By Ian Burnett Sport Editor
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Mexico City, Mexico - Once again Mexico proved to be the masters of Jamaica on the football pitch.
Mexico City, Mexico - Mexico's Matias Vuoso (left) battles Jamaican veteran Ian Goodison during their World Cup qualifying game at the Azteca yesterday. Mexico won 3-0. (Photo: AP)
And on the evidence of what was presented to the near capacity (110,000) white-clad, vociferous supporters, the South Americans duly deserved their 3-0 victory in yesterday's CONCACAF Semi-Final round World Cup Qualifying series here at the Estadio Azteca.
The win pushed Mexico to maximum six points from their two games, following a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Honduras on August 20. Honduras and Canada were scheduled to face each other at Montreal last night.
Entering yesterday's game, Jamaica and Canada were locked on one point each, following their 1-1 draw in Toronto in their Semi-Final round opener.
Andres Guardado, Fernando Arce and Jonny Magallon found the net yesterday for the home side.
The Mexican supporters agreed to wear white in a gigantic plea for peace in their homeland, after a spate of kidnappings and murders rocked the country.
Their players might have had peace in their hearts, but they displayed no mercy, especially in the first half-hour of the game officiated by American referee Baldomero Toledo, who is said to be Mexican-born.
Unlike the previous game against Honduras when the crowd had to endure 73 minutes before celebrating their first goal, the home side got off to the perfect start when Guardado put them ahead with a curling left-footed free-kick from the right side of the penalty box in the third minute.
Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts dove full stretch to his left, but the ball had too much pace, as it nestled into the net, sending the spectators into a frenzy.
It was the start that the Reggae Boyz feared, and the fact that they appeared too tentative when in possession of the ball, didn't help either.
It could have been worse, as before 10 minutes had elapsed, Ricketts' alertness kept his team in the game when he came off his line to smother a grounded cross from the left side destined for the arriving Giovani Dos Santos, after the speedy Mexicans had broken free of the chasing Jamaican defenders.
Ricketts, who gained accolades from Canadian coach Dale Mitchell for his exploits against the North Americans on August 20, came up big again for his team when he backpedalled to tip Fernando Arce's looping shot over the horizontal.
And the giant goalkeeper was at it again on the half- hour mark, bravely palming away a dangerous free-kick from Pavel Pardo.
But Arce would return in the 33rd minute to ram home from inside the penalty area, after the Jamaicans failed to adequately deal with the incisive passing by the now marauding Mexicans.
Jamaica, who certainly lacked a step or two in most instances, managed their first shot on goal five minutes from the interval when Ricardo Fuller, who until then appeared anonymous, fired a weak left footed shot which gave goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez no problems.
The Mexicans should have increased their lead in time added in the first half, but Dos Santos, the Tottenham Hopspur striker and an Under-17 FIFA World Cup champion, booted high over the top after being expertly served by a team mate on the penalty spot.
Ricketts continued his good form in the second half when he denied the homeside yet again by sprinting off his line to clear after an unattended Mexican player had received a free-kick well behind the defenders.
But there was only going to be one winner on the night, despite the heroics of Ricketts and the lion-hearted central defender Ian 'Pepe' Goodison, who defied his 35 years and 10 months.
The Mexican added the third and final goal on 63 minutes when central defender Jonny Magallon volleyed home a right-footer from a left-sided corner kick. It was the third consecutive corner by the Mexicans, after the Boyz failed to clear their line.
Moments after the goal, Rudolph Austin tested Sanchez with a firm, low drive, but the goalkeeper parried into the path of Wolfe, who turned his marker before centring for Fuller to head just wide.
Along with Ricketts and Goodison, other players who distinguished themselves were Austin, Andy Williams, Marshall and substitute Wolry Wolfe, and possibly Jermaine Taylor.
But this rendition of the Boyz revealed that the support cast is probably not where it should be in terms of depth. Finally, the inexperience and naivety of Evan Taylor came to the fore, and his replacement after 53 minutes, Keneil Moodie, looked equally out of class.
The Reggae Boyz will depart Mexico early today for Honduras, for their assignment in San Pedro Sula on Wednesday.
Teams:
Jamaica - Donovan Ricketts, Ricardo Gardner, Ian Goodison, Jermaine Taylor, Tyrone Marshall, Evan Taylor (Keneil Moodie 53rd), Rudolph Austin, Demar Phillips (Wolry Wolfe 46th), Andy Williams, Ricardo Fuller, Deon Burton (Luton Shelton 72nd).
Subs not used: Shawn Sawyers, Obrian Woodbine, Davion Thorpe, Jermaine Hue.
Booked: E Taylor (17th), Austin (30th), Phillips (39th)
Mexico - Oswaldo Sanchez, Jonny Magallon, Carlos Salcido, Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Osorio, Luis Perez, Pavel Pardo (Gerardo Torrardo 61st), Carlo Alberto Vela (Vincente Matias 79th), Fernando Arce, Giovani Dos Santos (Cuauhtemoc Blanco 72nd), Andres Guardado.
Subs not used: Guillermo Ochoa, Omar Bravo, Francisco Javier Rodriguez, Aaron Galindo.
Booked: Salcido (37th), Marquez (44th)
Referee: Baldomero Toledo (USA)
Assistant Referees: Chris Strickland, Corey Rockwell (USA)
Fourth Official: Alex Prus (USA)
Match Commissary: Ariel Corrasco (Panama)
Referee Inspector: Ramesh Ramdhan (Trinidad & Tobago)
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Mexico City, Mexico - Once again Mexico proved to be the masters of Jamaica on the football pitch.
Mexico City, Mexico - Mexico's Matias Vuoso (left) battles Jamaican veteran Ian Goodison during their World Cup qualifying game at the Azteca yesterday. Mexico won 3-0. (Photo: AP)
And on the evidence of what was presented to the near capacity (110,000) white-clad, vociferous supporters, the South Americans duly deserved their 3-0 victory in yesterday's CONCACAF Semi-Final round World Cup Qualifying series here at the Estadio Azteca.
The win pushed Mexico to maximum six points from their two games, following a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Honduras on August 20. Honduras and Canada were scheduled to face each other at Montreal last night.
Entering yesterday's game, Jamaica and Canada were locked on one point each, following their 1-1 draw in Toronto in their Semi-Final round opener.
Andres Guardado, Fernando Arce and Jonny Magallon found the net yesterday for the home side.
The Mexican supporters agreed to wear white in a gigantic plea for peace in their homeland, after a spate of kidnappings and murders rocked the country.
Their players might have had peace in their hearts, but they displayed no mercy, especially in the first half-hour of the game officiated by American referee Baldomero Toledo, who is said to be Mexican-born.
Unlike the previous game against Honduras when the crowd had to endure 73 minutes before celebrating their first goal, the home side got off to the perfect start when Guardado put them ahead with a curling left-footed free-kick from the right side of the penalty box in the third minute.
Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts dove full stretch to his left, but the ball had too much pace, as it nestled into the net, sending the spectators into a frenzy.
It was the start that the Reggae Boyz feared, and the fact that they appeared too tentative when in possession of the ball, didn't help either.
It could have been worse, as before 10 minutes had elapsed, Ricketts' alertness kept his team in the game when he came off his line to smother a grounded cross from the left side destined for the arriving Giovani Dos Santos, after the speedy Mexicans had broken free of the chasing Jamaican defenders.
Ricketts, who gained accolades from Canadian coach Dale Mitchell for his exploits against the North Americans on August 20, came up big again for his team when he backpedalled to tip Fernando Arce's looping shot over the horizontal.
And the giant goalkeeper was at it again on the half- hour mark, bravely palming away a dangerous free-kick from Pavel Pardo.
But Arce would return in the 33rd minute to ram home from inside the penalty area, after the Jamaicans failed to adequately deal with the incisive passing by the now marauding Mexicans.
Jamaica, who certainly lacked a step or two in most instances, managed their first shot on goal five minutes from the interval when Ricardo Fuller, who until then appeared anonymous, fired a weak left footed shot which gave goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez no problems.
The Mexicans should have increased their lead in time added in the first half, but Dos Santos, the Tottenham Hopspur striker and an Under-17 FIFA World Cup champion, booted high over the top after being expertly served by a team mate on the penalty spot.
Ricketts continued his good form in the second half when he denied the homeside yet again by sprinting off his line to clear after an unattended Mexican player had received a free-kick well behind the defenders.
But there was only going to be one winner on the night, despite the heroics of Ricketts and the lion-hearted central defender Ian 'Pepe' Goodison, who defied his 35 years and 10 months.
The Mexican added the third and final goal on 63 minutes when central defender Jonny Magallon volleyed home a right-footer from a left-sided corner kick. It was the third consecutive corner by the Mexicans, after the Boyz failed to clear their line.
Moments after the goal, Rudolph Austin tested Sanchez with a firm, low drive, but the goalkeeper parried into the path of Wolfe, who turned his marker before centring for Fuller to head just wide.
Along with Ricketts and Goodison, other players who distinguished themselves were Austin, Andy Williams, Marshall and substitute Wolry Wolfe, and possibly Jermaine Taylor.
But this rendition of the Boyz revealed that the support cast is probably not where it should be in terms of depth. Finally, the inexperience and naivety of Evan Taylor came to the fore, and his replacement after 53 minutes, Keneil Moodie, looked equally out of class.
The Reggae Boyz will depart Mexico early today for Honduras, for their assignment in San Pedro Sula on Wednesday.
Teams:
Jamaica - Donovan Ricketts, Ricardo Gardner, Ian Goodison, Jermaine Taylor, Tyrone Marshall, Evan Taylor (Keneil Moodie 53rd), Rudolph Austin, Demar Phillips (Wolry Wolfe 46th), Andy Williams, Ricardo Fuller, Deon Burton (Luton Shelton 72nd).
Subs not used: Shawn Sawyers, Obrian Woodbine, Davion Thorpe, Jermaine Hue.
Booked: E Taylor (17th), Austin (30th), Phillips (39th)
Mexico - Oswaldo Sanchez, Jonny Magallon, Carlos Salcido, Rafael Marquez, Ricardo Osorio, Luis Perez, Pavel Pardo (Gerardo Torrardo 61st), Carlo Alberto Vela (Vincente Matias 79th), Fernando Arce, Giovani Dos Santos (Cuauhtemoc Blanco 72nd), Andres Guardado.
Subs not used: Guillermo Ochoa, Omar Bravo, Francisco Javier Rodriguez, Aaron Galindo.
Booked: Salcido (37th), Marquez (44th)
Referee: Baldomero Toledo (USA)
Assistant Referees: Chris Strickland, Corey Rockwell (USA)
Fourth Official: Alex Prus (USA)
Match Commissary: Ariel Corrasco (Panama)
Referee Inspector: Ramesh Ramdhan (Trinidad & Tobago)
