Panama.2

Perez (33rd), Renteria (75th)

Jamaica..1

Richards (42nd)

PANAMA CITY, Panama – Though it was an improved showing over the performance in Kingston on Sunday, Jamaicas Reggae Boyz still came up short in some critical areas of their return-leg practice tie with Panama when they went down 1-2 at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium last night.

Panama, following-up on their 1-0 win five days ago, went ahead in the 33rd minute through Blas Perez, with winner coming in the 75th minute from Luis Renteria. Those goals sandwiched that of Jamaicas Dane Richjard in 42nd.

In only the third minute, Panama threatened in a breakaway way move with Yairo Glaize down the right side, but his intended lob of goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts did not soar high enough to beat his towering hands.

Jamaicas first real attempt on goal came in the ninth minute when Rodolph Austin, who had an accomplished game, polished the dirty work of Dane Richards by driving goalward with the outside of the boot, but the Panamanian custodian Jaime Penedo was alert and well-positioned to keep his goal safe.

In another quick one-two down the right-side in the 16th minute, Panamas Glaize gently laid a ball in for Armando Cooper to run onto to, but his lofted shot from the edge of the area spiralled over Ricketts’ goal.

After competing in all areas of the park, Jamaica finally let their guard down in the 33rd minute when a ball from midfield dissected the defence, placing Blas Perez between both central defenders, and instead of going for the powerhouse, he cheekily lobbed Ricketts.

Jamaica got back on level terms in the 42nd minute when Dane Richards chased a long ball upfield, and with a favourable bounce, he got the faintest of touches that saw the ball trickle over the goal line with Panama defender and skipper Felipe Baloy trying in vain to recover.

With a switch in the strike pair at half-time with the surprise entry of an injured Marlon King for Ricardo  Fuller and Luton Shelton for Ryan Johnson, Jamaica looked a more dangerous team going forward.

But at the other end, Jamaica almost squandered their hard-earned position in the match when central defender Claude Davis in the 65th gave away position in a dangerous area, but luckily for the Boyz, Alberto Quinteros  sight on goal was faulty and he couldnt finish.

But in his next move, Davis got right when he made a timely header to deny a fast-approaching Renteria at the back post in minute 70.

Five minutes later, Renteria was loose on goal again, but this time he buried a low shot under Ricketts from the edge of the area after being nicely fed from deep by industrious midfielder Armando Cooper.

In the dying moments in a contest that swung the home teams way, the visitors almost fell further behind were it not for a diving block on the line by substitute Adrian Mariappa after Ricketts was beaten by a scorcher from close-range by the crafty Cooper.

Still appearing a team that needs fine-tuning, Jamaicas Reggae Boyz will now have to turn their attention to a one-week training camp on Jamaicas north coast to get it all right before they kick-off their crucial CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign against Guatemala at the National Stadium on Friday.

Teams:

Jamaica — Donovan Ricketts, Claude Davis, Damion Stewart, Demar Phillips, Xavian Virgo (Chris Humphrey 85th), Rohan Reid, Rodolph Austin,  Jevaughn Watson (, Keammar Daley 85th), Dane Richards (Adrian Mariappa 85th), Ricardo Fuller (Marlon King 45th) and Ryan Johnson (Luton Shelton 45th).

Subs not used: Dwayne Miller, Joel Senior, Ewan Grandison , Nyron Nosworthy

Booked: Phillips (38th), Watson (68th), Davis (71st)

Panama — Jaime Penedo, Roman torres, Blas Perez (Edwin Aguillar 85th), Armando Cooper, Jean Carlos Cedeno, Juan de Dios Perez, Yairo Glaize (Luis Renteria 56th), Luis Henriquirez (Carlos Rodriguez 52nd), Alberto Quintero, Amilcar Henriquez (Nelson Barahona 72nd), Felipe Baloy.

Subs not used: Eric Vasquez, Harold Cummings, Aramis Haywood, Marcos Sanchez, Luis Mejia, Luis Tejada, Anibal Godoy, Alex Rodriguez

Referee: Ricardo Cerdas (Costa Rica)

Assistants: Osvaldo Luna, Wagner Castro (Costa Rica)

Fourth Official: Rolando Vidal (Panama)

Match Commissioner: Ruben Diaz (Panama)