SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — After such a professionally efficient performance against Mexico in their CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Series opener, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz failed to live up to the high expectation when they were held 1-1 by Panama inside the National Stadium on Friday night.

The plan for the Boyz playing at home was to attack and take more risks as they go in search of maximum points.

They were also expected to connect with more passes. However, on the pitch it was actually the visitors who dictated the flow of the game and displayed more ambition, as the Boyz failed to execute effectively.

The Central Americans were much quicker to the ball, they won almost all second balls, and they were allowed the luxury of playing an extremely easy game away from home.

In the end the Boyz earned a decent result with the point at home, but the fact is they did not maximise on the home field advantage.

GOALKEEPING: Donovan Ricketts was largely untroubled on the day, except for the all important equalising goal on minute 66, when he was left exposed by his defenders and Luis Henriquez punished them with a left-footed drive from just outside the penalty area. He could have been late to effect the save, or it appeared from some angles that might have rolled under his outstretched arms, as he dived to his left — 6.5

DEFENCE: The Boyz, though not as solid as they were against Mexico, were in reasonably good shape in the first half with the exception of just a few lapses when Ricketts had to be extremely sharp to block with his right leg Blas Perez’s close range shot moments after Jamaica had taken the lead, and again shortly before the break when Leonel Parris pierced Jamaica’s left side of defence to serve Perez on a platter. The burly striker spurned the chance from inside the six-yard box.

Nyron Nosworthy was forced off injured approaching the break, and the defensive unit got increasingly ragged. Jermaine Taylor, who started at right back, moved in to join Adrian Mariappa, with Omar Daley, a sparingly used right back, was asked to fill the gap. There was an obvious lack of co-ordination and chemistry, as Panama were able to carve open a few opportunities and looked the more likely to score the winner. Offensively there was not much creativity either — 5.5

MIDFIELD: This is supposed to be the engine of the team, but on Friday it sputtered badly, on both sides of the ball (attack and defence). The only saving grace was that the goal, and thus the point, came from a midfielder. Rodolph Austin, the usually robust player who gives his full hundred, looked sluggish on defence and imprecise in attack. Also, he wasn’t as sharp mentally, as he sold himself far too often, which left the team vulnerable to counter-attacks. Along with goalscorer Marvin Elliott, they often left the heart of the team vacant, which clearly unbalanced the team, and exposed the defence. They were never able to drive the team forward by keeping possession of the ball long enough, and they did not connect with the three attacking midfielders enough to create problems for the Panamanian defence.

Jermaine Johnson, who entered the field for the last 12 minutes, injected new life into the team, with his explosiveness, trickery and directness and offered a glimmer of hope to a flagging team.

Garath McCleary, playing wide right, created a few openings, though not enough, but the team was staved of any opening from the left side occupied by Luton Shelton, while Jobi McAnuff produced bits and pieces to the attack as he floated around — 5.5

FORWARD: Jermaine Beckford looked a quality player who lacked match sharpness. He had a few early openings but was not able to take them due to heavy first touch, while Theo Robinson displayed a willingness, a sharpness and a hunger for getting goals, Sadly, he lacked the support — 5.

OVERALL TEAM SCORE: 5.5