BOYZ THROUGH TO FINAL ROUND  - DIGICEL CUP

Cayenne, French Guiana - On a soggy Cayenne Football Stadium pitch caused by three days of heavy rains here, the Reggae Boyz were able to preserve their five-goal cushion against French Guiana when both teams played to a generally unattractive 0-0 draw, in their third-round return leg of the Digicel Caribbean Cup.

The Boyz wrapped up the tie in the home leg in Kingston a week ago with an emphatic 5-0 win and will now advance to the final playoffs set for Barbados next month. In the four-team tournament Jamaica will face hosts Barbados, Cuba or Martinique and Trinidad and Tobago or St Vincent.

The three top teams from the Barbados championship will gain automatic qualification to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, set for later this year.

Although yesterday's match, which was played before about 500 spectators, was not an exciting affair due to the soggy pitch, Jamaica's head coach Wendell Downswell believed the experience was great for the young players in the group.

'Despite the conditions I believe it was a tremendous experience especially for the young players ... overall the experience was good,' he said.

Downswell said the focus will now shift to getting the team in tip-top shape for the final round of the tournament which will certainly provide tougher opposition than the Boyz have met so far in the campaign.

'Now we have to look to intensify preparation for the Barbados leg of

the competition and we would want to get at least two international games before we go there. There is a strong possibility that we may play Trinidad about the second of next month and there is also a FIFA date on the ninth and we are also looking at that,' Downswell said.

French Guiana's team manager Alain Migdt had high praise for his team's positive play against the Jamaicans but rued their continued poor form in front of goal. French Guiana appeared more enterprising for the most part.

In the sixth minute they set up their first real scoring opportunity when Daniel Pulval dispossessed Andy Williams in a dangerous position, but luckily for Jamaica, the midfielder's final shot was a poor one.

Just before that, though, midfielder Khari Stephenson, who was arguably Jamaica's best player on the night, tested Jair Karam with a powerfully driven 25-yard free kick, which was too hot for the goalie to handle, but an onrushing Damani Ralph could not guide the spilled ball home.

In the 35th, French Guiana threatened again with an auspicious build-up

involving David Martinon and the slippery Hans Cosset, but the latter could not keep his 18-yard effort on target.

Playing a mature and composed game especially in defence, Jamaica were in no hurry really to go forward and score but concentrated more on keeping possession and looking for openings. Opportunities presented themselves on numerous occasions, but the Boyz were just out for an evening stroll and did not overextend themselves.

Jamaica - Shawn Sawyers, Damion Stewart, Jermaine Taylor, Tyrone Sawyers, Fabian Davis, Robert Scarlett (Garfield Reid 66th), Khari Stephenson, Andy Williams, Jermaine Hue (Keith Kelly 75th), Luton Shelton (Teofore Bennett 62nd) and Damani Ralph.

Booked: Stewart (31st) and Taylor (86th)

Subs not used: L Murray, M Harrison, D Breakenridge,

French Guyana - Jair, Karam, Karl Boecasse (Jean Naiama 78th), Aime Golitin, St Ange Golitin, Laurent Ringuet, David Martinon (Sylvester Laguerre 72nd) , Albert Ajaisso, Freddy Fraumar, Humphery Simiesong, Hans Cosset and Daniel Pulval (Oliver Golitin 53rd).

Subs not used: J Koniki, J Metella
Referee: Francis Flavius (St Lucia)
Assistants: Jean-Francis Alain and Alexandre Paliuc (French Guiana)
Fourth Official: Letand Frederich (French Guiana)
BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Observer staff reporter

Earl Bailey