Jamaica Football Federation, Founded 1962, Affiliated to FIFA CONCACAF and CFU.
20 St. Lucia Crescent, Kingston 5, Jamaica, West Indies
Telephone: (876) 929 0484 / (876) 929 8036 / (876) 926 1182
Fax: (876) 929 0483 / (876) 960 2421
Email: jamff@hotmail.com
JAMAICA VS.USA FEB.12 !
The Reggae Boyz will mark the re-opening of the National Stadium to football with a "big" friendly international against the United States on Wednesday, February 12 next year, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Captain Horace Burrell said on Monday.
Burrell said the JFF had gone ahead and confirmed the date with the Americans following assurances from the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) that the football field which has been out of commission since November of last year, would be ready in time.
"The chairman of the UDC, Dr Vin Lawrence has assured me that he will do all that is necessary to have the stadium field ready in time for this friendly," Burrell said. "The moment I was given the assurance by Dr Lawrence, I confirmed with the USA," the football boss added.
The stadium's football field was significantly altered as part of renovation work to prepare the stadium complex for the World Junior Games in July of this year. Extensive resurfacing work will have to be done in order to return the field to a state that is fit for international football.
The game, to be played at 2:30 pm in the afternoon to facilitate a "major news network" in the United States, will be shown live throughout that country and worldwide, Burrell said.
And because February 12 is a FIFA-approved date for international football, Burrell was confident last night that both teams will be at full strength.
"We have confirmed all the arrangements for a very strong United States team with all their overseas stars. Jamaica too will be at full strength with all our stars out of Britain and the United States as well Keith Kelly in France available to us," Burrell said.
"I think this is likely to be our strongest ever team and we will be looking to avenge that 0-5 loss to the United States in May just before the World Cup," Burrell added.
The February 12 game should prove ideal warm-up for the Reggae Boyz who in March, will enter the second phase of qualification for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Trinidad.
Burrell claimed that because of global television, the game would also provide another opportunity to showcase Jamaica's good side.
"This will be a great opportunity to showcase the good side of Jamaica at the height of the winter tourist season," Burrell said.
JAMAICA CRUSH DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 4 - 0
Despite playing with 10 men for the entire second half, Jamaica defeated the Dominican Republic 4:0 Sunday at Prisons Oval in Spanish Town in the first leg of their final round Caribbean Zone qualifying series in the FC Under-17 Youth Tournament.
The hosts took the lead in the very first minute, Steven Morrissey collecting a loose ball in the box and slotting it past keeper Javier Batista. After the goal, the visitors; defence settled into a groove, often frustrating the young Reggae Boyz attack and keeping them off the scoreboard.
Despite playing with ten men, Jamaica controlled the majority of play in the early stages of the second half, but were unable to find the net again until the 69th minute; Anthony Christie calmly slotting home a penalty to make it 2:0.
The successful penalty and the subsequent arrival of Bryan Bayliss into their lineup five minutes later, gave the Reggae Boyz the energy they needed to put the match away. Bayliss hit home in the 78th and 80th minutes to wrap up the 4:0 victory.
The return leg will be played in the Dominica Republic on December 8.
The winners will advance to the CONCACAF Final round set for Guatemala from March 3-9 2003.
FC UNDER-17 JUNIOR TOURNAMENT
CARIBBEAN ZONE - FINAL ROUND (over two legs)
24.11.2002: Spanish Town, Prisons Oval
JAMAICA; REPUBLICA DOMINICANA 4:0 (1:0)
Steven MORRISSEY 1'; Anthony CHRISTIE 69'; Bryan BAYLISS 78'; 80'
R: Richard PIPER (TRI)
ARNETT GARDENS TO HOST CFU CLUBS CHAMPS PLAYOFFS
ARNETT Gardens Football Club -- arguably the most forward thinking of local clubs -- continues to blaze trails in local football as it brings to the fore one bold initiative after another.
The latest addition to their long list of credits is their brave attempt to host Zone A action in the second round of the CFU Club Championships at the Tony Spaulding Sport Complex from December 4 to 8.
Arnett Gardens -- the defending National Premier League champions -- will compete in the Jamaican leg alongside Club Franciscain of Martinique, Voilette Athletic Club of Haiti and VSADC of St Lucia.
Another local club, Harbour View FC, will participate in Zone B to be staged in Trinidad and Tobago from December 10 to 14. Other clubs in that group are W Connection FC of Trinidad, FICA of Haiti and Union Sporting du Robert of Martinique.
The winner of each zone will advance to the group of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the two top teams earning the right to represent the Confederation at the FIFA World Club Championship.
Arnett will open their campaign against VSADC next Wednesday, then they tackle Club Franciscain on Friday and Voilette Athletic Club on Sunday.
BOYZ HOLD NIGERIA 0-0
Lagos, Nigeria (Nov 19) -- It might not have been the most entertaining contest, but from a tactical standpoint it could easily go down as the best first-half performance by the Reggae Boyz in many moons.
What Jamaica had to show in the end was a 0-0 result against Nigeria at the National Stadium in Lagos in front of almost 35,000 spectators who were expecting the promised "goal fest" by the Super Eagles.
The result left the spectators disgruntled and they showed their disgust by pelting the Nigerian bench with water-bearing plastic bottles and bagged water.
The result stretched Jamaica's unbeaten road record to an unprecedented 10 games, and technical director designate, Carl Brown, was happy.
"It is very significant to me because even during the best of times our results away have always been questionable. It takes character to play away from home and do well. The fact that we didn't have the National Stadium at home to play has turned out to be a blessing in disguise because we have seen the players grow," Brown said.
Brown, who was at the helm when Jamaica lost to Nigeria in London last May, also believed their first-half performance was possibly the best since he took charge.
"That's why I'm so disappointed that we didn't win the game ... they (Reggae Boyz) really played well in the first half. They played with the sort of confidence you would want to see over 90 minutes, but that will come later," he said.
Nigerian coach, Christian Chukwu, who had assured fans the Eagles would have little difficulty creating and scoring goals, paid due respect to the Reggae Boyz.
"It was a very beautiful game. I am impressed with the Jamaican team. This is the kind of match that I want to play ... they need this kind of exposure so that I can build this very young team.
"We need to learn from our experienced players and I am sure that my players learnt a lot from this match," he added.
Jamaica -- Lawrence, Goodison, Claude Davis, Tyrone Marshall (Linval Dixon - 78th), Robert Scarlett, Craig Ziadie, Micah Hyde, Andy Williams (Jermaine Johnson - 55th), Ricardo Gardner (Omar Daley - 80th), Deon Burton (Richard Langley - 70th), Kevin Lisbie (Trevor Benjamin - 61st).
Booked: Goodison - 45th, Williams - 47th.
FULLER SCORES TWO, PRAISED BY MANAGER
Preston manager Craig Brown heaped praise on striker Ricardo Fuller before dismissing suggestion his side were a one-man team.
Former Scotland boss Brown was glowing in his praise for Jamaican international Fuller, whose two goals sealed Preston's 2-0 win over high-flying Leicester on Tuesday.
Brown said: "I hope he stays forever, as long as his three year contract lasts. "I'm quite sure he will be well known internationally, as well as here in England.
"He is a handful for any defence, but it isn't a one-man team. "Fuller has an exceptional talent, but there are another 10 players," insisted Brown.
Match report: Preston 2-0 Leicester
Fuller put Preston on the road to victory with his eighth goal of the season, chipping in a 47th minute effort from a tight angle.
The Jamaican brought the best from former England goalkeeper Ian Walker before sealing Preston's win in stoppage time with a fine individual effort.
Brown said: "Ricardo takes a battering in every game, but doesn't complain and has been quite badly abused in a lot of fixtures."
UNDER –23 AGAINST THE WALL AT CAC GAMES
Jamaica’s Under-23 team played below par in their first game against Honduras at the Central America and Caribbean Games in El Salvador and fell 0-3.
They will face Mexico on Thursday (Nov 28) in a must-win situation in their second game in Group three. Mexico lead the group on goal difference after crushing Honduras 4-1 on Sunday.
Two teams from the group of three will advance to the quarterfinals.
Earl Bailey
Press Officer - JFF
Mobile: 876-351 2656
PATRON: The Governor General
OFFICERS: Captain Horace G. Burrell, CD, JP, OMFIFA, President; Raymond Anderson, 1st Deputy President, Lincoln Sutherland, 2nd Deputy President; E. David Watt 3rd Deputy President; Peter Reid, Treasurer; Linnel McLean, Executive Officer; Horace D. Reid, General Secretary.
Jamaica Football Federation