No Athens for TT footballers

GUADALAJARA: Mexico and Costa Rica charged into the semi-final round of Olympic qualifying on Wednesday night, obliterating Caribbean hopes of reaching Athens. Mexico pounded a short-handed Jamaica 4-0 before a drum-beating crowd of 20,000 at Jalisco Stadium. Erick Scott’s two goals led Costa Rica to a 4-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaica never recovered from an initial blow. Team captain Shavar Thomas was expelled only three minutes into the game for a tackle on Mexico’s Luis Ernesto Perez. Diego Martinez punched home the penalty kick for Mexico’s first score. Luis Ernesto Perez bounced a ball past a confused Jamaican defence at 17 minutes and Juan Pablo Garcia struck seven minutes later, charging up the middle and taking a pass from Perez.

Jamaican goalkeeper Richard McCallum was forced into repeated dramatic saves to keep Mexico from running up the score. Mexican strikers helped by missing several open shots. At 78 minutes, a shot bounced off the right upright and into McCallum’s hands. Mexico added a final goal in extra-time when a header by Rafael Marquez Lugo bounced past McCallum. Despite the victory and a 3-1 trouncing of Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, Mexico trails Costa Rica on goal-difference heading into their own meeting today. In the evening’s first game, the Costa Ricans dominated throughout, exploiting gaping holes in the Caribbean team’s defence. Alvaro Saborio scored on a pass from Jose Villaboon at 29 minutes. Scott struck in the  63rd and 69th minutes — the latter when he was left unguarded in front of the goal and keeper Daurance Williams slipped lunging for his shot. With the Trinidad and Tobago defence crumbling, Winston Parks charged alone down the right side, slipped a couple defenders and drilled a shot past Williams in the 78th minute.

Trinidad and Tobago striker Devon Mitchell was expelled in the  83rd minute following a clash with Warren Granados. Eight under-23 teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean are playing for two places in this year’s Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Hosts Mexico play Costa Rica today for the top spot in Group “B” but both are assured of advancing to meet the top two teams in Group “A” where the United States and Honduras hold the advantage after victories on Tuesday. The United States were scheduled to play last placed Canada and Honduras were to meet Panama last night.

Teams: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO — Daurance Williams, Lyndon Diaz (Anthony Noriega 66th), Ronald Primus, Kenwyne Jones, Nigel Daniel, Silvio Spann, Michael Lee Celestine, Clyde Leon (Kerry Baptiste 54th), Devon Caseman, Devon Mitchell, Scott Sealey (Kendall Davis 61st).
COSTA RICA: Adrian DeLemos, Pablo Salazar, Michael Umana, Jose Villalobos, Junior Diaz, Roy Myrie, Jose Luis Lopez, Pablo Brenes, Warren Granados (Carlos Hernandez 85th), Erick Scott, Alvaro Saborio (Winston Parks 44th).