Valiant Jaguars go down to El Salvador

By Avenash Ramzan

A dream start, followed by moments of brilliance in the middle, ended in heartbreak for Guyana’s Golden Jaguars, as their chances of qualifying for the hexagonal round of the Qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil were given a huge dent with a 3-2 loss to El Salvador last evening at the National Stadium, Providence.

The Jaguars’ road to the next round has become even narrower after Group B leaders Mexico needled Costa Rica 1-0 in the other qualifying game at the Estadio Azteca last evening.
After four matches each, the Mexicans are in the lead on 12 points, followed by El Salvador on five; Costa Rica on four, and Guyana on a solitary point from their draw against the Salvadorians Last Friday in San Salvador.
Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, who was the architect of Trayon Bobb’s double in the 2-2 draw against the same opponent in the away game last Friday, gave the Jaguars a perfect start with a goal in the opening minute of the game.
The goal, which was the result of smooth pass from Carl Cort, who would later miss a crucial penalty that would have evened the scoreline at three goals apiece in the dying stages of the game, brought the fair-sized crowd, decked in yellow, on their feet. However, their enthusiasm and excitement was short-lived when Oseal Romero’s header in the 12th minute drew the Central Americans level.
Romero, who was stationed just outside the left goalpost, left the field immediately after scoring the goal to seek medical attention, as a result of crashing into goalkeeper, Richard Reynolds, on his way to leveling the scoreline.
The goal clearly lifted the spirit of the visitors, as they conjured up some brilliant plays that tested the Golden Jaguars’ defence, which stood up admirably during the first-half, which ended 1-1. Upon resumption, Jamie Alas sent the stadium into silence with a blistering right-footer that crashed the defence of Reynolds and sent the Salvadorians into the ascendancy.
Alas, lurking just outside the 18-yard box, received a high ball from a corner kick, controlled it well and left the Jaguars custodian sprawled in the 56th minute. Six minutes later, skipper Chris Nurse brought the crowd to life with a simple right-foot tap to equalise, after receiving from a Walter Moore spot kick.
Thereafter, both teams created several opportunities, but failed to finish, until Rafael Borgos took full advantage of a fumble in the Jaguars’ defence in the 76th minute to push his team ahead. The hosts’ best chance of equalizing came in the 88th minute, but the lanky Cort failed to convert the penalty that was awarded after Richardson who was fouled in the box.
At the post match conference, Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz justified Cort taking the shot rather than Richardson, noting that he “could have seen him [Cort] scoring that penalty 99 times out of 100 in other situations.”