The Reggae Boyz suffered a bruising 5-2 defeat to Saudi Arabia in their international ‘B’ match inside the King Abdullah Sports City on Saturday.
Salem al-Dawsari got the opener for the home team in the 23rd minute before Jamiel Hardware equalized for Jamaica with his second international goal in the 35th minute.
Mohammed al-Sahlawi made it 2-1 for the home team in the 38th minute while Salman al-Faraj and Mohammed al Burayk also got their names on the score-sheet. substitute Abdulah Al Joui scored Susii Arabia’s fifth goal in time added for injuries..
Substitute Marvin Morgan got the other goal for the Jamaican Reggae Boyz, in the 68th minute with his first touch of the ball.
There will be no points lost or gained for the either team as the game was not a FIFA-sanctioned one.
Jamaica showed signs of making game interesting
The Jamaicans, showed some signs of making it an interesting match when Jamiel Hardware equalized in the 35th minute after the Saudi’s Al Dawsari scored in the 22nd minute.
Hardware beautifully controlled a right-sided back post cross, then cleared his path before firing home, well out of the reach of goalkeeper Abdullah Al Muaiof.
Home team wasted no time
But the home team wasted no time in regaining their lead as Al Hazza was left with too much time and space by Damion Lowe and flashed a neat near-post header inside Jamaican goalkeeper Dwayne Miller’s far post.
After that goal the Saudi’s dominated the game, running rings around Jamaica’s defense, to go up 4 goals to one.
Morgan reduces deficit
Then Morgan, with his first touch, chipped goalkeeper Muaiof to reduce the deficit and, during a period where they enjoyed a bit of possession and fluency in their attacks, Francis worked his way deep down the left-hand channel, but his inch-perfect cross was somehow missed by a sliding Michael Seaton, and after Rosario Harriott kept the ball alive, Morgan was inches wide of notching his second of the game. Seaton then steered a Harriott right-sided cross high and wide.
The Jamaican team consisted of Dwayne Miller, Damion Lowe, Ladale Richie, Shaun Francis, Oniel Fisher, Ewan Grandison (Michael Seaton 49th), Devon Williams Jermaine Taylor 55th), Je-Vaughn Watson, Alex Marshall (Fabian Reid 49th), Jamiel Hardware (Marvin Morgan 67th), Romario Williams (Chevone Marsh 60th).
