Powell, Orgill double up to give Boyz easy win over Guyana
DEMERARA, Guyana — In less than ideal conditions, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz managed a workmanlike performance to defeat hosts Guyana 4-0 in their Group C match of the Concacaf Nations League B at Leonora Track and Field Stadium here last evening.
FC Cincinnati defender Alvas Powell hit a brace in the 14th and 36th minutes, and Turkey-based forward Dever Orgill followed suit with a double of his own in the 44th and 54th minutes.
Jamaica soared to the top of the standing with maximum six points spurred by an impressive 10 goals from two games, having slammed visiting Antigua and Barbuda 6-0 on Friday.
In yesterday’s other Group C match, hosts Antigua and Barbuda defeated Aruba 2-1 to move to second on three points, same as third-placed Guyana, who had defeated Aruba 1-0 in the first round game.
The Boyz’s next assignment comes is an away match against Aruba next month at a venue and time to be determined.
Yesterday’s largely lop-sided contest saw Guyana getting the first real chance in the eighth minute, when they combined out of their area with Sheldon Holder, Kelsey Benjamin and Daniel Wilson, but the latter’s low drive from inside the 18-yard box lacked the sting to trouble Andre Blake between the Jamaican sticks.
From then on, it was Jamaica who dominated the offensive plays, even as a bad pitch and poor lighting conspired against fluency and precision.
In the 14th minute, right-back Powell, reminiscent of his days as a junior player, went on a solo dribble from deep inside his own half before firing low and hard, beating the Guyana custodian Akel Clarke.
The FC Cincinnati man, for good measure, repeated the act in the 26th minute, this time playing the give-and-go with Charleroi’s Shamar Nicholson, and finishing off with aplomb to make it 2-0.
Midfielder Chavany Willis, who was a steady hand in midfield for the most part, ventured forward in the 30th minute and played a classic one-two with Orgill, but the Bethlehem Steel player’s firm left-footed drive was palmed away for a corner by Clarke.
Jamaica made it 3-0 in the 44nd minute when Orgill finished off a fine assist from Nicholson.
In the less than an exciting affair, Orgill closed the evening’s goal-scoring entertainment rather early in the 54th minute when he blasted left-footed into the roof of the net, following up on Nicholson’s earlier effort.
In minute 77, Fulham’s Bobby Reid had a chance with a blazing breakaway down the right channel, but his low effort glided wide of the target and, in the dying moments, Guyana had a chance to restore some home pride when Matthew Briggs’ freekick from 20 yards skimmed Blake’s goal on the way over.
Teams: Jamaica — Andre Blake, Damion Lowe, Adrian Mariappa, Kemar Lawrence, Alvas Powell (Fabion McCarthy 61st), Je-Vaughn Watson, Chavany Willis, Leon Bailey (Alex Marshall 61st), Dever Orgill (Kevaughn Isaacs 70th), Bobby Reid, Shamar Nicholson
Subs not used: Jeadine White, Amal Knight, Shaun Francis, Devon Williams, Andre Lewis, Peter-Lee Vassell, Brian Brown and Junior Flemmings
Booked: Lowe (74th)
Guyana — Akel Clarke, Kevin Layne, Matthew Briggs, Clive Nobrega, Samuel Cox, Sheldon Holder, Keanu Marsh-Brown (Sherwin Skeete 81st), Kelsey Benjamin (Stephen Duke-McKenna 58th), Daniel Wilson, Liam Gordon, Neil Danns (Pernell Schultz 54th)
Subs not used: Alex Murray, Quillan Roberts, Raphael Edwards, Ryan Hackett, Torell Ondean, Delwin Fraser
Booked: Marsh-Brown (74th)
Referee: William Anderson (Puerto Rico)
Assistant referees: Jairo Morales (Puerto Rico), Caleb Wales (Trinidad and Tobago)
Fourth official: Wilson DaCosta (Bahamas)
Match commissioner: Alfonso Mondelo (USA)