Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz, led by a double from its Bolton Wanderers captain Ricardo 'Bibi' Gardner, returned to take charge of affairs at the 'Office', cruising their way to a 3-0 win over El Salvador in a friendly international at the National Stadium last night.

Following an industrious start to the encounter, it was nothing short of a spectacular effort by Portmore United's Rudolf Austin, which put the Jamaicans in the lead at the 24th minute. Battling to gain possession in the middle of the pitch, Austin blasted a ferocious shot to goal from at least 35 yards, which curled over the outstretched body of a well-beaten El Salvador custodian, Miguel Moreno, and into the roof of the net.

In front of at least 20,000 spectators on hand to watch the match, Jamaica's captain Ricardo Gardner gave the fans even more to cheer about when he snuck in to beat Moreno from no more than eight yards away to put the team two goals ahead in the 37th minute. This after a mazy dribble from Luton Shelton.

Gardner profited from the work of striker Luton Shelton, who wove his way in and out at least three Salvadoreans before the ball bobbled to a grateful Gardner who lurked in front of goal.

Third goal

El Salvador were reduced to 10 early in the second half and as the Jamaicans teased and prodded the shortened team with possession, Gardner, finding himself free at the top of the 18-yard area, looked up to effortlessly roll wide of keeper Moreno off the far post and into the back of the net for a 3-0 advantage 10 minutes from time.

With the exception of a few sloppy passes, the Boyz, coached in the interim by former national captain Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, looked an impressive outfit and could have taken the lead as early as the 10th minute, when midfielder Jamal Campbell-Ryce drifted in from the right flank and blasted to goal. However, his effort was beaten away at the near post by Moreno.

Ronaldo Florez could have pulled one back for an El Salvador team which struggled to get forward. However, the midfielder trod on the ball after receiving a pass from Alfredo Pacheco no more than six yards away from goal.

Things would get even worse for the Central Americans when Pacheco was given marching orders for throwing an elbow which struck Austin in the face in the 51st minute.

The win was the first for the Jamaicans since their 2-1 win over Malaysia, when a 22-man local squad, then under the tutelage of Serbian coach Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic, made a miserable four-game tour of Asia, where they lost three matches.

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