Foster debut strike earns Reggae Boys draw

ANTALYA, Turkey, CMC – Maalique Foster scored on debut as Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz came from behind to grab a 2-2 draw with South Korea, in their international friendly at Mardan Sports Complex here yesterday.

With Jamaica down 2-1 heading into the latter stages of the contest, the 21-year-old forward netted in the 72nd minute, to earn the Caribbean side a share of the honours.

Dane Kelly had earlier handed the Jamaicans a 1-0 half-time lead when he scored in the fourth minute of the game.

Reggae Boyz forward, Dane Kelly.

He got on to the end of a long ball out of the back, shook off his marker before burying a left-footed volley into the upper left-hand corner of the nets, from 12 yards out.

Lee Keun-Ho and Kim Shin-Wook then came close to finding the equaliser for South Korea but spurned good chances.

On resumption from the interval, however, Kim Shin-Wook blew the game wide open for South Korea as he scored twice in the space of nine minutes, early in the second stanza.

He grabbed his first in the 53rd minute, producing a superb diving header past goalkeeper Amahl Knight from seven yards out, after right back Choi Chul-Soon sent a searching cross into the box.

In the 63rd minute, Kim Shin-Wook was on target with another header, this time evading defenders Fabian McCarthy and Ladale Richie to nod home Jung Woo-Young’s cross from the right.

Now chasing the game, Jamaica responded nine minutes later when Shaun Francis set Foster free with a through ball, for the Portmore United hitman to drive a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu from just outside the 18-yard box.

Knight was then forced to make a sharp double save late in the contest to keep the scoreline intact.