At right, Jamaica striker Marlon King tries to evade his Panamanian opponent on Saturday night at the National Stadium. Jamaica lost 2-1 and face El Salvador in a must-win game tonight in San Salvador. -Ian Allen photo
At left, is a file photo of LAZARONI.
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
IF SATURDAY'S second World Cup semi-final round qualifying match against Panama was deemed a must-win encounter after drawing the first against the United States, the match against El Salvador tonight is of titanic proportions after losing the second.
The Reggae Boyz, rooted to the bottom of a pothole on the Road to Germany 2006, will need to create history by winning a game in Central America for the first time and climb out of the rut in their CONCACAF World Cup Group One qualifier tonight.
Jamaica, the No. 53-ranked team in the world, tackle El Salvador, ranked 50 places lower at 103, in San Salvador in a crucial encounter as the teams position themselves for the return legs starting next month.
In the group's other clash, the 10th ranked U.S., with four points, take on Panama, ranked 96 places below them, but only a point behind in the four-team group in Panama City.
DESPERATE FOR A GOOD RESULT
Jamaica, who stretched the Americans in their first match then fell to lowly Panama in the fortress at Kingston, are on one point, that is three points behind the leaders and the Boyz are desperate for a good result to get back in the reckoning.
Yesterday was the 48th birthday of the legendary Brazilian, Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pele), who scored 1,090 goals from 1,114 professional appearances the greatest goalscoring record of all time.
Brazilian coach Lazaroni will need Jamaica to put away their chances as Pele did if they are to achieve their first win on Central American soil.
With a premium blend of British-based talent, domestic stars and players from the U.S. Major League, new coach Lazaroni looks to have found himself in a spot of bother after two matches and there is been a lot of criticism regarding selection and tactics.
Lazaroni was in a no-win situation with his tactics after two games, according to the experts.
Against the U.S., with one minute of ordinary time left, the visitors equalised and stole two points from Jamaica. Then the Brazilian coach admitted that he did not know which player to put on to close down the game.
Then last Saturday, after dominating and trailing for most of the game, Jamaica levelled the scores in the 77th minute and the coach went for an all-out attack, bringing on attacking players and lost to an injury-time goal against Panama.
He admitted he took the risk but it did not pay off.
The Brazilian coach said he will be going for three points against El Salvador but a draw would not be the end of the road for Jamaica if the U.S. keeps on winning.
If Jamaica hold El Salvador to a draw and, as expected, the U.S. beat Panama, Jamaica would still be at the bottom on two points, with Panama on three and El Salvador on four.
In the return legs, if Jamaica beat El Salvador at home and the US defeat Panama again, then Jamaica would leapfrog into second position on five points behind the U.S. on 10 and ahead of El Salvador and Panama on four and three points respectively.
Jamaica would now have their destiny in their own hands with two matches remaining.
WITHOUT STALWART DEFENDERS
But today's game won not be easy as Jamaica will be playing without stalwart defenders Ian Goodison following his red card against Panama and possibly Claude Davis on two yellow cards. Highly rated Under-20 captain Jerome Taylor has been drafted in to filled the void while Damion Stewart should start alongside Tyrone Marshall at the heart of the defence. Gerald Reid and Fabian Davis should retain their places at wing back after being substituted last Saturday.
Hard-tackling Jamie Lawrence should partner Micah Hyde in central midfield with captain Theodore Whitmore and Ricardo Gardner providing support to forwards Ricardo Fuller and Marlon King.
The top two finishers from each of the three CONCACAF zones will advance to next year's final round where the first three nations will automatically qualify for Germany and the fourth-placed team will go into a home-and-away two leg playoff with an Asian team.