Brilliant Reggae Boyz excite coach Whitmore

Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport

WEEHAWKEN, New Jersey:

THEODORE 'Tappa' Whitmore is having a headache. However, it is one of those headaches a coach loves to have - the good ones.

In a way, it was self-inflicted, as following the Reggae Boyz's early qualification for the quarter-finals - with wins in their first two games - the Jamaica head coach made six changes to his original starting team, for their last preliminary CONCACAF Gold Cup encounter, against Honduras, at the Red Bull Arena, in Harrison on Monday night.

The Jamaica team had been impressive up until then, scoring goals and conceding none.

There were standards to be maintained, plus two of the players had never participated in any of the previous matches.

Included in that selection were three members for the defence line who were not starters, and Jason Morrison was reverted to a first-time, big-match role as sweeper, having been switched from his original central midfield position.

Jamaica also had ambitions to top the group. And for that they had to avoid defeat.

Not only were there expectations, there was anxiety, with the newly inserted six facing the task of measuring up to the high standards set in previous matches, when Whitmore's men had thoroughly outplayed their rivals, with some outstanding football.

For the first half, the new-look Jamaica team surpassed that, with some of the best football any representative team from this country has ever played.

beautiful performance

Their performance was beautiful, full of rhythm, poise and style - the one-twos, no-look passes from Jevaughn Watson, skip overs, running away from the ball for another teammate to fetch, the little chips, 'shifts' and dribbles from Keammar Daleys and Dane Richards, as well as the steady central midfield influence by Gold Cup debutant Damian Williams, that totally befuddled Honduras.

To top it all, point striker Ryan Johnson added a spectacular goal with a thumping drive from near 25 yards after skipping past two challenges, which saw the ball crashing onto the crossbar, then ricochet powerfully into the back of the late-diving goalkeeper, Noel Valladares, and into the net.

The goal - struck at the 36th minute - ensured Jamaica's 1-0 victory and fittingly, a history-making clean sweep of its three preliminary round matches at the Gold Cup.

"The first half was an excellent half, excellent performance," said Whitmore. "I think the players turned up and they played. That's what we're looking for.

"The headache is left for the coaching staff and that's a good sign. Everybody is looking to see the next 11 who will be out there on the field in the quarter-finals," he noted, scratching his head as if to rub in the point.

Whitmore, who once crafted similar beauty for Jamaica, as a midfield general and captain of the Reggae Boyz, was not surprised.

" ... As I've always said, we've an excellent set of guys who have been working for the past year and a half and the results are just starting to show; and I think it's a positive for Jamaica's football going forward."

Progressively, in relation to the first-half display, there was only one way that Jamaica's performance could trend for the second half. The standard could not be bettered.

Even then, they remained quite dangerous and even got a glorious opportunity to double their lead, when Johnson took a pass of Richards, raced into the penalty box where he was cut down by centre half Osman Chavez at the 69th minute.

The defender was lucky not to be ejected, as he was the last man back, and Honduras' supporters began hurling objects onto the pitch, forcing the match to be halted.

Johnson then demanded the kick and held his head as the shot was saved by Valladares, diving low to his left.

match-fitness issue

The wilting signs in Jamaica's play worsened as Honduras improved in dominance, even though they could not create any clear scoring opportunities.

"Match fitness," Whitmore blamed for their late-game fall-off. "Some of these players haven't played for a while, so the longer the game got the legs would be going. They were holding their own until we had to inject some new, fresh legs into the game."

Commenting on the historic, maximum points taking - of nine from three matches - the Jamaica head coach said: "It's another achievement for us. We've set out our goals, just as when we went into the DCC (Digicel Caribbean Cup). We've set some targets and, so far, we've met these targets."

Jamaica won that regional tournament late last year and Whitmore says they are now well prepared to go further here, regardless of their next opponents, which could be their nemesis, the United States, when they travel today to Washington DC for that matchup.

"We've prepared ourselves physically, mentally, it doesn't really matter (which team). We came here and we said we needed at least a spot .... in the semi-finals and so far we've one game (to go)," he explained.

"I don't think we should even worry about the opponent. We've played three games already and the opponents have been different, we're just going to go out there and prepare ourselves and win the game."

Group standings

Group A

M W D L GF GA Pts1. Mexico 3 3 0 0 14 1 92. Costa Rica 3 1 1 1 7 5 43. El Salvador 3 1 1 1 7 7 44. Cuba 3 0 0 3 1 16 0

Group B

M W D L GF GA Pts1. Jamaica 3 3 0 0 7 0 92. Honduras 3 1 1 1 7 2 43. Guatemala 3 1 1 1 4 2 44. Grenada 3 0 0 3 1 15 0

Group C

M W D L GF GA Pts1. Panama 2 2 0 0 5 3 62. USA 2 1 0 1 3 2 33. Canada 2 1 0 1 1 2 34.Guadeloupe2 0 0 2 2 4 0 Note: Jamaica will play the Group C runners-up in the quarter-finals.