Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
DaMarcus Beasley (top) of the U.S. is tackled by Jamaica's Jermaine Taylor in the second half of their CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-final soccer match in Foxboro, Massachusetts last July. Taylor was sent off for the tackle in the match won 3-1 by the U.S., Both teams renew rivalry tonight in a match-up at the SAS Soccer Park in North Carolina.
JAMAICA'S REGGAE Boyz will tackle the United States of America (USA) in an international friendly, hoping to defeat their host for the first time in history at the SAS Soccer Park, North Carolina, this evening at 7:00 p.m.
In 16 meetings to date, Jamaica have never beaten the Americans with the U.S. winning nine times, with seven games ending in draws.
Crenston Boxhill, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), is hopeful the long wait will end today.
"Of course we have never beaten them in about 16 tries and that is one of our goals. I just hope that we break the jinx come tomorrow," Boxhill told The Gleaner while watching the team train last night.
"The team seems to be in good spirit and I expect a very good game," he added.
LAST MEETING
The teams' last meeting came in the quarter-finals of the 2005 Gold Cup, with the U.S. winning 3-1.
While never beating the USA, there have been a number of close match-ups between the teams with five of the Americans' nine victories coming by just one goal.
Wendell Downswell, technical director of the Reggae Boyz, will be hoping to change all that but without as few of his senior players as Jamaica will not have the services of Ricardo Fuller, Ricardo Gardner, Jason Euell and Marlon King because April 11 is not a sanctioned FIFA friendly date.
However, Downswell thinks Jamaica still have a strong squad that can hold their own.
FORMIDABLE UNIT
"We still have a formidable unit that can represent this nation," he said at a press conference recently.
The squad has two newcomers in 22 year-old Ryan Johnson and 23-year-old Dane Richards. Johnson plays for the Real Salt Lake in the MLS after being drafted in the third round of the 2006 MLS Super Draft.
"He is someone who we figure will make a significant contribution and as a result he has been drafted in the squad," said Downswell.
Richards currently plays for Clemson University. He has had an exceptional transitional year at the Division I level, after being named the National Junior College Player of the Year at San Jacinto Junior College last season.
The Jamaican team will be chosen from Donovan Ricketts, Shawn Sawyers, Damion Stewart, Claude Davis, Garfield Reid, Omar Daley, Oneil Thompson, Demar Stewart, Khari Stephenson, Jermaine Johnson, Fabian Dawkins, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Jason Morrison, Jermaine Hue, Teofore Bennett, Newton Sterling, Dane Richards and Ryan Johnson.
The United States, on the other hand, will be fine-tuning their preparation for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, before naming their 23 man World Cup squad.
LAST OPPOTUNITY
"The Jamaica game is an important game for our players as it is the last opportunity for them to show before we announce a preliminary roster for the World Cup," Bruce Arena, the head coach, was quoted as saying on USSoccercom. "We will certainly be watching closely as we continue to finalise our plans for Germany."
Landon Donovan heads the domestic-based roster and, along with Real Salt Lake defender Eddie Pope, holds the second most caps on the U.S. roster with 77 appearances. The 2005 Major League Soccer (MLS) Most Valuable Player, Taylor Twellman, has scored four goals and tallied three assists in his last four matches for the U.S.
The Kansas City Wizards duo of Josh Wolff and Kerry Zavagnin are the only players on the roster to appear in all six of the USA's matches in 2006 as either a starter or a reserve.
The U.S., coming off a 4-1 whipping by Germany, will want to rebound in style and Jamaica could be in for a torrid night.
