Howard Walker, Staff Reporter

Jamaica's Wilfred Smith (left) scores a header past Haiti's goalkeeper Fenelon Gabart (second right) during last night's Digicel Caribbean Cup group D qualifier at the National Stadium. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

Defending champion Jamaica went crashing out of the 2006/07 Digicel Carib-bean Cup despite defeating Haiti 2-0 at the National Stadium last night.

Earlier, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) scorched St Lucia 8-0 to end the competition on six points, with a goal difference of plus five, after scoring 10 goals while conceding five.

Jamaica started the game with a plus three goal difference, scoring five times while conceding two; and ended with a plus five also. But they scored less goals than SVG, and also lost to that team, factors which counted in the deciding process.

Wilfred Smith gave the Boyz an electrifying start when he opened the scoring in the ninth minute, heading home a Garfield Reid corner kick to give the hosts a deserved lead and more importantly, winning over the support of the home fans.

Attacking play

The Reggae Boyz knew they had to win convincingly to advance from the group and they looked a different team with some positive attacking play.

Fabian Dawkins doubled Jamaica's lead in the 31st minute, pouncing to tap home a rebound after Haitian goalkeeper Fenelon Gabart failed to hold on to a fierce 30-metre drive from Fabian Davis.

Coach Carl Brown rang the changes at the start, relegating Kevin Lamey, Demar Stewart, Sean Fraser and Demar Phillips to the bench. Striker Wilfred Smith and central defender Jermaine Taylor was brought back in to partner Oneil Thompson at the heart of the defence and Shane Crawford got the start at left midfield.

Captain Fabian Davis was switched to the holding midfield role and the young Xavean Virgo was asked to fit in at right back.

Coach Brown, in another tactical move, brought on midfielder Damion Williams for his first game of the tournament for Xavean Virgo but that never aided the cause in the long run as the desired third goal, which would have given Jamaica a superior goal difference to Haiti, never came.