Schäfer bemoans missing Jamaica players following loss to Canada

GORDON WILLIAMS, Star Writer
TORONTO, Canada

Jamaica tried to snatch a silver lining from the dark cloud of a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Canada here last night.

Head coach Winfried Schäfer, while lamenting the loss and the absence of some of his best Reggae Boyz, mainly due to injury, embraced the opportunity to expose untested talent. He now claims to have a better idea of what is required to improve the team going into next month's friendly against Japan and, more importantly, the Caribbean Cup in mid-November.

"Many players were out," Schäfer said after Jamaica squandered a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute courtesy of a wonderful 25 yard free kick from Kemar Lawrence. "It was a chance to see new players in new positions."

"That is not our team for the Caribbean Cup," he later added.

But the final result seemed old. Jamaica in its first match since three defeats and a draw in its previous four friendlies between May and June, failed to shine at BMO Field. The Boyz were plagued by multiple mistakes, the first which left unmarked David Edgar alone in the 31st minute to smash a right foot rocket past André Blake in Jamaica's goal.

"It was a very good goal," said Schäfer, "fantastic goal."

inexperience

The last was caused by Blake's fumble of a tame shot, which Tosaint Ricketts easily slotted home in the 72nd.

In between, Jamaica succumbed to the same poison dished out by Lawrence, when Marcel De Jong curled a free kick from almost the same spot distance to give Canada the lead in the 68th.

According to Schäfer, Jamaica's inexperience showed glaringly throughout, although the Boyz matched Canada's fitness. For some players, he added, the quality was simply sub-par.

"The level is not very high," he said.

Jamaica's preparation wasn't adequate either.

"Only two days is not enough training," Schäfer said of his squad, which held practice sessions on Sunday and Monday here.

It showed in the Boyz lack of cohesion. Bad passing dominated much of the first half and Jamaica, at times showing huge gaps in defence, failed to mount sustained attacks on Canada in the opening stanza.

The Boyz picked up in the second, and two sublime Je-Vaughn Watson passes on the quick surface could easily resulted in goals. Half-time substitute Jamar Loza was lively throughout his shift, but squandered several scoring opportunities as well.

Canada, which believed "Jamaica was a very good test for us," according to new coach Benito Florio, was the only team which passed last night. The host team planned to keep ball possession and, according to Florio, it succeeded.

"Before we saw several games of Jamaica," he explained. "We know it's a good team, physical."

Yet on this night Jamaica's might never seemed to grab the handle of Canada's guile.

"It's not easy," said Schäfer.