CHORRERA, Panama — Jamaica Under-17 football head coach Wendell Downswell praised his team for battling “gallantly” to a 1-1 result against hosts Panama in Saturday’s CONCACAF Championship Group A match at the Estadio Muquita Sanchez.

The Jamaica team finished the sometimes bruising encounter with only nine players. Central midfielder Ryan Miller was red-carded in the 68th minute and right-back Tyshan Hill received his marching orders after picking up a second yellow card in the fourth minute of time added.

The Young Reggae Boyz captain Junior Flemmings had silenced the over 1,500 home supporters when he showed good composure to stroke home a penalty kick in the 40th minute, but the sprightly Panamanians salvaged a point when Ismael Diaz headed in from a rebound in the first minute of stoppage time.

Downswell, who suggested that getting a point against the Jorge Dely Valdez-coached team is a good result, expressed contrasting emotions given how late his outfit conceded the equalising goal.

“It was a hard-fought game and I think the youngsters did themselves proud. I think we fought gallantly and I think it was unfortunate that we conceded that goal at that late stage in the game,” he told the Jamaica Observer after the match.

There was special mention for the under-siege Jamaica defence as well as goalkeeper Nicholas Nelson, who kept the Jamaicans in the hunt with his sure ball handling in the area.

The hosts, buoyed by the vibrant singing and drum-beating Panama supporters, were earliest to settle into a passing rhythm and dominated the opening 15 minutes of play as Jamaica hung back patiently in search of the counter-attack.

Most of the Jamaicans’ attempts failed, however, as oftentimes both their nervous-looking short and long passes went astray.

Slowly, they did begin to use possession better midway the first half and they almost went behind when Diaz beat the off-side trap, but his tame snap-shot was saved by Nelson.

The Jamaicans continued to soak up pressure from Panama and fashioned a chance of their own when the busy Khallil Stewart shielded the ball well on the left before slipping a pass to Michael Seaton in the box, who was blatantly tripped inside the 18-yard box.

His strike partner Flemmings gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at the interval when he calmly side-footed his penalty effort into the right corner as opposing goalkeeper Jaime De Gracia went the wrong way.

Panama, hungry for the equaliser, maintained the pressure but it was Diaz again who was thwarted by Nelson only 11 minutes into the second half. This time Nelson had a dive low to his left to squirt an effort just around the upright.

On the hour mark, Stewart could have given Jamaica a 2-0 cushion, but after rounding the ‘keeper neatly, he could only manage to hit the near upright from an acute angle.

Two minutes later, Jamaica had another golden opportunity when Flemmings latched onto a long clearance, but his 30-yard effort rolled wide of the goal after De Gracia advanced from his area to cut the angle.

With 22 minutes to go and Jamaica’s backs-to-the-wall, their effort was made harder when Miller was sent packing for an off-the-ball incident with a Panama player.

Jamaica will face Barbados at the same venue today at 5:30 pm.

TEAMS:

Panama — Jaime De Gracia, Kevin Galvan (Yahir Marroquin 90+4), Jomar Diaz, Jesus Araya, Eliecer Dominguez, Feliz General, Luiz Zuniga (Stiben Santos 81st), Luis Canate (Milciades Molina 70th), Werner Wald, Ervin Zorrilla, Ismael Diaz.

Subs not used: Roberto Cueto, Jose Carrasquilla, Luis Alain, Vidal Gonzalez, Moises Gil, Yaamell Menchaca.

Booked: Dominguez (64th)

Jamaica — Nicholas Nelson , Tyshan Hill, Oneil Anderson, Rushane McClymont, Ryan Miller, I’ishmale Currie (Seigle Knight 58th), Martin Davis (Nathaniel Leslie 51st), Khallil Stewart, Imani Beckford, Michael Seaton (Raffique Bryan 89th), Junior Flemmings.

Subs not used: Donald Francis, Zachary Jones, Malcolm Stewart, Maalique Foster, John Levee, Malcolm Dixon.

Booked: Davis (12th), Hill (27th, 90+4–ejected), K Stewart (45th), Currie (45+1), Miller (68th–ejected), Flemmings (85th)

Referee: Fabricio Morales (Mexico)

Assistant Referees: Mario Lopez (Mexico) and Christian Ramirez (Honduras)

Fourth Official — Armando Castro (Honduras)

Match Commissary — Adrian Garibay (United States)