Heartbreaker at 'The Office'

Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport

FOR one moment Jamaica appeared dead, beaten by Jozy Altidore's 30th-minute goal.

Then, with less than two minutes left, Jermaine Beckford put them on level terms with a headed finish off Rodolph Austin's free kick. Within the next minute the Reggae Boyz were pressing for the winner as they forced the United States to beat away successive corner kicks.

That was until a break, on the second corner, led to an American corner kick at the other end that Jamaica failed to defend and conceded a stoppage-time debut goal from US centre back Bradley Evans to lose their second CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying (WCQ) football match at the National Stadium inside three days.

Jamaica's players buried their faces into the ground before slowly trekking off the pitch. Most spectators were still sitting around in their seats long after the final whistle as they sought to come to terms with a stunning defeat that further dented Jamaica of earning a place at the 2014 World Cup Finals in Brazil.

"It is hard to really find words," Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, Jamaica s head coach trailed off, as he too struggled to come to terms with the end on which his team found itself on a highly dramatic finish.

tough loss

"This is football," he offered, "it's a tough loss, but we've to stay focused, stay positive and hope for the best."

As difficult as the loss was to accept, there was greater acceptance and far louder backing from a small crowd (about 15,000) for the Reggae Boyz's effort this time, as opposed to their meek 1-0 surrender to Mexico on Tuesday.

They played only one striker, Ryan Johnson, then, and a five-man midfield that appeared more interested in shoring up defence.

This time, he had Jermaine Johnson as company, playing right off his shoulder in the centre of the park; Garath McCleary, in equally menacing mood right up there on the flanks and Jermaine Hue busier and more incisive with his passes.

Johnson, the only change to the starting team, made a major difference and gave a clear demonstration of how one man could transform a unit. His pace and skill was troubling to the Americans all night, beginning at kick-off when he made a rampaging run straight at the heart of the US defence.

The United States looked to have shook off that threat briefly, as they settled quickest with a nice team game that revolved off their ace midfielder, Michael Bradley.

They held up possession and moved the ball around nicely, until they almost scored at the second minute when Bradley, at the top of the penalty box, drove a shot that beat the Jamaican custodian and crashed on to the upright at the second minute.

With Bradley, Jermaine Jones and Fabian Johnson calling the shots, the Americans grew in stature and looked ready to take the game away.

That was until minute 14 when Jermaine Johnson reappeared with a succession of darting and purposeful runs that were charged down near the US penalty box. In the 16th minute, he disposed of two defenders while cutting in from the left and rifled a stinging shot from 20 yards that goalkeeper Tim Howard blocked.

Jamaica's team caught fire and all their players, now inspired, were confidently beating their opponents and dominating the ball to create much pressure. With Jermaine Johnson leading the lines, the US were under siege, but stood resolute.

Then, on the half-hour mark, the inexperienced Jamaica defence rekindled memories of the Mexico game to concede a goal. Rookie full back O'Brian Woodbine could not stop Graham Zusi from supplying a cross into the six-yard box, goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts stood on his line and central defenders Adrian Mariappa, Daniel Gordon and full back Alvas Powell could not stop Altidore from getting a free header to score.

The team, however, recovered much quicker this outing and should have drawn level before the interval.

A nice exchange of passes between Ryan Johnson and Rudolph Austin resulted in the former scooping an intelligent pass over the centre of defence to set Austin clear through at the 38th minute. However, his shot hit the base of the right upright and the US scrambled away the rebound.

delightful pass

A minute later, Hue made a delightful pass to Jermaine Johnson on the right of goal but he volleyed over the goal.

Jermaine Johnson and Jamaica continued their onslaught in the second half.

He hit a left-footed shot from 18 yards just wide of a scrambling Howard at his near post at the 49th; a minute later Austin drilled a 30-yard effort just wide; then Jermaine Johnson went to work on Damarcus Beasley and drove by him in the 51st and 55th minutes into the box, where his hard low crosses were turned outside the near post, firstly by a defender, then turned on to the near post by Howard.

"He had one of the best players who was giving him a really hard time," said US head coach Jurgen Klinsmann when asked to comment on Beasley's play at the post-game press conference. "In those situations you want two players on that side to counter those players."

Jermaine Johnson, however, soon ran out of steam, only to be followed by McCleary soon afterwards, and when both players' request for substitution was answered at the 66th and 73rd minutes, respectively, Jamaica's chances took a major hit.

The US were fitter and regained control with Bradley dictating the game. There seemed no way back for Jamaica.

Then out of nowhere, Woodbine was bundled over near the left flank. Austin curled in the free kick and Beckford scored his first goal for Jamaica and gave the Reggae Boyz renewed energy.When it was their chance to defend though, the defensive inexperience shone through with only one going across to the United States' two at the corner spot, they easily bounced him out and Bradley passed to Evans, who, with his back to goal, shook off Woodbine to turn and fire past Ricketts.

"That's what these games are about, they go down to the wire," said Klinsmann. "Coming away with three points was our goal. The script could not be better."

The Reggae Boyz travel for their third game in eight days, at Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on Tuesday. They left for Miami yesterday and will prepare in the US before flying into Honduras tomorrow.

Points standings

P W D L GF GA GD Pts

1. Costa Rica 4 2 1 1 5 3 +2 7 2. USA 4 2 1 1 4 3 +1 7 3. Mexico 5 1 4 0 3 2 +1 7

4. Panama 4 1 3 0 5 3 +2 65. Honduras 4 1 1 2 4 6 -2 4

6. Jamaica 5 0 2 3 2 6 -4 2

Friday's results: Jamaica 1 USA 2; Costa Rica 1 Honduras 0; Mexico 0 Panama 0.