Three years and two months later, Catalonia returned to celebrate goals, many, and a victory on a soccer field. He has not forgotten to play for the national team during a break forced by the pandemic. You could almost say that he was more eager than ever. In Girona, the quatribarrada delighted the spectators by endorsing a blank set against Jamaica. A 6-0 that says it all about what happened on the pitch, where there was only one team both in the first half and in the second half.
Catalonia plays little but when it comes to it, it measures up. She has plenty of talent, unlike Jamaica, which is still not close to the level that led her to play in her only World Cup in 1998. She never jeopardized the Catalan victory and even less so after Deulofeu opened the scoring in the 6th minute after a misunderstanding between central defender Talbott and his goalkeeper Barnes, a substitute for Aldershot Towb of the English fifth division. The winger dribbled past the goal and scored at an empty goal.
The striker from Riudarenes, who has scored 13 goals this season at Udinese, led the attack with a hat-trick… in the first half. Aleñá and Riqui Puig, with their passes, made the striker's job easier. Just like Tello, he kicked a free kick and put the ball on the head of Marc Bartra, who acted as captain and celebrated with the 0-3.
Another May 25, exactly in 2004, Catalonia also played a game with the League finished. It was the centenary of the selection. It was at a packed Nou Camp with 83,357 spectators. And the rival was Brazil. Yes, a Brazil with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Juninho, Roberto Carlos or Adriano, who won 2-5.
Gerard, today the coach, played that game and scored 1-4. That same year, at Christmas time, the Catalan played again, then against Argentina. In seven months the two South American giants as rivals. Almost nothing. Impossible to compare with today.
This time there were 6,124 passionate fans who were in Montilivi, venue of the last three friendlies. And that Gerard López's starting eleven was of many carats with eight First Division players (two from Barça, one from Espanyol and three from Betis) and important footballers from the Premier (Cucurella and Oriol Romeu) and one outstanding from Serie A (the aforementioned Deulofeu).
Despite the 0-4, Catalunya did not lower the piston in the second part, since the spare parts worked. Jutglà, always wise, made the fifth to a pass from Collado and Puado, who already scored in Catalunya-Venezuela in 2019, converted a penalty that he himself forced. And there weren't seven because the post avoided another goal from Jutglà. It had been 67 years, since 1955, that Catalonia had not scored six goals.
Catalonia: Edgar Badia; Mingueza, Bartra, Sergi Gómez, Álex Moreno; Aleñá, Oriol Romeu, Riqui Puig; Tello, Deulofeu and Cucurella. Also played: Dani Cárdenas, Pere Milla, Puado, Brian Oliván, Alcaraz, Edgar González, Rubén Sánchez, Gumbau, Álex Collado, Salva Ferrer, Arnau Martínez and Ferran Jutglà.
Jamaica: Dillon Barnes; Tarick Ximines, Ajeanie Talbott, Jamoi Topey, Joel Latibeaudiere; Ramone Howell, Jordan Cousins, Richard Thomas; Omari Hutchinson, Johnson Clarke-Harris, Junior Flemmings. Also playing: Corey Addai, Kenroy Campbell, Oquassa Chong, Nico Brett, Blair Turgott, Kameron Lacey, Tyreek Magee and Kaheem Parris.
Goals: 1-0, min. 3: Deulofeu. 2-0, min. 28: Gerard Deulofeu. 3-0, min. 34: Marc Bartra. 4-0, min. 44: Gerard Deulofeu. 5-0, min. 73: Ferran Jutglà. 6-0, min. 88: Javi Puado.
Referee: García Verdura (Catalan committee).
Incidents: Friendly match, played at the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi before 6,124 fans.
