Jamaican striker Walter Boyd braces under pressure from his Barbadian opponent Norman Forde during a friendly match at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won 5-0. THE smiles inside the National Stadium were as bright as the new lights last night.
After 90 minutes of total dominance, the Reggae Boyz stopped just short of playing dominoes with Barbados - hitting them for five. Jermaine Johnson, Onandi Lowe (with two), Walter Boyd and Tyrone Marshall found the back of the net for the homeside.
It was with surprising ease that the Bajans were dispatched as they came into the island on the heels of holding the Caribbean's top-ranked football nation, Trinidad and Tobago, to a 0-0 draw albeit in Bridgetown, Barbados. With the exclusion of the engine-man Fitzroy Simpson and striker Deon Burton, the team was expected to struggle.
Though technical director Clovis de Oliveira was forced to reshuffle the team due to axings and injury, the side was at its fluent best, moving up a gear from last Sunday when numerous chances were created but were not finished against Cuba.
At the end of the first half, the Reggae Boyz were in total control against Barbados with a 2-0 lead.
Fielding a changed team due to the booting of regular starters
Simpson and Burton, the Boyz played without missing a beat. With Burton's absence, sweeper Lowe was paired on the forward line with Boyd and immediately they clicked.
Jamaica, on the offensive early, took the lead in the sixth minute when midfielder Johnson chipped the ball over Barbados goalkeeper Horace Stoute.
Johnson started the play just above the half line, beating one man before passing to Lowe who held up the ball before unleashing a beautiful weighted pass which fell perfectly for the attacking midfielder. Johnson who had made his way into the 18-yard box collected coolly to finish. The lead was doubled in the 26th minute when Lowe blasted home a Boyd cross from inside the six-yard box.
The goal was created when Lowe capitalised on an error from Barbadian midfielder John Hawkesworth just above the half line. Lowe, collected the ball, knocked it up field for Boyd to chase. The forward chased, caught the ball, skipped a challenge and crossed for Lowe to finish.
After starting a bit slowly in the second half, the Boyz picked up the tempo after about 15 minutes as they strung passes together cutting through the belly of the Bajan team. The pressure finally broke down the Bajan resolve in the 65th minute as the old combination of Boyd and Lowe up front struck again. Lowe directed home a Boyd corner which fell straight on his head.
The corner and the finish were done with such precision that de Oliveira had to salute. Five minutes later, Boyd broke his international goal drought when he blasted home a right footer from inside the 18-yard box.
Marshall wrapped up the gift for the just about 18,000 fans who turned out when he controlled on his chest a cross struck from just about the half line on the left by Jermaine Hue. Marshall moved the ball into the box, faked substitute goalkeeper Adrian Chase with the right foot before finishing with the left.
The highly expected debut of the colourful new boy Jamie Lawrence did not take place as he was not given permission by his club to play.
Michael Sloley
