2 months ago
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FOLLOWING HIS team’s tightly contested 3-2 win over Trinidad and Tobago yesterday in the Unity Cup, Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren applauded his charges’ resilience following what he described as a tough preparation.
Jamaica clipped Trinidad to advance to the final of the Unity Cup, thanks to goals from Kasey Palmer, debutant Rumarn Burrell, and a late penalty from Richard King.
McClaren explained that the team has only one day of preparation heading into the match, which he felt added to the game’s difficulty against the traditional Caribbean rivals.
“I think it was always going to be a difficult game for the full 90 minutes, because one day’s preparation was not ideal,” he said after the game.
“We had people flying over jet-lagged. Most of the players had not been playing for three weeks, so they have done remarkably well to come away with the victory.”
He continued, “I think it was important for us to win. It must have been, for the neutrals, a great game, because it was end-to-end with chances and great football as well.”
McClaren explained that an added complication was the fact the team was without their full complement of players.
The national team is currently without three of the 23 players selected for the Unity Cup, with Warner Brown, Dwayne Atkinson, and Javon East yet to arrive at camp.
McClaren said their absence was felt, especially in the latter stages of the second half.
“It’s been a difficult two days and a lot of details and information put into the players. Our squad was 17 outfield players and three goalkeepers, so we’re still three short and I think that showed as the game went further on,” he explained.
“We hope to get a couple who might come out to give us reinforcements for Saturday, with Warner Brown being one of them. That will be a nice asset for us, so hopefully we’ll recover. We have a couple days to prepare and be in a better shape for a tough game on Saturday.”
Jamaica had controlled much of the first half of the contest and went into the half-time break with a one-goal lead through Palmer’s opening goal.
McClaren was left impressed with the opening 45 minutes of the game but felt the team could have scored more goals, based on the chances they had created.
The second half, however, saw the team conceding two goals and only snatching the win in the dying moments through a late penalty from King.
The Reggae Boyz boss sought to reflect on the positives of the second half, applauding the team’s response in crucial moments of the contest.
“Delighted with the first half. I thought we were excellent and really should have had a few more than the one we got. We got the second and relaxed a little bit and then we were planning for penalties and, thank God, we got that penalty,” he said.
“I think the key was the reaction after 2-2. We were a little bit stunned because we didn’t see it coming. But the reaction from the team was excellent. They never panicked and never lost their focus, and they carried on playing. So I was really pleased in that respect.”
Jamaica’s next match will be in the final of the Unity Cup where they will face the winner of today’s fixture between Nigeria and Ghana.
The final will then be played on Saturday at the Gtech Community Stadium.
English (US) ·