ASSISTANT Coach Miguel Coley was not amused with the Reggae Boyz’ subpar performance against Panama on Friday night, but he’s still hopeful that the players can turn around their fortunes in Haiti on Tuesday.

“It’s a tough one to swallow. From the first half we were not contesting the ball. We were not moving around. We know the Panamanians were coming to press, playing 4-3-3, so what we needed to do was be more composed on the football and keep switching the ball, and that didn’t happen in the first half,” said Coley, who deputised for the suspended Head Coach Winfried Schaefer.

“The second half we conceded an early goal and that put us back. We made some adjustments and started getting some squares, but overall it wasn’t a good game,” Coley conceded.

Jamaica had not beaten Panama in a World Cup-qualifying game in four attempts, but it was surprising how meekly they surrendered at home.

The Central Americans dominated the first half against a listless home team and went ahead three minutes from the interval when Armando Cooper curled home a free kick from the right side of Jamaica’s defensive third. They were a tad bit fortunate as Jamaican goalkeeper DuWayne Kerr misjudged the ball, which sailed over his head and into the far side of the goal.

The home side struggled to connect with their passes and were forced into numerous long punts down field which created very little danger to Panama’s defence.

Seven minutes into the second half, an attempted cross by Alberto Quintero from the left side into the danger area was turned home inadvertently by Jamaican defender Wes Morgan, much to the delight of the visitors.

“Regardless of the psychological impact that Panama have been dominant over us, we should have played better football today,” said Coley.

He added: “I don’t think we played that cohesive; we weren’t passing the ball around as we would have wanted and the Panamanians came here and they pressed us and we didn’t equip ourselves well.”

Panama are top of Group B by way to goal difference ahead of Costa Rica, who defeated Haiti 1-0 in San Jose, with the two losers bringing up the rear. Only the top two teams from each of the three groups in the fourth round will advance to the final round of qualifying.

Jamaica’s Captain Rodolph Austin said that all the players were to be blamed for the lacklustre performance.

“All the team members are disappointed, including myself. We didn’t play good tonight and we have to take the responsibility of it,” said the skipper.

“We didn’t start the game well and I think we conceded two soft goals, so we just have to bounce back. We have to go to Haiti and win that game on Tuesday; that’s the plan,” he added.

The veteran captain started in the heart of Jamaica’s midfield alongside Je-Vaughn Watson with Garath McCleary and Jobi McAnuff on the flanks — a formation that brought much success in the Copa America and the Gold Cup recently. But the Reggae Boyz looked toothless in the middle, which effectively translated into the team’s poor showing.

“They outnumbered us in midfield because their wingers were coming in and it was like two against four, and it was difficult because they were rotating a lot. But they didn’t really hurt us. It was two goals we shouldn’t have conceded. In football sometimes it doesn’t go your way,” noted Austin.

Coach Coley was also philosophical in defeat and saw positives, while brushing aside the thought of disunity in the camp emanating from players contractual talks the day before with the Jamaica Football Federation’s boss Captain Horace Burrell.

“I won’t get involved in that, is how we played today is something we will have to look at,” was his terse response.

Austin also threw out the idea of sabotage. “No, it’s a good set of players and we all want to do well for Jamaica. Everyone has to take responsibility for their fitness. It was a flat start.”

“We have to turn it around. It’s now or never because it’s a tough group. Panama came here and beat us on our home, so we will have to go there and beat Haiti,” he added.

The Boyz mounted a few anxious moments in the closing stages, particularly through substitute Dever Orgill who went close — not once, but twice — in his few minutes on the field.

However, in the end the Boyz got what their performance deserved.

Teams: Jamaica — DuWayne Kerr, Michael Hector, Wes Morgan, Adrian Mariappa, Kemar Lawrence, Rodolph Austin, Je-Vaughn Watson (Dever Orgill 84th), Garath McCleary (Alvas Powell 70th), Jobi McAnuff, Giles Barnes, Darren Mattocks (Clayton Donaldson 62nd).

Booked: Austin (32nd)

Subs not used: Andre Blake, Ryan Thompson, Lee Williamson, Andre Clennon, Junior Flemmings, Kevaughn Frater, Cory Burke, Simon Dawkins, Demar Phillips.

Panama — Jose Calderon, Richard Dixon, Gabriel Gomez (Roberto Chen 90th+), Blas Perez, Armando Cooper (Amilcar Henriquez 85th), Adolfo Machado, Valentin Pimintel, Luis Henriquez, Alberto Quintero (Abdiel Arroyo 86th), Anibal Godoy, Felipe Baloy.

Booked: Pimentel (77th)

Subs not used: Luis Mejia, Josiel Nunez, Ricardo Buitrago, Roberto Nurse, Renan Addles, Eric Davis, Roando Blackburn, Darwin Pinzon

Referee: Roberto Garcia Orozco (Mexico)

First Assistant Referee: Marvin Torrentera Rivera (Mexico)

Second Assistant Referee: Andres Hernandez Delgado (Mexico)

Fourth Official: Jose Penaloza Soto (Mexico)

Match Commissary: Ruperto Vincente (Belize)

Referee Assessor: Donald Campos Guido (Nicaragua)