Hard-fought draw

LA CHORREA, Panama – Barbados twice rallied from a one-goal deficit to earn a commendable 2-2 draw with Jamaica in their Group A football match of the 2013 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship at Estadio Agustin Muquita Sanchez on Monday night.
The result kept alive the hopes of both Caribbean teams for a quarter-final berth, with Jamaica finishing the three-team group on two points from two draws. The Barbadians (0-0-1, one point) can book a spot in the knockout round with a victory over host Panama (0-0-1, one point) on Wednesday night. The top two teams in each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
Jamaica opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Raffique Bryan raced into the penalty area, beat two defenders and chipped Barbados’ goalkeeper Keon Harding for a 1-0 lead.
But Barbados equalized in the 17th minute as Shaquille Boyce stormed into the area and hit a 12-yard shot past Nelson to level the score at 1-1.
The young Reggae Boyz regained the lead in the 38th minute after Edward Okey was whistled by referee David Rubalcaba of Cuba for pulling down Michael Seaton in the penalty area.
Junior Flemmings made no mistake with the resulting penalty, firing the ball into the upper right corner past Harding for a 2-1 lead.
But Barbados equalized a second time in the 55th minute when Sebastian Hunte knocked a long-range header onto the crossbar and an unmarked Skakille Belle hit home a rebound. (EZS)