Christian Benitez scored twice as Ecuador thrashed Jamaica 5-2 in an international friendly yesterday.

Jaime Ayovi opened the scoring for Ecuador in the 21st minute and Christian Suarez extended the lead in the 39th, before Benitez made it 3-0 just before half time.

Former Birmingham City striker Benitez, who now plays for America in Mexico, gave Ecuador a four-goal cushion five minutes after the break.

Omar Cummings pulled a goal back for Jamaica in the 58th, before Segundo Castillo scored again for Ecuador in the 65th. Demar Johnson was Jamaica's other goalscorer in the 67th.

high altitude

The loss was the second in a row for the Reggae Boyz, who seemed to struggle with the conditions at the high-altitude Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa Stadium in Quito and may have, despite the convincing scoreline, got off lucky as custodian Dwayne Miller had to be at his very best.

Last month, the team went down 1-0 to China on a trip to the Far East. The team will now turn their attention to their next encounter against Columbia at the Lockhart Stadium, in Florida, on Wednesday.