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DRAGON
  Left: Jamaica's Kavin Bryan dribbles away from Costa Rica's Jose Miguel Cubero during a friendly international at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won the game 1-0. Right: Jamaica's Dane Richards (left) attempts to get by Costa Rica's Junior Diaz during a friendly international at the National Stadium last night. Jamaica won the match 1-0. - Ian Allen Jamaica's Reggae Boyz turned the tables on the 53rd-ranked Costa Ricans with a 1-0 win yesterday, in an international friendly football match at the National Stadium. The 82nd-ranked Reggae Boyz had suffered 1-0 losses to the Costa Ricans in their last two meetings. The win was Jamaica's fourth in 20 encounters. "We had to work extremely hard during the game," said Jamaica's assistant coach Bradley Stewart. "I don't think there was a moment in the game when either team was able to relax." Ryan Johnson got the game's lone goal in the 65th minute with a well taken opportunity. He collected a lovely long-range pass from Jason Morrison, which he brought down expertly while holding off his marker Jose Miguel Cubero. He then hammered a low shot past the Costa Rican custodian Patrick Pemberton. Johnson, who plays for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer, was scoring his second goal in his fifth game for the Boyz. "This is my first start here in Jamaica and it is like a dream come true to score a goal in front of the home fans," said Johnson. "I had about two or three chances today and I put away one so it is a good feeling for me as a striker," he added. first opportunity It was the Costa Ricans who got the first clear opportunity of the game. In the 12th minute one of the visitor's many attacks down the left flank resulted in a cross, which was played across the face of goal by Alvaro Sanchez to his teammate Manfred Russell. However, Russell under pressure from Jamaica's custodian Dwayne Miller, lifted his effort over the crossbar from close range. Johnson also came close to opening the scoring in the 48th minute. The forward made a wonderful solo run from the middle of the Costa Rican half into the box, but his shot from an acute angle went just high. Jamaica's coaching staff will be using the game to determine the changes that need to be made before what is expected to be a tougher game against Peru on Tuesday in Florida. "We will use this as an opportunity to gage where we are at the moment and to make the necessary adjustments for the next game," said Stewart. "The next game is against Peru and we have to produce the results in that game," he added. Costa Rica's head coach Ronald Gonzalez conceded that his team suffered the effects of having played very recently. "The second half we were lacking," said Gonzalez. "As you well know we played a game less than 48 hours (ago) in Panama. We couldn't compete physically with Jamaica when they started making the changes," he added. |
