DEMAR Phillips and Ryan Johnson scored in either side of half time to propel Jamaica to a convincing 2-1 victory over Guatemala in the opening round of their semi-final phase of the 2014 CONCACAF World Cup play-offs inside the National Stadium last night.

Phillips, who plays for Aalesund Fc in Norway, put the hosts ahead five minutes from the interval and in a rampaging second half where the home side totally dominated and should easily have won by a much wider margin, had fortune been on their side and Panamanian referee Roberto Moreno Salazar been a bit more competent, Johnson, of Toronto FC made the game safe within 15 seconds of the restart.

Substitute Dwight Pezzarossi pulled a goal back for the visitors in time added to make the final score much closer than they truly deserve.

With the win, their 10th in 17 head-to-head contests with the Central Americans, the Boyz jumped to joint top of the table in Group A with the Americans who had earlier blanked Antigua and Barbuda 3-1 in Tampa, Florida.

The points firmly secured, the Boyz will depart the island this afternoon for Miami, USA where they will overnight before journeying on to St John’s where they turn their attention to Antigua and Barbuda, who they oppose next Tuesday, while the US visit Guatemala.

In front of a disappointing crowd which was less than half the capacity of the 28,000 National Stadium, Jamaica created their first real chance when Luton Shelton bundled his way behind the Guatemalan defence, but overindulged and lost the chance to test goalkeeper Ricardo Jerez from inside the penalty area, then appealing for offence instead.

Shortly after the quarter hour mark the Boyz lost their inspirational skipper and goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts of the Montreal Impacts to a leg injury, which resulted in him being stretchered off the pitch and replaced by Dwayne Miller of Swediesh club Syrianska in the 20th minute.

That disappointment didn’t dampen the home team’s spirit, though they played second fiddle to the visitors, who fearlessly employed unfair and cynical fouls which went unpunished by Salazar and his colleagues Daniel Anel Williamson of Panama and Keytzel Raul Corrales of Nicaragua, who failed to stamp their authority on the game and allow fair play to reign.

Dane Richards, the New York Red Bulls winger and the victim of many of those cheap fouls, went close to opening the score when he played a neat one-two with Shelton, but steered his curler over Jerez’s goal frame.

Then Phillips, who notched a 65th and 78th-minute brace to guide Jamaica to a 2-0 triumph when the teams met in the CONCACAF Gold Cup last summer, received a pass in the middle of the Guatemalan half then rifled a pile driver which deceived Jerez in flight before crashing into the net to spark wild celebration from the partisan crowd.

Like the proverbial tonic, the goal ignited the Boyz and they upped the tempo with Rodolph Austin driving the team forward from midfield. On one of those runs through the middle, he picked out the Karabukspor (Turkey) striker Shelton, who had taken the captain’s armband from Ricketts, but the striker’s cheeky grounder rolled on the wrong side of the far upright with Jerez beaten and the half time whistle coming to the visitors’ rescue.

There was no respite though, as the Boyz kept possession of the ball from the restart until it ended in the goal within 15 breathtaking seconds.

Je-Vaughn Watson, who plies his skills at Houston Dynamo in the United States Major League Soccer, relayed a pass to the darting Shelton down the left side and the wilt striker played a perfect centre pass to the waiting Johnson, who calmly cleared his path before slotting into the goal to increase the lead.

The shell-shocked visitors were penned back deep into their half and the Boyz appeared as though they were about of open the flood gates, as moments later Johnson sent a stinging left-footer goalwards, which was blocked by a brave defender.

Then in the space of three agonising minutes for the home side, Austin, the rampaging midfielder from SK Brann in Norway, who combined well with Jason Morrison, who plays for Aalesund FC, also in Norway, struck the top of the frame not once but twice.

First he drove a rasping fight-footer from 35 yards against the bar, only to follow up his abuse of the metal frame with a free-kick from 25 yards.

Shelton then had Jerez scurrying to keep out a firm drive from the edge of the area, while Austin threatened with yet another long range bomber which was parried away to the side.

With the visitors hardly posing a threat to Miller and company, an injury to referee Salazar required on field treatment, which forced a three-minute stoppage.

However, inside the second minute of time added, the Boyz let the guards down and paid the price as a free kick by captain Carlos Ruiz slammed against the crossbar and with no player in yellow reacting, Pezzarossi had time enough to head into net to make the score flattering.

So, mission accomplished. It’s now on to Antigua and Barbuda for round two.

Teams: Jamaica – Donovan Ricketts (Dwaqyne Miller 20th), Nyron Nosworthy, Adrian Mariappa, Demar Phillips, Lovell Palmer, Jason Morrison, Rodolph Austin, Dane Richards, Je-Vaughn Watson, Luton Shelton (Ricardo Fuller 70th), Ryan Johnson (Tramaine Stewart 86th).

Booked: None

Subs not used: Keammar Daley, Damion Stewart, Xavian Virgo, Errol Stevens, Claude Davis, Rohan Reid, Ewan  Grandison, Joel Senior, Jacomena Barrett

Guatemala – Ricardo Jerez, Elias Vasquez, Erwin Moralez, Carlos Gallardo, Wilfred Velasquez, Jairo Arreola (Dwight Pezzarossi 46th), Miguel Galindo (ose Contreras 46th), Luiz Rodriquez, Marco Pappa (Mario Rodriquez 46th), Jonathan Lopez, Carlos Ruiz

Booked: None

Subs not used: Jose Paredez, Minor Lopez, Rafael Morales, Jose Aguila, Gonzalo Romero, Paulo MottaDonis, Manuel Sandoval, Carlos Figueroa, Marvin Sanchez

Referee: Roberto Moreno Salazar (Panama)

Assistant Referees: Daniel Anel Williamson (Panama), Keytzel Raul Corrales Mojica (Nicaragua)

Fourth Official: Jafeth Perea Amador (Panama)

Referee Assessor: Rodolfo Alexander Sibrian (El Salvador)