By Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Andy Williams
A SIXTH-MINUTE goal by Andy Williams gave Jamaica a close 1-0 win over host Barbados in their Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Digicel Cup final round match at the hosts' National Stadium in Waterford, St. Michaels yesterday.
A goalkeeping error by Jason Boxhill allowed Williams to tap the ball into an empty net.
Boxhill stopped the ball and spotted it, thinking that the referee was going to blow for offside.
However, that did not happen and the quick-thinking Jamaican captain captialised on the bizarre error to kick the ball into the unprotected net.
Jamaica have now beaten Barbados seven times in their last 12 encounters and moved to six points, the same as Cuba who defeated Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 in last night's curtain-raiser.
CHAMPIONSHIP-DECIDING GAME
That result set up a championship-deciding game tomorrow between the Jamaicans and their Caribbean neighbours, who have a superior goal difference.
Spanish-speaking Cuba had crushed Barbados 3-0 on Sunday and need only a draw to secure the US$100,000 first prize.
In the meantime, Jamaica and Cuba have secured their berth in the final round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup to be played in the United States in July.
Three of the four finalists are certain to win spots in the Gold Cup, which means Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, which are bottom of the standings after losing both matches, will now battle for the other place in the feature game on tomorrow night's double-header.
Jamaica, the top-ranked team in the Caribbean, turned in a staid performance and failed to stamp their class on the proceedings, especially after the Barbadians played the last 36 minutes with 10 men.
Captain, John Parris was red- carded in the 54th minute for kicking Luton Shelton after the Jamaican striker had fouled him challenging for a high ball.
It is the second time in successive games that a Bajan player was sent off in the tournament as their initial captain, Wayne Sobers was also dismissed against Cuba on Sunday.
