SAINTE-LUCE, Martinique — Though still highly critical of his team’s overall play, head coach Theodore Whitmore appeared more generous in his appraisal of the Reggae Boyz’s finishing following their 4-0 triumph over Guyana at the Riviere Pilote Sports Complex here on Wednesday.

“It wasn’t a hundred per cent,” he said, reflecting on the team’s overall display. “We gave away the ball cheaply at times, but I think the finishing, the four goals, cap it off.”

Whitmore made six changes to the starting XI which blanked Guadeloupe 2-0 on Monday night, and 18-year-old Marvin Morgan, in only his second cap, came off the bench at the start of the second half to hit a brace and formalise Jamaica’s superiority in Group I.

Morgan hit his first in the 49th minute, then a second in the 75th to add to Dane Richards’ opener in the 43rd. Eric Vernan completed the rout in the 90th.

It was the first senior international goal for Morgan, whose grandfather Lloyd ‘Respic’ Morgan played both cricket and football for Jamaica, and the little striker showed his gratitude by racing to the team bench to embrace a willing head coach.

With the victory, Jamaica maintained their perfect record with their third win in as many games to move to nine points, five ahead of Guadeloupe, who edged Antigua and Barbuda (three points) 1-0 for the runners-up spot on a goal by Jean Luc Lamboude in the 41st. Guyana ended at the bottom of Group I with just a point.

Jamaica will face Grenada in today’s second semi-final at 8:30 pm (7:30 pm Jamaica time), with Group H winners Cuba meeting Guadeloupe in the curtain-raiser three hours earlier at the Pierre Aliker, Dillon Stadium.

Whitmore thought the players he introduced displayed the requisite hunger for the game, which he welcomes.

“I think the players we brought in were a bit hungry… and it’s a sign of positive going into the semi-final… it gives the coaching staff a lot to think about…,” he beamed.

As the teams battled to gain the ascendency, the Guyanese were the first to pose a serious threat, but goalkeeper Richard McCallum was quick off his line to clear a long ball just outside his penalty area as Dwight Peters charged at him.

But the Jamaicans quickly rebounded with Ryan Johnson just failing to get his head on Richard Edwards’ cross at the back post. Moments later Luton Shelton broke into the penalty area and after cutting inside his marker, he shot straight into the grateful arms of Ronson Williams.

The half appeared destined to end without a goal when Jake Newton illegally floored Shelton on the left side of the penalty area and his team was made to pay for his indiscretion.

Keammar Daley, who was named man-of-the-match, floated the resulting free-kick to the back post where Adrian Reid headed it back across the face of goal for Richards to nod home from two yards centre of goal.

Morgan and Under-20 captain Sergio Campbell, the nephew of the suspended Rodolph Austin, were introduced at the break, for Richards and Edwards, who was on a yellow card caution, respectively.

After two encouraging touches of the ball, Morgan increased his team’s lead with the simplest of finishes, thanks to Johnson’s unselfish play. Shelton had done well to reach a pass down the right flank, before whipping in the cross for Johnson to feed the young player inside the six-yard box centre of goal, with a cushioned control.

Guyana then had two opportunities to test McCallum but failed to do so after breaking free of the off-side trap, but captain of the day Jermaine Taylor recovered in the nick of time to poke the ball behind for a corner.

Again Guyana were made to pay for their missed opportunity, as Johnson broke free on the left before centring for Morgan, who fumbled his control deep inside the penalty area and again centre of goal, but still had time and space to bury a left-footed shot into the net.

At the death McCallum brought the house down with a splendid save, diving full-stretch to his right to palm away a header from a left-sided free-kick, and as fate would have it the Boyz broke away and Morgan fed Vernan, who raced unchallenged into the penalty area before drifting inside then ramming a sweet left-footed shot past Williams at his near post to put a lid on the contest.

Whitmore was relieved that neither Reid nor Edwards, important cogs in the Reggae Boyz wheel, received any yellow card cautions, which would have seen them suspended for their next game.

The Boyz will now turn their attention to today’s semi-final against Grenada at the Pierre Aliker; Dillon Stadium.

The final and third-place play-off are slated for the same venue on Sunday evening. The teams are vying for a first prize money of US$120,000; US$70,000 for second; US$50,000 for third and US$30,000 for fourth.

Jamaica — Richard McCallum, Jermaine Taylor, Adrian Reid, Keneil Moodie, Richard Edwards (Sergio Campbell 46th), Eric Vernan, Troy Smith, Keammar Daley, Dane Richards (Marvin Morgan 46th), Luton Shelton (O’Brian Woodbine 52nd), Ryan Johnson.

Subs not used: Dwayne Miller, Lovell Palmer, Omar Cummings, Shaun Francis

Booked: Johnson (73rd), Woodbine (89th)

Guyana — Ronson Williams, Howard Lowe, Chris Bourne, Jake Newton, Dwain Jacobs, Winston Ali, Dwight Peters (Walter Moore 31st), Kester Jacobs (Philbert Moffat 78th), Charles Pollard, Shawn Beveney (Anthony Abrams 80th), Nigel Codrington.

Subs not used: Derrick Carter, Howard Newton, Warren Gilkens, Devon Millington

Booked: Newton (42nd), K Jacobs (70th)

Referee: Hugo Cruz (Costa Rica)

Assistants: Ricardo Louisville (Suriname), Egbert Paesch (Aruba)

Fourth Official: Lee Davis (Trinidad and Tobago)

Match Commissary: Patrick Beckles (Barbados)