Sport

Boyz have it all to do!

By PAUL-ANDRE WALKER, Staff Reporter

THE REGGAE BOYZ's next World Cup qualifying opponents on their 'Journey to Germany 2006' will be the United States of America (USA), a team Jamaica have never beaten, conceding a 1-2 loss at the National Stadium in their last match-up, February 12 last year.

Drawn in Group A of CONCACAF's semi-final round alongside the USA, El Salvador and Panama, the Boyz will open against the USA on August 18 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

To reach the semi-final round, the USA topped Grenada 6-2 on aggregate and Jamaica beat Haiti 5-1 ­ a 1-1 away draw followed by a 3-0 home win.

Jamaica's best results against the Americans have been 0-0, 1-1 and 2-2 ties. In their successful Road to France campaign for World Cup 1998, Jamaica were able to pull off two draws, 0-0 at the National stadium and a 1-1 scoreline in Washington.

Boyz faltered

The failed 2002 campaign also featured a 0-0 draw at home but the Boyz faltered when they went to the Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts, having to travel home with a 1-2 defeat.

Technical director Carl Brown has attributed Jamaica's failure to beat the USA to 'a combination of things' but believes he has the team to pull off a famous win at the National Stadium.

"They have a more financially stable programme and things like talent and commitment have played their part in the past but one has to always be confident in one's own abilities.

"I believe that we have put together a team that has the talent to beat a United States team," Brown reasoned.

Commenting on Jamaica's record against the USA, Clyde Jureidini, managing director of local club Harbour View, said the North Americans were more "efficient and organised on a consistent basis".

"We have to improve our performance on the day," he said. "This present team has not achieved and must be eager to do so on their own merit. Many of the players who played on the 1998 team are no longer around and so this crop of youngsters have a lot to prove.

"Carl Brown and Crenston Boxhill (Jamaica Football Federation president) must also be eager to achieve on their own merit," Jureidini added.

"If you will notice, recently the selection of the team (Jamaica) has been changing and so have the performances. The United States have been achieving and over-achieving consistently. Apart from being a top-ranked CONCACAF team, they have achieved world credibility," the Harbour View boss pointed out.

In the latest FIFA world rankings, the USA are ninth and are only one of two CONCACAF teams in the top 10. Jamaica are fourth in CONCACAF behind Costa Rica at 51st in the world.

SCHEDULE CONCACAF

semi-final round:

Group A

Aug18: Jamaica vs. USA; El Salvador vs. Panama

Sep 4-5: USA vs. El Salvador; Jamaica vs. Panama

Sep 8: Panama vs. USA; El Salvador vs. Jamaica

Oct 9-10: El Salvador vs. USA; Panama vs. Jamaica

Oct 13: USA vs. Panama; Jamaica vs. El Salvador

Nov 17: USA vs. Jamaica; Panama vs. El Salvador

All-time record: Jamaica vs USA

Date: Venue Score

Feb 12 '03 Jamaica 1-2

May 16,'02 Giants Stadium 0-5

June 16,'01 Jamaica 0-0

Oct. 7, '01 Foxboro 1-2

Sept 8, '99 Jamaica 2-2

March 2, '97 Jamaica 0-0

Oct. 3, '97 Washington 1-1

Nov. 22, '94 Jamaica 0-3

July 10, '93 Dallas 0-1

Nov. 7, '93 Fullerton 0-1

Sept. 14, '91 High Point N.C. 0-1

July 24, '88 Jamaica 0-0

Aug., 13 '88 St. Louis 1-5

World Cup Qualifiers