Quick action by police officials helped to avert a crisis during Jamaica’s 2–0 win over Cuba in the World Cup eliminations at the National Stadium on January 16, 1965, after tempers flared late in the second half. A clash in the air between Oscar Black and Cuban defender Valdez escalated into a confrontation, prompting two police superintendents and officials from both teams to rush onto the field and prevent a full-scale melee as players crowded around the incident.

Published Sunday, January 17, 1965

World Cup football elimination

Jamaica make winning debut

— Cuba beaten 2–0

Jamaica recorded a win in their first-ever game in the competition when they scored a 2–0 victory over Cuba at the National Stadium last night.
The game was fast but lacked evidence of much constructive football. In the later stages, the players of both teams seemed to substitute a great deal of rough play for skill.
From the start, Jamaica looked superior. They had the Cubans on the run and made quite a few raids on their goal. One of their raids paid off in the eleventh minute when outside left Asher Welsh beat two defenders and centred to inside right Oscar Black for him to beat the Cuban goalkeeper with a bending shot.
The crowd of about 15,000, headed by the Governor  General, Sir Clifford Campbell, and Lady Campbell, cheered when Jamaica scored but had to change their outlook on the game later in the half. The game got slower and the crowd slow-clapped.
The reaction of the crowd seemed to get the Cubans on the ball and for quite a while they had the local team struggling to keep their forwards from getting a clear shot at goal. Jamaica, too, had their breaks in this snail-paced period, with most of their moves being built up on the left wing.
At half-time, with the score 1–0, the Jamaicans were still in control of the game, although they were not playing a very good brand of football.
In the second half, the local team were on top throughout and only six minutes after the start centre forward Patrick Blair netted from a melee.
Three players were sent off in this half — two Jamaicans and a Cuban. Play deteriorated after Jamaica scored the second goal early in the second half.
Jamaica were having the better of play and should have scored on at least two other occasions, but poor finishing robbed them of any further goals. Seven minutes before the end, Oscar Black, playing at centre left, was butted in the face by the outer right back, Valdez, when both collided going for a ball in the air.
Black struck Valdez in the face and Jamaica left back Frank Brown rushed to help his teammate when the hefty six-foot Valdez advanced threateningly on the smaller player. Two police superintendents and officials of both sides ran onto the field to stop what threatened to become a free-for-all as the players of both teams crowded around the three players.
Referee Bonilla called the players and sent them off the field. Linesmen were Antoine Moscows and Guy Dumeate, both of Haiti.
The Governor-General, Sir Clifford Campbell, presented Life Members of the Jamaica Football Association with life membership certificates during the interval.
Lady Campbell, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Donald Sangster, the Minister of Development and Welfare, the Honourable Edward Seaga, and the Cuban Consul, Mr Alfonso Herrera, were also present at the stadium for the game.
The Netherlands Antilles team is scheduled to arrive on the island tomorrow for their game against Cuba on Wednesday.

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