The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Reggae Boyz ambushed by Grenada

Ricardo Fuller ... scored for Jamaica. - file

Grenada used second-half strikes from their over-seas professionals Shalrie Joseph and Jason Roberts to upset Jamaica 2-1 in their friendly football international at the National Stadium yesterday evening.

The Jamaicans had taken a first-half lead through England-based Ricardo Fuller, but Joseph and Roberts logged decisive strikes nine minutes apart after the break to snatch victory for the home side.

Spice morale boosted

The result was a huge morale-booster for Grenada's Spice Boyz ahead of their important CONCA-CAF World Cup qualifier this weekend against Costa Rica.

Fuller, the Stoke City forward, grabbed an early lead for the Jamaicans when he headed in a corner from Evon Taylor on the near post.

Joseph evened the game when he smashed in a free kick in the 68th minute.

A handball just on the edge of the 18-yard box set up the free kick and Joseph, a New England Revolution standout in US Major League Soccer (MLS), was on target with his high shot.

Grenada's game benefited in the second half from improved passing and they went ahead in the 77th minute through Roberts, who plays for Blackburn Rovers in England.

Final blow

Roberts latched on to loose ball in the box towards the left side and connected with a low left-footer that sank the more highly ranked Jamaicans.

Ranked 98th in the world and No.2 in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), the Jamaicans were coming off a 1-1 draw with the CFU's No.1 Trinidad and Tobago last weekend in Trinidad.

The Grenadians, ranked 143rd on FIFA's list and ninth in the CFU, had booked their CONCACAF clash with Costa Rica via a 10-0 whipping of the US Virgin Islands (USVI) in March, and they will be at home to the Central Americans on Saturday.

Technical director René Simoes was unhappy with the result.

Simoes ashamed

"We didn't control the game, our passing was terrible, our focus was terrible and, personally, I am ashamed of what we did here today," he said.

"We just played badly for the entire game today," he added.

"However, this is a learning process for the team; it never stops, so today was a good lesson in building team character," Simoes said.

"It was a tough loss for us and nobody likes to lose but we have to use what we have learnt and be motivated for Sunday's game," he said.

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz will be tackling The Bahamas at home in their World Cup qualifier on Sunday.