LA CHORRERA, Panama – Miliciades Molina scored in second-half stoppage time to give host Panama a 1-1 draw with nine-man Jamaica on Saturday in the Group A opener for each at the 2013 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship. The late equalizer thrilled the capacity crowd at the Estadio Agustin “Muquita” Sanchez, but disappointed the young Reggae Boyz, who nearly held on for victory despite ending the encounter two players short. In front of its home supporters, Panama attacked from the opening whistle. Within 59 seconds, Luis Zuñiga attempted a bold bicycle kick that did not land far from its intended target. In the 25th minute, a Zuñiga strike from 30-yards out fell to the feet of an unmarked Ismael Diaz inside the Jamaican box. The 15-year-old turned and shot. His effort from 12 yards, however, was well saved by goalkeeper Nicholas Nelson. The Canaleros would regret that miss 15 minutes later, as Junior Flemmings netted from the penalty spot to give the visitors a 1-0 lead, after Micahel Seaton was taken down by Felix General. Panama showed no signs of letdown, starting the second half robustly. After breaking into the Jamaican box alone, Ismael Diaz would have equalized in the 54th […]
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Double Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt has passed on his congratulations to Bayern Munich on winning the Bundesliga title in record time. Bolt, who defended his 100m and 200m Olympic titles at London 2012, is occasionally in Munich to see renown sports doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt, who also works with the Bayern team and the Germany side. The 26-year-old specifically thanked Dr Mueller-Wohlfahrt after his 100m victory in London having been treated by the German doctor in the build-up to the Olympics and says the pair speak by telephone “from time-to-time”. He is also friends with some of Bayern’s players. Bayern won the Bundesliga title for the 22nd time in the competition’s 50 year history on Saturday with a 1-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt, thanks to Bastian Schweinsteiger’s second-half goal, and Bolt offered his congratulations. “It’s impressive what Bayern have done this season,” Bolt told German daily Bild on Sunday after Bayern won the title with six games left, a new Bundesliga record, and hold a 20-point lead. “To be champions with such a lead and so early in such a strong league, is extraordinary. “First of all, I want to congratulate Basti (Schweinsteiger) and the team, who, just like […]
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Lack of funding will force Jamaica to kick off this weekend’s final round of CONCACAF Under-17 World Cup football qualifiers short on international match experience, raising caution flags about the players’ readiness for competition. The Young Reggae Boyz begin their bid for a return to the World Cup against Panama on Saturday without the benefit of any warm-up games against non-local competition in nine months because the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) could not afford the exposure for the players. Jamaica will also play Barbados on April 8 in their final Group A fixture. “The federation is strapped for cash just now,” said head coach Wendell Downswell, who guided the U-17s to the 2011 World Cup in Mexico. “So we’ve not been able to get any form of international games, apart from the games that we played (earlier) in the qualifying rounds.” Without that test, it’s difficult to predict how the Boyz will react in the qualifiers. “It hurts the team to an extent,” Downswell said. “International exposure … you use that as a measuring stick.” Jamaica reached Panama by winning Caribbean round games against Antigua and Barbuda (4-0) and Bermuda (5-0) last July. The squad has since been […]
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Tournament Schedule 12-team event will decide confederation’s representatives to U-17 World Cup PANAMA CITY, Panama — Defending U-17 World Cup champion Mexico will face Honduras and Cuba, while host Panama will meet Barbados and Jamaica in the first round of the 2013 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship. The tournament draw, which was held today and conducted by CONCACAF General Secretary Enrique Sanz at the Hotel Sheraton Panama, determined the first-round opponents for the April 6-19 event. Host Panama and Mexico, by virtue of its 2011 World Cup finish, were pre-seeded into Group A and Group D, respectively. “We are very excited about this tournament, which will showcase the next generation of our Confederation’s upcoming talent,’ said CONCACAF President, Jeffrey Webb, during his opening speech. “We wish the best of luck to all the qualified teams and hope one of the four teams representing our region at the World Cup will retain the title for this category. Team Jamaica The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals, the winners of which will qualify for the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, October 17-November 8. It will be the first time Panama has […]
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Furious Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto said it was an “embarrassment to football” that Friday’s World Cup qualifier with the United States was played in strong snow, while his federation promised to make an official protest. The U.S. won 1-0 but Pinto was riled the game was played on a snowy field with a covering that became deeper as the game wore on. “It was an embarrassment to football, disrespectful to the game,” an animated Pinto told reporters. The game was played at the 19,374 capacity Dicks Sporting Goods Park, home of Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids, nestled at the foot of the Rockie Mountains. Pinto said the “legal conditions” for playing the game were not in place and a Federation official told Costa Rican media that an official protest would be made to FIFA on Saturday. The referee stopped the game briefly in the 55th minute but only to ask ground staff to clear snow from the pitch markings and the game resumed after a few minutes. Costa Rica’s players showed little dissent on the field, going close to an equalizer in the second half, but they vented their anger after the game. “Honestly, it was robbery, […]
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Debutants Jamaica entered the stadium to thunderous applause their coach Conroy O’Malley put down to the Usain Bolt factor, as the tiny nation rides a wave of sporting popularity instigated by six-time Olympic sprinting champion’s exploits. “He set the trend for us so I expected this to happen,” said O’Malley. The support wasn’t enough to lift the side to victory, as they fell 27-17 to Georgia as the world series pre-qualifier got under way, but there was enough talent on show from the Jamaicans to keep the crowd happy – and to warn rivals they won’t be easybeats over the weekend. “Basically, I said coming out here just to go out and put on a good show,” said O’Malley. “I was expecting a little bit more from them. I thought they would be a little bit too forceful but that didn’t happen so I am happy with that.” The Jamaicans found it tough to deal with the brute power of Georgia’s Irakli Machkaneli (two tries in the first half) and Viktor Kolelishvili (two in the second) but they rallied as the game wore on, despite being reduced to six men twice for infringements. “It didn’t do much damage,” […]
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Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz continue to find a World Cup qualfier win against Panama elusive, after drawing 1-1 in their FIFA World Cup qualifier inside the National Stadium on Friday. The Jamaicans, like the Panamanians now sit on two points from as many matches heading into Tuesday’s clash against Costa Rica in San Jose. Goal of the day – Marvin Elliot Jamaica 1-1 Panama, 22’ It wasn’t until the 22nd minute that the home faithful had something to cheer about. Marvin Elliott rose to meet a Demar Phillips corner. Sending the stadium into wild celebrations. Debutant Jermaine Beckford and Luton Shelton linked up well throughout and wide man Garath McCleary found some joy on the right flank, but the Jamaicans were kept at bay by a solid Panama outfit for the remainder of the half. The visitors almost found a way back into the game straight away but Reggae Boyz captain and goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts pushed out his left leg to stop a 28th minute effort from Panama striker Blas Perez, ensuring the Jamaicans went into half-time with the 1-0 lead. Both teams came out of the locker rooms for the start of the second half in buoyant […]
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Whether at home in Jamaica or somewhere abroad, if the Reggae Boyz are playing, these are the must-haves for fans who are going to this football game. If you’ve got suggestions, thoughts or feedback regarding our list of the Top 10 must-haves for a Reggae Boyz football match above, please feel free to post them below. Top 10 Jamaica
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