Venezuela whip Reggae Boyz

CARACAS: Venezuela, who are enjoying the best run of results in their football  history, won their fourth match in five internationals on Wednesday when they beat Jamaica 2-0 in a friendly.

The South Americans, whose run was interrupted on Saturday by a 2-0 defeat against the United States, extended their unbeaten home record to nine matches with first-half goals from Gabriel Urdaneta and Ricardo Paez, son of coach Richard Paez. Urdaneta converted an eleventh-minute penalty controversially awarded for a foul while Paez scored a brilliant individual goal seven minutes before halftime. The Reggae Boyz, fielding a team of home-based players, came to life after half-time but could not find a way past goalkeeper Miguel Sanhouse.