TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Jamaica slipped closer to elimination from the 2014 World Cup Finals after another shambolic display in a 0-2 loss to Honduras at the Tiburcio Carias Olympic Stadium in Tegucigalpa Tuesday night.

In a game which the Reggae Boyz had to win to keep any realistic hopes of a second appearance in a FIFA World Cup Finals, they went behind through a 10th minute opener from Oscar Garcia, and two minutes from the end sloppy defending gifted striker Roger Rojas the simple task of rounding goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to make the game safe, after the visitors had battled resolutely after the dismissal of central defender Adrian Mariappa in the 76th minute.

The defeat was Jamaica’s fourth in a row and it left the Caribbean island on two points, eight off leaders the United States of America, who slammed Panama 2-0 at the CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. Costa Rica, who held hosts Mexico 0-0 at the Azteca for their fourth goalless result in the round, share second place on eight points, with Honduras next with seven points and Panama in fifth place on six points.

The game, played before a capacity crowd of white and blue clad patriotic spectators was barely five minutes old when Alvas Powell cleared a ball off the goal line from a right-sided corner, as the hosts raided the Jamaica goal.

They found the opening in the 10th minute from another corner from the left which was hit to the back post but headed back into the danger area for Garcia to stab home from close range.

Jamaica countered and from one of their few efforts on goal, striker Ryan Johnson side-footed straight into the waiting arms of goalkeeper and captain Noel Valladores from a Rodolph Austin free kick to the back post.

In one of their worst performances thus far in the final phase of qualification, the Boyz created very little openings and too often they were guilty of sloppy passing which resulted in the team giving away possession cheaply.

At the other end Ricketts was a busy man as he proved hard to beat, going low to save his team on a few occasions. The most spectacular was on 75 minutes when he threw himself to his right to palm away a goal bound header from a corner.

Two minutes later Ricketts picked up a yellow card for protesting Mexican referee Marco Rodriquez’s decision to eject Mariappa on the insistence of assistant referee one Marvin Torrentera, for a lunging challenge for the ball.

The Boyz threw everything in attack, quite literally, but Daniel Gordon’s weak back pass to Ricketts sold the goalkeeper short and Rojas latched on to round the Portland Timber’s shot stopper and make the game safe.

Teams:

Jamaica: (1) Donovan Ricketts (captain), (2) Daniel Gordon, (19) Adrian Mariappa, (3) O’Brian Woodbine, (5) Alvas Powell, (4) Marvin Elliott, (17) Rodolph Austin, (music) Jermaine Johnson (21 Damion Williams 73rd), (15) Je-Vaighn Watson (14 Theo Robinson 60th), (7) Jermaine Beckford), (9) Ryan Johnson (11) Darren Mattocks 60th).

Booked: Woodbine (51st), Jermaine Johnson (53rd), Mariappa (67th, ejected (red) 76th), Ricketts (77th)

Subs not used: (13) Dwayne Miller (GK), (23) Andre Blake (GK), (21)Adrian Reid, (devil) Montrose Phinn, (12) Evan Taylor, (22) Garath McCleary, (10) Keammar Daley, (20) Jermie Lynch, (16) Omar Daley, (18) Jermaine Hue

Honduras: (18) Noel Valladores (captain), (4) Juan Montes, (5) victor Bernardez, (12) Arnold Peralta, (7) Emilio Izaguirre (6 Juan Garcia 87th), (19) Luis Garrido, (15) Roger Espinoza, (music) Wilson Palacios, (14) Oscar Garcia (17) Rony Martinez 29th), (21) Roger Rojas, (10) Mario Martinez (20 Jorge Claros 74th)

Booked: Garrido (31st), Bernardez (44th), Rony Martinez (53rd)

Subs not used: (1) Kevin Hernandez, (22) Donis Escober, (8) Juan Garcia, (3) Bryan Beckles, (2) Jose Velasquez, (23) Orlin Peralta, (9) Marvin Chavez, (11) Jerry Bengston, (16) Andy Najar, (20) Jorge Claros, (17) Rony Martinez, 913) Diego Reyes.

Referee: Marco Rodriquez (Mexico)

Assistant Referee 1: Marvin Torrentera (Mexico)

Assistant Referee 2: Marcus Quintero (Mexico)

Fourth Official: Ricardo Arellano (Mexico)

Points Standings

Teams P W D L GF GA GD PTS HOME AWAY

Utd States 5 3 1 1 6 3 3 10 2-0-0  1-1-1

Costa Rica 5 2 2 1 5 3 2 8 2-0-0  0-2-1

Mexico 6 1 5 0 3 2 1 8 0-4-0  1-1-0

Honduras 5 2 1 2 6 6 0 7 2-1-0  0-0-2

Panama 5 1 3 1 5 5 0 6 1-1-0  0-2-1

Jamaica 6 0 2 4 2 8 -6 2 0-1-3  0-1-1