By Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor 
Brian McBride (right) of the U.S. fights for the ball with Jamaica's Ian Goodison during the second half of their World Cup semi-final round qualifying match at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday night. The game ended in a 1-1 tie which eliminated Jamaica from World Cup qualification. - Reuters
COLUMBUS, Ohio:
NUMB. SUCH was the state of Jamaica's Reggae Boyz and their fans after the team's elimination from the 2006 World Cup campaign at the Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday night.
Their exit was sealed through a 1-1 draw with a largely second string United States team, in
conditions as cold as their state at the final whistle.
The tie left Jamaica on seven points, one less than Panama who sealed the second qualifying spot from Group One with a 3-0 home thrashing of El Salvador.
The Salvadoreans stayed bottom of the standings with four points, while the point earned by the U.S. against Jamaica entrenched their No. 1 place at 12 points.
LAZARONI OUT
It also meant the end of Brazilian head coach Sebastiao Lazaroni, who had been given a mandate to qualify the team. As long as it was in the campaign, he was in. Whenever the team was out, the same applied to him.
He admitted that much and sorrow, and at times clutched at straws by referring to chances missed in previous matches and the little time he had to work with the players, while trying to explain the team's unexpected exit at
the semi-final round of
CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.
"I am very unhappy. I come to try to give my hand for them to qualify... sorry Jamaica, I tried to do my best," bemoaned a sad-looking Lazaroni while addressing journalists after the game.
Having failed his mandate, he said: "Of course now the situation change, everything changes, I'm out."
He added: "I'm hoping to help Jamaica anytime, but not now."
Asked why, the Brazilian said: "I think it's better for the programme to put in another coach."
Asked if the right man was technical director Carl Brown, who was successful with the team until replaced by him, Lazaroni commented: "I love coach Brown but this is the decision of the
president," he said in relation to Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) head Crenston Boxhill.
By then, Boxhill had left the stadium and as such, was unavailable to comment.
Jamaica needed to beat the U.S. to ensure their place in the final phase of qualifying. However, Andy Williams' game-tying penalty at the 27th minute was all the Boyz could muster in response to a goal scored by the Americans.
Eddie Johnson, with his fifth strike in only his third World Cup qualifier, let the Jamaicans pay for allowing him three wide open chances at goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts within a two-minute span, by burying the final attempt with only 15 minutes gone.
INSTANT DIFFERENCE
It had basically been all U.S. then and, within minutes, Lazaroni responded by giving Jermaine Hue his first World Cup cap. The Harbour View midfielder made an instant difference to the Jamaican offence and almost immediately, it bore fruit when he passed to Ricardo Fuller, who went past a defender only to be brought down inside the box by rookie defender Ramiro Corrales.
Williams cracked the penalty past Kasey Keller for the equaliser.
Jamaica's game improved, but their 'keeper, Ricketts was kept busy to the interval and if he
hadn't pulled off some magnificent saves, the scoreline would have been wider.
The game was more even in the second half, but the Americans continued to dominate action at goalmouth until Oguchi Onyewu was given a red card for a second bookable offense, with 17 minutes remaining.
PLAYING WITHOUT URGENCY
Even then, and with the knowledge that Panama were leading and only victory would be good enough, the Jamaicans failed to play with the urgency required.
They moved the ball slowly, did not take chances to shoot from the top of the box and failed to provide crosses to the goalmouth with ample players waiting, in an effort to change their fortune.
And even when a half chance popped up, Marlon King, the
scoring forward of the team who was not favoured to start, went for goal with an angled shot at the 83rd minute as Hue waited unmarked in front of the gaping goal.
Keller made the save and there went Jamaica's last chance of staying alive.
"This game wasn't about eliminating Jamaica," admitted U.S. coach Bruce Arena after the game. "It was about playing to win and getting a look at some guys.
"Unfortunately for Jamaica, this game is all about results and Panama came through tonight."
