BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic — For the second game in a row, Jamaica’s Under-20 coaches were left scratching their heads after the team put in an insipid display in Group Four of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) qualifiers here.

The Young Reggae Boyz appeared uninspired as they gave up two second-half goals to lose 0-2 to tiny eastern Caribbean opponents St Kitts & Nevis at Estadio Panamericano on Friday.

Two days earlier, they had put in a tame performance to edge Dominica 2-1.

“I’m very disappointed because I’ve seen these players play a 100 per cent better than what they displayed. We started off well, but we didn’t put away our chances, so we helped St Kitts to settle into their game,” Head Coach Ricardo ‘Bibi’ Gardner told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

While Jamaica remained dangerous in attack in spurts during the first half, traditional minnows St Kitts & Nevis arguably controlled the tempo with good possession in midfield.

The exchanges during the second half swayed heavily in favour of the St Kitts team, especially after they went one goal up.

By the time St Kitts scored their second goal via an ill-advised back pass to the goalkeeper, Jamaica were down and out.

“They [St Kitts & Nevis] were first to every ball, they wanted it more than us and we didn’t bounce back from that. I think we started the second half well, but again we let them back into the game. They caught us on the break and put away their chance, and then we made a mistake and they capitalised on that. That’s football; you live and you learn,” added the former Reggae Boy and Bolton Wanderers player.

Gardner, who said his team was complacent, added that he was surprised at how the Jamaicans appeared to surrender against their less fancied opponents.

“It was definitely a concern that players lacked that passion after going behind. It’s something that we as coaches sat down and discussed that we need to have more desire and drive about how we play. Wearing the national colours comes with a lot of pressure, but coming up against St Kitts I didn’t expect for us to play way below par,” said the Under-20 Boyz coach.

“We took our opponents lightly and let them into the game and that was the outcome. We have to face it, dust ourselves off and come again,” he urged.