KOBE, Japan — Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz put on a solid first-half show to hold Serbia 1-1 in their friendly international at Miki Athletic Stadium here on Monday.

The Boyz appeared to have shaken off the jet-lag blues, internal administrative issues, and the stress of living in a pandemic bubble to deliver a pass-mark effort in a testy reality.

In their sway, Watford FC striker Andre Gray had put the Boyz ahead in the 29th minute, but let the advantage slip when Serbia levelled in the 61st courtesy of Strahinja Pavlovic, one of four half-time substitutes.

It would be reasonable to bill the affair a game of two halves, with Jamaica clearly dominating in the first 45 minutes. In the second stanza, the 25th-ranked Serbia changed gears and bossed possession for great spells, but the Boyz slowly waded back into the plot when fresh legs were introduced in the last 20 minutes or so.

To their credit, the Boyz had used the flanks well with Sweden-based Blair Turgott influencing the left-channel action, while Los Angeles Galaxy’s Oniel Fisher had reign over the opposite side.

Defensively, Bristol City man Adrian Mariappa and Reading FC skipper Liam Moore created a rearguard that was almost impenetrable.

The Boyz displayed range in the offensive thrust by going down the middle, with chief enforcer Captain Damion Lowe of Egypt’s Al-Ittihad winning possession at crucial areas to start the attacks — using his instinctive defensive ability to great benefit.

The first 15 minutes of the contest saw the teams sizing each other up, but it was Jamaica who claimed measure over their highly-ranked opposition by slowly taking the wheel with quick build-up plays through the middle and down the flanks.

The Jamaicans got their first clear glimpse of goal in the 13th minute, with Lowe muscling his way into possession, then passing for Costa Rica-based Javon East, who laid off the ball for Gray, whose blast from the edge of the penalty area was charged down.

After dominating that left side through the quick feet and nippy plays of the slight of frame Turgott, the Boyz looked more threatening on the offensive and appeared more likely to open the scoring.

So said, so done.

In the 29th minute, the Caribbean side went ahead when a wide-drifting Gray capitalised on a spilled ball by Serbia goalkeeper Dorde Nikolic to steer the ball home from an angled position, a classic striker’s finish.

Serbia’s first threatening move, not a chance in the truest sense, came in the 18th minute when the Europeans took advantage of space in the middle, but Nemanja Jovic’s shot flew high from 25 yards.

But Jamaica continued to push the Serbs back and remained a constant offensive threat, and in another foray forward in minute 34, Turgott dispossessed his opponent, then quickly released East, but the latter’s left-footed shot rammed into a defensive wall.

Two minutes later, the Boyz drove forward with Gray and East linking up for Devon Williams, but the Miami FC midfielder’s shot could not find a way through.

Serbia had a rare look at the Jamaica goal when Zeljko Gavric’s right-sided cross picked out striker Dejan Joveljic, whose downward header was quickly smothered by Humble Lion goalkeeper Dennis Taylor.

The Boyz then closed the first-half show with another attack on Serbia’s goal, when Turgott’s right-footed powerhouse had Serbia custodian Nikolic at full stretch to keep the ball out in an action-packed first half.

Sixteen minutes inside the half-time resumption after a couple of promising offensive moves, Dragan Stojkovic’s men finally got their goal when Pavlovic curled the ball around Taylor with the right boot to leave the Jamaican keeper beaten by pace and precision.

Jamaica, who are using the tour of Japan to fine-tune for the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup, will face Japan’s Olympic outfit in another friendly on Saturday in Nagoya.

Teams: Jamaica — Dennis Taylor, Adrian Mariappa, Damion Lowe (Ravel Morrison 71st), Liam Moore, Amari’i Bell, Wes Harding, Oniel Fisher, Devon Williams (Kevon Lambert 85th), Andre Gray (Curtis Tilt 78th), Javon East, Blair Turgott (Kemal Malcolm 66th).

Subs not used: Dillon Barnes, Jeadine White, Luca Levee, Kevaughn Isaacs

Booked: Moore (57th)

Serbia — Dorde Nikolic (Marko Illic 46th), Stefan Mitrovic, Marko Petkovic (Milos Vulic 73rd), Nemanja Gudelj, Marko Grujic (Nemanja Maksimovic 63rd), Ivan IIiic (Uros Spajic 46th), Sava Cestic (Strahinja Pavlovic 46th), Dejan Joveljic, Alesksa Terzic, Nemanja Jovic, Zeljko Gavric (Milan Makaric 46th).

Subs not used: Predrag Rajkovic, Mihailo Ristic

Booked: Cestic (14th), Pavlovic (48th)

Referee: Yudai Yamamoto

Assistant Referees: Esmaeel Fard, Arif Abd Rasid

Fourth Official: Ahmed Darwish

Referee Assessor: Toshiyuki Mayuzumi

Match Commissioner: Gokoh Suminoro