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Published:Wednesday | March 30, 2022 | 10:50 PMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
It may have been many games too late, but Jamaica ensured that their unsuccessful 2022 World Cup campaign did not end without a home win to celebrate, and to ensure that their unbeaten home record against Honduras remained intact.
The Reggae Boyz closed the final round with a 2-1 win over Los Catrachos tonight at the National Stadium, giving interim head coach Paul Hall his first win since taking over the team in December.
While Honduras took the lead thanks to an Angel Tejeda penalty in the 18th minute, first-half goals from Leon Bailey in the 39th minute and Ravel Morrison in the second minute of first-half stoppage were enough for their first win at the National Stadium.
In Hall's final game of the cycle, he started Bailey who didn't play in Jamaica's 4-0 defeat by Canada on Sunday. The local players, Atapharoy Byrgrave and Nicholas Nelson, who started in that defeat, were dropped with Hall going back to the majority of the squad that started against El Salvador last Thursday.
With their last opportunity for a home win in the campaign, Jamaica started brightly from the kickoff as Bailey managed to work himself into a shooting positing but the shot sailed high.
Even with the bright start, Jamaica were warned minutes later of the danger that the opposition can present, as Kevin Maldonado got through on the right-hand side but his shot went wide.
While Jamaica had their opportunities, Honduras managed to come into the game as the first half progressed, having more possession as well as getting behind the Jamaican defence.
They would capitalise on that pressure in the 18th minute after Jamaica were called for a handball inside the box with the help of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.
Despite a good effort from Blake, Tejeda dispatched the spot-kick in the upper left-hand corner to take the lead. The Jamaican attack went stagnant despite some attempts to get behind the Honduran defence.
It wouldn't be until the 39th minute that the Reggae Boyz got their own chance to restore parity from the spot as Jamaica were awarded a penalty when Wesly Decas pulled down a Jamaican player in the area. Bailey calmly slotted home for his first goal of the campaign, reinvigorate the sizeable home support that had proven nervy throughout most of the half.
At the stroke of halftime, they would have more reason to celebrate as Bailey's corner found Morrison who slotted home from close range for his first international goal since switching allegiances two years ago.
The second half began with Jamaica searching for the third from the restart but the perfect final pass to unlock an under-pressure Honduras team never came.
Midway through the second half, supporters in the Stadium held their collective breaths when Daniel Green was given a straight red for what was initially adjudged to be an elbow on a Honduran player. But VAR would come to reh rescue and the decision was overturned in favour of a yellow card.
While Honduras had their moments to get a late equaliser, the Jamaican defence held firm. The home crowd finally had something to cheer about.
Jamaica ended the campaign in sixth place with 11 points.
Andre Blake (C), Adrian Mariappa, Gregory Leigh, Richard King (Alex Marshall 82nd minute), Jamoi Topey (Tarick Ximines 70'), Damion Lowe, Devon Williams, Ravel Morrison, Leon Bailey, Daniel Green (Lamar Walker 68'), Andre Gray (Atapharoy Bygrave 82').