It was a night for the analysts and statisticians to reflect on as in Jamaica’s 550th match in international football, Jamaica recorded their 223rd victory in Coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore’s 100th game as manager.
It also ended Saudi Arabia’s seven game unbeaten run at home which dated back to 2018.
Jamaica made 6 changes to the starting eleven that lost 3-0 to the Green Falcons on Saturday.
Michael Hector, Oniel Fisher, Ravel Morrison, Leon Bailey, Bobby Reid and Javon East all came in for Kevon Lambert, Kemar Lawrence, Jahshaun Anglin, Kaheem Parris, Kemal Malcolm and Lamar Walker.
Jamaica started the game with pace and power and those combinations gave the Saudi Arabian backlines problems in the opening quarter of an hour.
Leon Bailey had his free kick turned away from goal while Greg Leigh’s header into the net was called off for offside.
Bailey had an empty net to finish in but his effort was turned across the box.
Despite the pressure the Jamaicans started with, it was actually the home side who got on the scoresheet first, as 21 year old striker Abdullah Al-Hamdan scored his 4th international goal to give Saudi Arabia a 1-0 lead.
But Jamaica wasted little time to get back into proceedings as Daniel Johnson curled a left footer past Mohammed Al-Yami to make it 1-1 in minute 35. This was the 28 year old’s first goal for Jamaica in only his second appearance.
At the start of the second half, Amal Knight came on for Dwayne Miller in net to pick up his 9th appearance for the Reggae Boyz. Knight made a handful of saves to keep the Jamaicans in the game and his efficiency paid off as the energetic Javon East showed courage to win possession and eventually slotted his effort into the back of the net.
Jamaica were now up 2-1 after 64 minutes.
This was East’s 2nd international goal and his first away from home. His first came in a 1-1 vs Guyana in the CONCACAF Nations League in 2019.
The Jamaicans pushed for an insurance goal as Daniel Johnson and Ravel Morrison went to work with their creativity, but the Saudi’s denied their efforts.
Seeing the duo in action brought a smile to Jamaican fans across the globe, who were finally seeing players they wanted to see in national colours for a long time, finally don for Jamaica.
The match ended 2-1 and Jamaica ends 2020 with 2 wins and 1 defeat.
2021 is a busy year for Jamaica with the World Cup Qualifiers and the Concacaf Gold Cup.
If Jamaica advances to the Gold Cup final, Jamaica could play as many as 16 games in space of 6 months. And that does not include the FIFA Window in March which is another opportunity for a friendly or two.
The Journey has just begun, let us hope it will be the path towards Qatar.
– Simon Preston
