Brazil's Edmilson, left, rises above Jamaica's Richard Langley to head the ball during their match at the Walker Stadium in Leicester, England, yesterday. - Reuters LEICESTER, England, CMC:
JAMAICA'S REGGAE Boyz were beaten by a magical Roberto Carlos first half strike as world champions Brazil won their friendly international 1-0 at Leicester City's Walkers Stadium yesterday.
Carlos ripped an unstoppable swerving 25-metre shot in the 15th minute that decided the game in which the Jamaicans showed resilience against the classy Brazilians.
Jamaica, historic first ever English-speaking Caribbean qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup Finals, in which Brazil lost to hosts France in the final, had shown no signs of being daunted by their illustrious opponents and it was they who enjoyed the better of the early exchanges in an energetic opening 45 minutes.
"I feel very good, we played against the world champions, this is the number one team in the world and to come away with the sort of result that we got, you couldn't have asked for more from the guys," Jamaica coach Carl Brown told CMC Sport yesterday evening.
Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said the match was a "training game" for the world champions and the Jamaicans provided useful opposition.
"Jamaica played (safety first) as I expected with 10 men behind the ball but I was impressed by their physical presence, they are a solid team," he said.
"Our goalkeeper only had to make one save in 90 minutes and we coped well with Jamaica's long balls," Parreira added.
England-based Ricardo Gardner (Bolton Wanderers) and Richard Langley (Cardiff City) were both responsible for scares inside the Brazilian penalty box before the World Cup holders launched their first attack of note in the fifth minute.
And it was Arsenal's Gilberto Silva who was responsible for orchestrating proceedings from the middle of the park, a simple through pass releasing Ze Roberto who had advanced along the left channel before dispatching a shot which skidded harmlessly across the face goal and wide.
Jamaica's goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who had an outstanding game, did all that was humanly possible to stop the Carlos winner, diving full-stretch to the left in a vain effort to tip the ball wide but, as the shot evaded his outstretched arm, an amazing swerve brought it back inside the woodwork and into the back of the net.
Langley came close to providing a Jamaican equaliser but his booming left-wing free-kick curled over Dida's crossbar.
LEFT-WING RAIDS
Ricardo Fuller took the fight to the Brazilians, the prolific Preston North End goalscorer embarking on a sequence of left-wing raids but he lacked support in attack.
Brazil responded by forcing a series of unprofitable corners before Rivaldo threatened just short of the hour with a right channel free-kick swept over the Jamaica wall and goalwards which forced 'keeper Ricketts to shuffle quickly across his line to smother the danger.
Gardner saw his appeal for a penalty waved away by referee Rob Styles in the 61st minute after the Jamaican had gone shoulder-to-shoulder with Cafu in the Brazilian penalty area.
Parreira's side should have doubled their advantage a few moments later when Ronaldo found himself in space inside the Jamaican box but unselfishly squared for Ze Roberto, only to see his colleague fire aimlessly across the face of goal.
With a little more than 20 minutes remaining, Parreira made a triple substitution which saw Lucio, Kaka and Emerson replaced by Juninho Pernambucano, Edmilson and Middlesbrough's Junhinho, who was winning his 50th cap and his first since the 2002 World Cup final.
LINE-UPS:
BRAZIL - Dida, Cafu, Lucio (Edmilson 69), Roque Junior, Gilberto Silva, Roberto Carlos, Kaka (Juninho 69), Emerson (Juninho Paulista 69), Ronaldo, Rivaldo (Adriano 78), Ze Roberto.
JAMAICA - Donovan Ricketts, Frank Sinclair, Claude Davis (Damion Stewart 64), Tyrone Marshall (Gerald Neil 89), Ricardo Gardner, Craig Ziadie, James Lawrence (Shane Crawford 72), Theodore Whitmore, Richard Langley (Fabian Taylor 78), Ricardo Fuller (Andrew Williams 69), Deon Burton (Damami Ralph 39).
REFEREE - Rob Styles (England).
"Our goalkeeper only had to make one save in 90 minutes and we coped well with Jamaica's long balls," Parreira added.
England-based Ricardo Gardner (Bolton Wanderers) and Richard Langley (Cardiff City) were both responsible for scares inside the Brazilian penalty box before the World Cup holders launched their first attack of note in the fifth minute.
And it was Arsenal's Gilberto Silva who was responsible for orchestrating proceedings from the middle of the park, a simple through pass releasing Ze Roberto who had advanced along the left channel before dispatching a shot which skidded harmlessly across the face goal and wide.
Jamaica's goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who had an outstanding game, did all that was humanly possible to stop the Carlos winner, diving full-stretch to the left in a vain effort to tip the ball wide but, as the shot evaded his outstretched arm, an amazing swerve brought it back inside the woodwork and into the back of the net.
Langley came close to providing a Jamaican equaliser but his booming left-wing free-kick curled over Dida's crossbar.
LEFT-WING RAIDS
Ricardo Fuller took the fight to the Brazilians, the prolific Preston North End goalscorer embarking on a sequence of left-wing raids but he lacked support in attack.
Brazil responded by forcing a series of unprofitable corners before Rivaldo threatened just short of the hour with a right channel free-kick swept over the Jamaica wall and goalwards which forced 'keeper Ricketts to shuffle quickly across his line to smother the danger.
Gardner saw his appeal for a penalty waved away by referee Rob Styles in the 61st minute after the Jamaican had gone shoulder-to-shoulder with Cafu in the Brazilian penalty area.
Parreira's side should have doubled their advantage a few moments later when Ronaldo found himself in space inside the Jamaican box but unselfishly squared for Ze Roberto, only to see his colleague fire aimlessly across the face of goal.
With a little more than 20 minutes remaining, Parreira made a triple substitution which saw Lucio, Kaka and Emerson replaced by Juninho Pernambucano, Edmilson and Middlesbrough's Junhinho, who was winning his 50th cap and his first since the 2002 World Cup final.
LINE-UPS:
BRAZIL - Dida, Cafu, Lucio (Edmilson 69), Roque Junior, Gilberto Silva, Roberto Carlos, Kaka (Juninho 69), Emerson (Juninho Paulista 69), Ronaldo, Rivaldo (Adriano 78), Ze Roberto.
JAMAICA - Donovan Ricketts, Frank Sinclair, Claude Davis (Damion Stewart 64), Tyrone Marshall (Gerald Neil 89), Ricardo Gardner, Craig Ziadie, James Lawrence (Shane Crawford 72), Theodore Whitmore, Richard Langley (Fabian Taylor 78), Ricardo Fuller (Andrew Williams 69), Deon Burton (Damami Ralph 39).
REFEREE - Rob Styles (England).
