Mexico tops Jamaica 4-0 to advance

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Feb. 4, 2004) (AP) _ Mexico charged into the semifinal round of Olympic qualifying on Wednesday, obliterating Caribbean hopes of reaching Athens.

Mexico pounded a short-handed Jamaica 4-0 before a drum-beating crowd of 20,000 at Jalisco Stadium.

Jamaica never recovered from an initial blow. Team captain Shavar Thomas was expelled only three minutes into the game for a tackle of Mexico's Luis Ernesto Perez. Diego Martinez punched home the penalty kick for Mexico's first score.

"We were hard done and it changed the situation on the field,'' said Jamaican coach Peter Cargill.

Luis Ernesto Perez bounced a ball past a confused Jamaican defense at 17 minutes and Juan Pablo Garcia struck seven minutes later, charging up the middle and taking a pass from Perez.

Jamaican goalkeeper Richard McCallum was forced into repeated dramatic saves to keep Mexico from running up the score. Mexican attackers helped by missing several open shots. At 78 minutes, a shot bounced off the right upright and into McCallum's hands.

Mexico added a final goal in extra time when a header by Rafael Marquez Lugo bounced past McCallum.

Despite the victory and a 3-1 trouncing of Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, Mexico trails Costa Rica on goal difference heading into their own meeting on Friday.

Eight under-23 teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean are fighting for two berths in the Summer Olympics in Athens.

Mexico plays Costa Rica on Friday for the top of Group B, but both will advance to meet the top two teams in Group A, where the United States and Honduras have the advantage due to victories on Tuesday.

The United States overcame a strong challenge from Panama to win 4-3 with two goals by Bobby Convey and solo shots by Landon Donovan and Brad Davis. Honduras topped Canada 1-0.

The United States meets Canada and Honduras plays Panama on Thursday.

MEXICO: Jose de Jesus Corona, Mario Perez, Aaron Galindo, Ismael Rodriguez, Diego Martinez, Francisco Martinez, Gerardo Espinoza, Luis Ernesto Perez, Sergio Amaury Ponce (Ismael Iniguez 45, Juan Carlos Cacho 65), Juan Pablo Garcia (Luis Alonso Sandoval 45), Rafael Marquez Lugo.

JAMAICA: Richard McCallum, Shavar Thomas, Tyrone Sawyers, Bradley Thomas, Christopher Harvey, Garfield Reid, Demar Phillips, Damion Williams, Simeon Howell (Keith Kelly), Omar Daley, Nicholas Adderly (Christopher Nicholas 45).