Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz gave up a second-half equaliser to come away with a 1-1 draw against Serbia in their friendly international at Miki Athletic Stadium earlier today.
Watford striker Andre Gray put the Boyz in the lead in the 29th minute after capitalizing Serbian goalkeeper Dorde Nikolic’s blunder to steer the ball into an empty net from an angle just outside the penalty area. It was the striker’s first goal for the Reggae Boyz.
The 25th-ranked Serbia equalized just past the hour mark through half-time substitute Strahinja Pavlovic.
Reggae Boyz Head Coach Theodore Whitmore experimented with a 3-5-2 formation and he would have been pleased with the first-half display, especially after his side took the lead.
The three center-backs included newcomer Wes Harding, Adrian Mariappa and Liam Moore, while Oniel Fisher and Amari’’ Bell occupied the flanks, with captain Damion Lowe, Devon Williams and newboy Blair Turgott in the middle of the park behind the twin-strikers Gray and Javon East. Dennis Taylor tended goal.
“I think in the first 45 minutes we were solid and well-organized; we were disciplined, and we created some goal-scoring opportunities, but in the second half I thought a bit of indiscipline set in,” was Whitmore’s immediate reaction to the game.
The Reggae Boyz will now turn their attention to another game against Japan’s Olympic team in Nagoya on Saturday.
