Gordon Williams, Gleaner Writer
René Simoes ... the national jersey can be heavy.
FRISCO, Texas:
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz battled some testing conditions, including nerves, blistering heat and an overwhelming disadvantage in crowd support, to secure a scoreless draw against El Salvador at the Pizza Hut Park here last Saturday.
Playing in temperatures which hovered at the 100 degree mark and before only a handful of Jamaicans among the estimated 10,000-plus spectators, the Boyz earned praises from their coach and the respect of their Central American opponents in possibly Jamaica's final warm-up game before the semi-final round of World Cup qualifiers begin on August 20 against Canada.
"I think these young players we have, they delivered their all today," said a, happy technical director René Simoes after the football friendly.
"This is an international experience that they have to learn how to control their nerves and how they control their anxiety ... I'm very pleased with their performance."
El Salvador's coach, Carlos De Los Cobos, admitted through a translator that while his team appeared more composed in the early going, it was less so later on in the match as Jamaica grew in confidence and took a tighter grip on proceedings.
"We faced a complicated rival in Jamaica," De Los Cobos said. "They played a good second half and they caused us a few problems."
BRUTAL FOE
Yet Jamaica and El Salvador faced another more brutal foe throughout the match, which caused coaches to use stoppages in play as not just sideline strategy sessions, but also pit stops for rehydrating players.
"Both teams felt the heat, even the referee," Simoes said. "They finished the game exhausted. But we finished the game better than them."
"We are more comfortable in cooler conditions," De Los Cobos admitted. "The first half was very hard in the high heat."
El Salvador fielded a team much closer in composition to what they expect to show in World Cup qualifiers next month.
Going into battle
Jamaica, on the other hand, sent mostly local-based players into battle. Only five of Saturday's starters appeared in two qualifiers last month against The Bahamas. Many had little or no previous experience at the senior international level, but they never lost their awareness.
"Never were they disorganised in the game," Simoes said.
The Reggae Boyz started off brightly. In the second minute, El Salvador made a hash of a high cross, but midfielder Wolry Wolfe failed to put Jamaica in front by looping his shot over the crossbar.
El Salvador answered almost immediately, but Salvatore Coreas booted high as well.
As the first half wore on, El Salvador settled into a better passing rhythm in midfield, as Coreas, Christian Castillo and Ramon Sanchez worked the ball around, trying to keep it away from Jamaica's Wolfe, Evan Taylor, Ricardo Cousins and Keneil Moodie in the centre of the park.
The Central Americans were also keen to thread their attacks through both flanks, effectively using captain Alfredo Pacheco on the left and Shawn Martin to send searching crosses into the penalty area.
REAL SPARKLE
Jamaica countered occasionally, but it was left to newcomer Omar Cummings, who partnered captain Andy Williams up front, to inject any real sparkle into the Boyz's attacks. Neither goalkeeper, Donovan Ricketts for Jamaica and Miguel Montes of El Salvador, was seriously troubled early, as shots by both teams flew off target.
Midway the half, Williams' clever chip beat Montes, but landed on top of the net.
Yet El Salvador came closest before half-time when a Pacheco's cross forced Ricketts full stretch to parry. The keeper was called on again, punching away Castillo's in-swinging free kick. But Cummings once again proved to be a handful, slicing through two defenders just before the break then rolling a well-timed pass to the onrushing Cousins. However, his right-foot shot was blocked and cleared away.
Jamaica's youthful frustration showed too, as the teenaged Taylor picked up a yellow card in the 44th minute for a clumsy challenge on striker Rudis Corrales. Substitute Jevaughn Watson would also receive a caution late in the game.
PRESSING
Jamaica came out pressing their opponents in the second half, when both teams turned for help from the substitute's bench. But it was El Salvador which should have gone ahead in the 56th minute. Another cross by Pacheco was met by a diving header from sub Rodolfo Zelaya that flew over the crossbar.
Two minutes later, another Pacheco diagonal ball found the unmarked Martin at the back post. He missed the mark from close range.
But Jamaica bounced back with the best chance of the game in the 64th minute.
Cummings was sent clear by a pass which wrong-footed his marker, but his push to the far post was plucked from the air by goalkeeper Montes to keep the score tied.
"You have to give respect to the Jamaican team," admitted De Los Cobos. "Jamaica is a strong national team. Very fast."
Apparently, the young Boyz are quick learners too.
TEAMS:
Jamaica: Donovan Ricketts, Obrian Woodbine, Jermaine Taylor, Adrian Reid, Lance Laing (86th - Keammar Daley), Evan Taylor, Keneil Moodie, Wolry Wolfe (71st - Eric Vernon), Andy Williams (75th - Kavin Bryan), Ricardo Cousins (58th - Jevaughn Watson) and Omar Cummings.
Subs not used: Shawn Sawyers, Nathan Koo-Boothe, James Thomas, John-Ross Doyley and Hugh Howell.
El Salvador: Miguel Montes, Marvin Gonzalez (78th - Oscar Jiminez), Luis Anaya, Manuel Salazar, Shawn Martin, Alfredo Pacheco, Ramon Sanchez, Salvador Coreas (68th - Osael Romero), Christian Castillo (85th - Ramon Flores), Rudis Corrales and Williams Reyes (46th - Rodolfo Zelaya).
Subs not used: Juan Jose Gomez, Jonathan Barrios, Alexander Escobar, Jose Orlando Martinez, Emerson Umana and Rolando Torres.
Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.
