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• Eyes on the prize: Hallgrimsson, Boyz target winning start against Dom Rep despite 'disappointing' shift in start time

  While disappointed that the adjusted time of their opening Concacaf World Cup qualifying fixture will affect spectator turnout, Reggae Boyz Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson and his team are focused on the task at hand, as they brace for a tough encounter against Dominican Republic.

  Thursday’s second round Group E clash was initially scheduled for a 6:30pm kickoff, however, Concacaf opted to move the game up to 3:30pm to allay concerns about the poor lighting situation at the National Stadium.

  Though an earlier kickoff is likely to result in hot and humid conditions, Hallgrimsson is forecasting a win for his team, as he stressed the importance of starting the campaign on a high, especially with only the top two from the group to progress. British Virgin Islands, Guatemala, and Dominica are the other teams in the group.

  “It (the time) will of course affect how we play, but most of all, it's a shame that people cannot attend the game because people are at work at that time. But the most important thing is to win this game, I think Domincan Republic is the team that everybody should be on the lookout for because they are a tricky team to play so we want to take three points and start this World cup campaign on the front foot,” Hallgrimsson told journalists during a pre-game conference.

  

  Jamaica will be without some of its first choice players for various reasons.

  That said, the Icelandic coach is by no means expecting their Spanish-speaking Caribbean opponents to be pushovers, and is looking forward to a highly competitive and difficult contest.

  “I feel like everybody think it's going to be an easy game for us, but I promise you it's not going to be. It's going to be an equal game because Dom Rep are a tactical and really improving team with really promising young players. They have been recruiting some really good players playing high level in Spain and England, so I am expecting a tough match,” he noted.

  Hallgrimsson will be without a number of his first choice players –Demarai Gray, Amari’i Bell, Joel Latibeaudiere, Ethan Pinnock, Andre Blake and Dujuan Richards –due to injury, while Leon Bailey remains unavailable. However, the tactician is confident that his squad, which includes 17-year-old Adrian Reid Jr, possesses enough quality to get the job done.

  Still, there is no doubt that the weight of the Reggae Boyz attack will rest on West Ham United’s Michail Antonio and Clermont’s Shamar Nicholson, both of whom Hallgrimsson insists will deliver the goods.

  “Both of them have played really well for Jamaica, whether they are playing good for their clubs or not, and especially Shamar. He has really played some fantastic games for Jamaica, even though he's not even playing in his club, and we were really happy to see Michail coming back, progressing and getting sharper every game. So happy to have them both here. It's a good option for us up front, both powerful guys,” Hallgrimsson reasoned.

  

  Michail Antonio expected to lead from the front.

  Where Reid Jr is concerned, Hallgrimsson hinted at the possibility of the teenager getting his first senior international cap, as the Boyz will also be without right-back Dexter Lembikisa and midfielder Kasey Palmer, who will both serve card suspensions for the opening World Cup qualifying contest.

  “I think for the younger players like Adrian, it's an opportunity for him to measure himself. He's a versatile player, he can play right back, and he can play in the middle, so we kind of don't know where he will end up, but it's really nice for me to get to look at him in this camp,” the coach shared. 

  “For other (players), it's an opportunity for them to step up and show what they can do and try to increase the depth in that position. Jamaica doesn't have many players playing at a high level in midfield, we have an abundance of wingers and strikers, but we don't have many, especially defensive midfielders,” he opined.

  Regardless of which 11 players gets the start or whatever position they have to fill, Hallgrimsson declared that the objective remains the same.

  “We're going to start the game on the front foot, try to get some tempo in and truly maximize the qualities we have. So we're thinking about our tactical approach, I won’t say here what we are going to do tactically, but we are going to start on the front foot, and try to put in some pressure right in the beginning,” he ended.

• Kickoff time for Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifier adjusted to 3:30 pm due to lighting issues at Kingston's National Stadium

   

  In a last-minute change, the Reggae Boyz's crucial World Cup qualifier against the Dominican Republic on Thursday, June 6, will now kick off at 3:30 PM instead of the previously scheduled 6:30 PM. This adjustment comes amid ongoing efforts to upgrade the lighting at Jamaica's National Stadium to meet international standards.

  Sports Minister Olivia Grange recently highlighted the installation of new LED lights on Tower Four and additional lamps on the stadium canopy. These enhancements aimed to significantly improve the lighting quality, surpassing the minimum requirement of 1,000 lumens for international matches.

  "The National Stadium lights over time have been less than optimal," Minister Grange stated last week. "Independence Park Limited has installed LED lights on Tower Four and some additional lamps on the canopy, pending further upgrades. This latest shipment of equipment, once installed, will improve the lighting substantially."

  Despite these efforts, Major Desmon Brown, General Manager of Independence Park Limited (IPL), explained the decision to reschedule the match time in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon.

  "Despite efforts by Independence Park Limited (IPL) to bring the lighting levels at the National Stadium up to the standards required by CONCACAF, the World Cup qualifying football match slated for Thursday, June 6, 2024, will kickoff at 3:30 p.m.," Brown stated.

  The decision was influenced by broadcast requirements and was finalized on May 31. IPL had initially been notified by CONCACAF via a letter dated May 9, stating that the lighting levels during the last CONCACAF match on February 22 were below the required 1,000 lumens.

  Consequently, no international night matches would be sanctioned at the National Stadium until the lighting was improved.

  To address this, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport authorized IPL to purchase light fixtures to meet the required standards pending a larger reconstruction project for the National Stadium.

  IPL made swift arrangements, securing and installing lighting locally while awaiting fixtures from China, aiming for an inspection date of June 4. However, despite these proactive steps, the early kick-off time was necessitated to accommodate broadcast needs and ensure compliance with international standards.

  The National Stadium, through a 'grandfather clause', has been allowed to host regional or international events sanctioned by FIFA or World Athletics, despite not meeting the latest standards. This clause allows the stadium to continue operations that were approved before the implementation of new regulations.

  Fans are encouraged to adjust their schedules accordingly to support the Reggae Boyz in this pivotal match, now set for a 3:30 PM start.

   

   

   

• Positive motivation: Busby, Primus take heart from Brazil friendlies as Girlz rekindle competitive fire

  Though Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz were again on the losing end against Brazil, Head coach Hubert Busby says they will use the lessons from the two-match outing as a stepping stone, as they gradually rekindled their competitive fire ahead of major tournaments.

  Much like Saturday’s first encounter, the Girlz were again blanked 4-0, as Jheniffer (64th, 79th), Cristiane (7th), and Marta (84th) did the damage at the Fonte Nova Arena, in Salvador, on Tuesday.  

  Still, the Jamaicans gave Busby his heart’s desire as they produced a much-improved performance at both ends of the park, but they were just not clinical enough to get on the scoresheet. However, to their credit, the Girlz did have a goal controversially ruled out for an offside, while Kayla McKenna slammed another effort into the upright.

  While not happy about the scoreline, Busby lauded his team for the improved showing, which he believes represents a step in the right direction, especially with this being the first competitive tour together for the core players of last year’s World Cup team, in almost nine months.

  “One of the things that we spoke about from the last match was improving our performance and I definitely was pleased with how we came and approached this game. Obviously not the result that we want because we come into every match to win and to get a result. But overall, the challenge was for the team to compete and show a better performance, and they did that,” Busby said.

  

  Hubert Busby

  “It's been an honour for us to be here in front of fantastic and passionate crowds and it's only going to put us in good stead, especially with some of our younger players who have come into a very hostile environment and learned what it's like to play at international level. So overall, you know, the two games aren't the results we want, but as part of the experience, it was exactly what we needed to start a new World Cup cycle,” he added.

  Like Busby, attacking midfielder Atlanta Primus stressed the importance of regaining their competitive spirit and overall cohesiveness as a unit, and she is also of the view that Tuesday’s performance was a strong reminder of their capabilities.

  “Obviously, it was important to come out and put a performance in. We haven't been together for a while, but I think to come and compete against one of the world's best is what we want to put ourselves back out there again. So, I think it was a good challenge for us and I think, moving forwards, these are the games you want to be involved in,” Primus reasoned.

  “These are the games that are going to challenge us the most and set us up for the next World Cup, so, it's a challenge. Again, not the results we wanted, but credit to the girls, we worked hard, we put in a performance and I think today (Tuesday) was a lot better than we played on Saturday. So, yeah, credit to the girls and we keep building from here,” she stated.

  

  Finally, Busby pointed to the strides made in Jamaica’s women’s football programme since they made their first World Cup appearance in France in 2019, as he believes the invitation from Brazil for the two-match friendly series is testament to that growth and development.

  The now 42nd-ranked Girlz first engaged Brazil in 2019 and lost 3-0. However, they rebounded at last year’s global showpiece in Australia to not only hold the number 10-ranked South Americans to a goalless stalemate, but more importantly, made an historic appearance in the knockout round.

  “When you think about where we are coming from 2019 to now, and think about the idea of Brazil inviting us to play in these matches, it's a huge testament to the programme and for us to be playing in these games is great. That wouldn't have happened four years ago, so it's a testament to how far we've come, but I know the group and the federation isn't satisfied just yet because we want to go even further,” Busby declared.

  “It's very important that we play these games and we want to play tier one games and top teams in the top ten and top 20, because that's the only way you're going to grow. You know, you might not get the results you want, but it's always a measuring stick of which to find out where you are and how far you need to go to be the best,” the former national goalkeeper ended.