Match referee Mike Dean (left) shows a red card to Jamaica's Jermaine Johnson (second right) during their international friendly match against Nigeria at the New Den yesterday. At right is Marlon King. Nigeria's Taiye Taiwo was also sent off after both were involved in a fight. - AP photos

LONDON, England:

JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz and Nigeria's Super Eagles were largely competitive and entertaining, but neither team could score a goal in their friendly international at the New Den, Millwall City FC's football stadium, London, England, in biting cold yesterday.

Both teams missed their fair share of chances to score, but the sending off of Jamaican midfielder Jermaine Johnson and Nigerian full back Taiye Taiwo at the 42nd minute, put a little blot on the proceedings.

"I'm disappointed we didn't win the match," noted John Barnes, Jamaica's head coach, in the post-match interview. "We got enough clear chances to win the match."

In the opening minutes Jamaica, who experienced an improved ranking to 64 earlier in the day, were a bit uncertain in possession, but played cautious and stayed behind the ball when defending against a Nigerian team that started the more composed, as they ticked off a number of passes in the areas of the field that weren't dangerous - outside the final third.

Forcing the tempo

During that period, the west Africans, whose ranking slipped from 17th to mid-20s in the day, were forcing the tempo. They whipped in only one cross from the right, that was headed away by the Jamaican defence.

Nearing the 10th minute, Jamaica produced their first serious attack and almost scored on the counter when Demar Phillips curled in a square from wide left. Johnson attacked the ball in a near 50-50 challenge with the Nigerian goalie, resulting in the ball popping free before being cleared by the Nigerian defence.

Dominant role

The Reggae Boyz improved their play thereafter and took on a dominant role with greater possession being won by Rudolph Austin and Jason Morrison and some incisive passing through the centre and along the flanks, as well as the regular use of skill by Johnson and Luton Shelton.

Additionally, they were pressuring the ball with much pace, which the Nigerians found very disconcerting and obtrusive to their slow-passing game and the Boyz started picking off a number of balls to limit their possession.

Besides the skill they displayed on the ball that troubled the Nigerians, the Jamaicans were also moving the ball around nicely. By the 23rd minute, their superior play created a wide open scoring chance, the best of the half, when right-sided player Tyrone Mears whipped in a cross. Shelton skipped over the ball but Marlon King, clearly not his usual sharp self as he has not been playing for some time, mistimed his shot from goalmouth.

They were to get two bites off the cherry, however, as the ball fell kindly for Phillips, who controlled, then let fly a shot that was charged down.

Jamaica continued to maintain control over the proceedings with good ball-movement, some splendid cross field passes from Austin and their general running off the ball, but could not split the Nigerian defence.

The vociferous Nigerian supporters had now grown anxious and began chanting a sound-alike to the peace song - "all we are saying, is give us a goal ..."

Starved of possession

With not much happening for his team and him being starved of possession in the striker's position, the Super Eagles' captain, Nwankwo Kanu, responded by dropping deep in midfield and started building a rhythm by linking up a number of passes. Gradually, as their possession increased, so did their dominance and they were successful at pulling the flank defenders out of position to make room for unchallenged crosses.

They posed an element of danger that demanded hasty and decisive defensive play, of which the Jamaicans - with captain Tyrone Marshall and his tall central partners, Damion Stewart and Claude Davis - delivered most times. But the pressure was constantly recycled as the team did not make great efforts to slow the game, instead, attempting quick counters and immediately transferring possession to supply another wave of attack.

Busy striker

On one occasion, busy striker Odemwingie Osaze put a header from close over the top, but there were no more close chances and Jamaica settled again near the 40th minute.

Close to the end of the half though, from a seemingly harmless situation, there came the incident of players being sent off. The ball went out of play, Johnson picked it up, Nigeria's Taiye Taiwo punched the Jamaican, who responded with a push. Referee Mike Dean summoned his linesman and sent off both players.

"From where I sat I didn't see it," Barnes pointed out. "Johnson said he only pushed him.

"He (Johnson) was doing well ... it was very disappointing to lose him."

Jamaica, who rearranged their defence by pulling out Davis to accommodate a flat back four, looked set to win the game of reduced numbers as the second half kicked off, with Shelton using his blinding pace to twice get away from the Nigerian defence and set up one-on-one chances with goalie Ejide Austine. However, on both occasions he could not control his dribbles and tamely lost the outstanding chances.

The Boyz were more productive in a battle of attrition in the second half and had the best opening, when a cross from late sub Omar Daley was turned out to Wolfe. His low shot was deflected.

Jamaica's head coach John Barnes watching his team during yesterday's match against Nigeria.

Barnes said he was encouraged by the team's adaptability.

"An identity is what I'm trying to create in the team. In terms of when we had to change our shape (from three at centre in the back) to see how the players would cope and adapt to how far they've come, it's very pleasing."