 100 per cent defeats.
The Boyz appear unable to actually win matches, with such negative tactics employed to stifle opponents too commonplace and having proved costly.
The JFF’s knee-jerk reaction to promote him to head coach was partially a financial decision, but had a part-time experienced coach come as a short-term solution then narrow defeats to Panama and Mexico may have been avoided and Qatar could have been in reach.
JAMAICA: Blake – Lawrence (Gray, 65), Pinnock, Mariappa, Brown – Williams – Decordova-Reid, Morrison (Stewart, 65), Johnson (Walker, 56), Burke (Flemmings, 46) – Antonio. Subs: Leigh, Powell, Moore, Miller, East, Vassell, King, Knight
CONCACAF World Cup qualifying results: Canada 2 USA 0, Honduras 0 El Salvador 2, Mexico 0 Costa Rica 0, Panama 3 Jamaica 2
CONCACAF World Cup qualifying table (after 10 games): Canada 22pts (+12 goal difference), USA 18pts (+6), Mexico 18pts (+5), Panama 17pts (+2), Costa Rica 13pts (0), El Salvador 9pts (-5), Jamaica 7pts (-7), Honduras 3pts (-14)
Jamaica’s remaining matches
Costa Rica (h) 2 February, El Salvador (h) 24 March, Canada (a) 27 March, Honduras (h) 30 March
Download The Jamaican Blogs™ App for your Android device: HERE
Remember to share this article on Facebook and other Social Media Platforms. To submit your own articles or to advertise with us please send us an EMAIL at: [email protected]