WEST
JAMAICA SLAMMED hosts Suriname 5-1 at the Andre Kamperveen Stadium in Paramaribo, to qualify for the 2006 Central American & Caribbean (CAC) Games, after topping Zone 5 with maximum six points.
The young Reggae Boyz secured their second win of the qualifiers on Sunday after edging Dominican Republic 1-0 on Friday courtesy of an Akeem Priestly strike.
Striker Richard West scored twice in the 45th and 90th minutes and was complemented by Jermaine Taylor (8th), Akeem Priestly (22nd) and Horace Howell (33rd). Ricardo Loswijk got the only goal for the Surinamese team.
Jamaica's Under-21 team now joins El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Venezuela and the host Colombia which have qualified to date for the 2006 CAC Games from July 16-29.
WAY TO GO
Patrick 'Jackie' Walters, team coach, said he was satisfied that the team qualified but was a bit disappointed with the performances.
"It was easy and we should have scored much more goals against the Dominican Republic and the host country too," Walters told The Gleaner yesterday after the team returned home.
"I am satisfied in terms of getting to the CAC Games, but there still is a way to go in getting the team up to scratch for the competition because our ambition is to medal at that tournament."
As for future preparation, Walters will be awaiting the return of the Wendell Downswell, the technical director, from the United States Of America (USA).
"That is up to the technical director. He is away for the game against the USA and as soon as he comes back, we will be sitting down and discussing our plans for the championship,"said Walters.
The 2006 CAC Games qualification continues this month with the last two Caribbean triangular group play-offs taking place in Barbados and Cuba, while the two remaining Central American series match-ups will have Guatemala visiting Costa Rica, with the aggregate tied at 0:0, and then Panama facing Belize, who is the best series runner-up.
TEAMS
JAMAICA - Dwayne Kerr, Jermaine Hollis, Nicholay Finlayson, Keniel Moodie, Shaun Francis, Jermaine Taylor, Mario Harrison (Steven Morrissey-82nd), Rafe Wolfe (Omroy Wilson-46th), Akeem Priestly, Ricardo West, Horace Howell (Cannel Learmond-46th).
SURINAME - Ron Ley Raunberg, Foline Abauna, Furgil Ong A Fat, Vernon Etnel, Ulary Djonisic, Stefano Sopawiro (Romano Sordam-62nd), Emilio Limon, Cleon Wondel (Vahid Vinisie-71st), Geovani Tiendart (Rendwig Kinsaini-27th), Kenzo Huur, Ricardo Loswijk.
- Howard Walker
