Jamaica's Reggae Boyz went some way to regaining lost supporter confidence when they turned the tables on Canada 2-1 in a friendly international in front of a sparsely populated National Stadium last night.

Within two first-half minutes, Swedish striker Luton Shelton and Waterhouse midfielder Demar Phillips turned the game in Jamaica's favour, after English Premier League striker Tomasz Radzinski had given the Maple Leaf boys an eighth-minute lead.

Jamaica's Khari Stephenson (left) is challenged by Canada's Rob Friend during their international friendly match at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won 2-1. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

It was sweet revenge for interim head coach Carl Brown, whose side, comprised mainly locally-based players, was outplayed 1-0 in Montreal on September 4, off a Rob Friend header.

Though the team played much better than those who represented the black, green and gold in the failed Digicel Caribbean Cup first round last week, the performance appeared to be little consolation for some fans who witnessed Jamaica's first victory over the North Americans since Deon Burton's famous strike on September 7, 1997, in a World Cup qualifier.

Still, yesterday showed that there is still hope for the Reggae Boyz.
Brown was a relieved man at game's end. Not for himself, but for the players, he claimed.

Reggae Boy Ricardo Fuller (foreground) shields the ball from Canada's Paul Stalteri during their international friendly match at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won 2-1. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

"My real concern is the players and I really wanted... more than anything else for them to achieve a victory... and I'm certain that will go a far way in helping the confidence of these players," he said.
Brown also thought the better quality striker and midfielders made the difference this time around.

"I believe we had a better strike force this time around than the tournament (Digicel Cup)... we had both (Ricardo) Fuller and Shelton - contrasting players - adding a lot of depth to the team up front.

"Jermaine (Hue) and Jamal Campbell-Ryce, in particular with the handing of the ball in midfield was very, very good, and I believe that was one area in the first half where we probably took the game away from Canada, because of those two players."

He also lauded the defenders. "Defensively, I believe we did very well. It is always going to be very tough to deal with tall players like we see with the Canadians and it is very difficult to sit and work out how you stop them from getting in these headers and I think a lot of credit must be given to the defenders for the job they did..."
Meanwhile, Canada's interim head coach Stephen Hart blamed an injury to Mike Klukowski and a lapse in concentration for Jamaica's decisive first-half strikes.

"I think we started brightly in the first half and when we picked up the injury it took us a little while to get adjusted and we gave up two very quick goals, all credit to Jamaica," he said.
"They took advantage of a little lapse in concentration, but all said, I was very pleased with the second half... we could have brought ourselves back in the game, tied the game and probably gone ahead, so when I look at both halves I'm not happy, but overall I think we were in the game."

On the pitch the visitors were off to a fast start, pushing the Jamaicans back into their own half in the early exchanges. It was therefore no surprise when they silenced the home crowd with a rasping goal from Radzinski.
The little Fulham striker, arguably the most dangerous of the Canadian players, was surprisingly left unmarked wide of the goal during an attack.

He was spotted by Julian de Guzman, who didn't need a second invitation to play him in, and his rasping right-footer left Richard McCallum embarrassed at his near post.
The play was opened up when Oneil Thompson, Boys' Town's defensive midfielder, who was surprisingly preferred to the Kansas City Wizards' Shavar Thomas in central defence, failed to intercept a long pass destined to the big Rob Friend.

At that stage the game needed the more from Jamaica's star players, captain Ricardo Fuller, Jermaine Hue and Jamal Campbell-Ryce, and they answered the call.
As midfield general Hue got more involved in the team's attacking forays, it appeared only a matter of time before the Boyz found the equaliser.

On 35 minutes, it came. Omar Daley tracked back to pick up the ball from defence. He relayed a sweet pass down the left flank to the darting Demar Phillips, who had substituted an injured Shane Crawford, and the Waterhouse man made his presence felt with a teasing cross to the onrushing Shelton to slam home from close range.

The few spectators, who had braved the recent poor results to witness the game, had barely retaken their seats when Hue weaved his magic in midfield before setting up Phillips to drill home a left-footed grounder well out of the reach of goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos.

It was Phillips' second international goal.
The Boyz were in full flow after, but individualism seemed to get the better of them, as players tended to go alone rather than continue with team play.
Canada pushed forward in the second half seeking an equaliser, but Jamaica's defence, with the belated introduction of Thomas, held firm to the end.

In fact, Teafore Bennett should have increased the lead on 82 minutes after he was played through on goal by a sublime pass from midfield maestro Hue.

However, the fleet-footed Bennett rounded the goalkeeper to the left, then wastefully dragged his shot wide of the unguarded goal.
And five minutes from the end, Omar Daley gifted possession to the Canadian deep in his only, and with the Boyz's defence outnumbered three to one, substitute Ali Gerba shot feebly into the welcoming arms of McCallum.

The Reggae Boyz play Peru in an international friendly on November 15 at the National Stadium.

Jamaica - Richard McCallum, Damion Stewart, Oneil Thompson (Shavar Thomas 46th), Shane Crawford (Demar Phillips 26th), Xavean Virgo, Khari Stephenson (Fabian Davis 88th), Omar Daley, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Jermaine Hue, Luton Shelton (Teafore Bennett 73rd), Ricardo Fuller.

Booked: Campbell-Ryce (49th), McCallum (75th)
Subs not used: L Murray, S Fraser, K Lamey

Canada - Kenny Stamatopoulos, Kevin McKenna, Marco Reda, Patrice Bernier (Ali Gerba 77th), Paul Stalteri, Julian de Guzman (Martin Nash 58th), Tomasz Radzinski, Rob Friend, Mike Klukowski (Gabe Gervias 24th, Adam Braz 92nd), Atiba Hutchinson, Josh Simpson.

Booked: McKenna 51st
Subs not used: G Sutton, S Grande
Referee: Neal Brizan (T&T)
Assistant Referees: Rohan Thorbourne, Stephen Brown (Jamaica)
Fourth Official: Howard Stennett (Jamaica)
Match Commissary: Charles Barrett (Jamaica)

Match Statistics

Jamaica Canada
Goals: 2 1
Shots on: 10 3
Fouls: 15 17
Offsides: 3 1
Corners: 3 7

Yellow Cards: 2 1
Red Cards: 0 0

Executive Class

Gardens with Gravel

Necessary Luxury