Veteran Jamaica Reggae Boyz defender Adrian Mariappa has branded the team's recent 3-0 loss to Morocco in the Austria Mini Football Tournament, on Wednesday, as a valuable learning experience.
The team that consisted of mostly players based in Jamaica, for the most part, struggled to keep up with their African counterparts who created plenty of opportunities before goals from Ahmad Hammoudan (33), Mohamed Nahiri (74th), and Reda Slim (80th) decided the contest.
With several players making their debut and a few more with just a handful of appearances, Mariappa who has logged 64 caps for Jamaica, insists it’s all just part of the valuable learning process.
“We were disappointed with the result but there were plenty of positives to take out of the game. Playing against good opposition who have been together a long time, we only came together recently…a lot of guys were making debuts, just playing with each other. It was a learning experience,” Mariappa said.
“It was good for the boys to gain experience playing against good sides on decent pitches as well and to able to show what they can bring to the table,” he added.
The Reggae Boyz will next be in action when they play against World Cup hosts Qatar on Friday.
Four new players have been called to Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz 23-player squad for their international friendly against South Korea at the at Hwaseong Sports Complex on September 3 and a ‘practice match on September 6.
Nineteen-year-old forward Kameron Simmonds, 17-year-old goalkeeper Liya Brooks, 28-year-old defender Sioban Wilson and defender Maliah Atkins are the new players that will be vying for spots on Jamaica’s senior women’s team that has already qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
The call-ups add depth to a strong unit, most of which were members of the World Cup qualifying squad, even though there are a few absentees because of injury.
As part of his stated policy, Coach Lorne Donaldson will be using this opportunity and other windows this year to look at other players who were not involved in the recent World Cup qualifiers.
The full squad includes Sydney Schneider, Yazmeen Jamieson, Chantelle Swaby, Allyson Swaby, Vyan Sampson, Chinyelu Asher, Kayla McCoy, Atlanta Primus, Marlo Sweatman, Khadija Shaw, Tierney Wiltshire, Drew Spence, Mireya Grey, Trudi Carter, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiffany Cameron, Shania Hayles, Kameron Simmonds, Liya Brooks, Siobhan Wilson, Giselle Washington and Maliah Atkins.
The squad and the technical staff are scheduled to assemble in Hwaseong on August 30.
Former West Indies Women captain Stafanie Taylor scored an unbeaten 33 to lead the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women to a five-wicket victory over Barbados Royals Women in the 6IXTY Women’s Competition in St Kitts on Wednesday.
Jamaica’s Chris Binnie won a record10th singles title at the Caribbean Senior Squash Championships being held in Jamaica on Tuesday, August 23.
Coming off his recent standout performance against Toronto FC, Reggae Boy and Inter Miami CF defender Damion Lowe has been named to the MLS Team of the Week presented by Audi for Week 26 of the 2022 MLS regular season.
Interim Jamaica Reggae Boyz head coach Merron Gordon insists he was pleased with the team’s performance, in light of limited preparation time, despite a 3-0 loss to Morocco on Tuesday.
Goals from Ahmad Hamoudan (33rd), Mohammed Nahiri (73rd), and Reda Slim (80th) saw the contest, which took place at the Ernst Happel Stadium, end up as a very one-sided one with the African team dominating the majority of the major categories.
Although they struggled to really get forward the mostly local Jamaica contingent at times proved difficult to break down and kept its shape well. For Gordon, those were encouraging signs given the limited time the team had to prepare for the tournament.
“Tactically, in terms of discipline, I think we had it with our compactness. I think they couldn’t really play through our lines most of the time but the longer the game goes is the more you realise the fitness will show,” Gordon said after the match.
“The muscular strength will show also because those guys were very strong, the Moroccans. I think we did well. With the limited time of preparation, I think we really responded well.
The Jamaicans will be back in action on Friday when they face Qatar in their second match.
An understrength Jamaica Reggae Boyz proved to be no match for World Cup-bound Morocco who cruised to a 3-0 win in the Austria Mini Football Tournament at the Ernst Happel Stadium on Tuesday.
Although the Jamaicans put together periods of enterprising play, it was the Moroccans who the more dominant from the outset and looked more likely to take the lead.
Ahmad Hamoudan ensured that they did take advantage of their early domination, in the 33rd minute, slotting the ball past Jamaica custodian Amal Knight at the far post.
Despite creating few chances, the Jamaicans continued to remain defensively resolute but were undone by another defensive error in the 73rd minute. Experienced defender Jason Mariappa was forced to bring down a surging Ahmad Hamoudan in the penalty area. Mohammed Nahiri slotted the resulting spot kick past Knight to double the lead.
Morocco continued to press to increase the lead and finally did so when Reda Slim was picked out at the post from a deft cross and headed the ball into the back of the net in the 80th minute.
The Jamaicans will next be in action against World Cup hosts Qatar on Friday at 10:00 am.
The legal team for the crew and owners of the Harbour Master party boat have been blocked from pursuing private criminal action against Grenadian national athlete Anderson Peters.
This comes after Grenadian Director of Public of Prosecutions Christopher Nelson used his “constitutional powers” to discontinue private action.
Last Friday, attorney Cajeton Hood, who represents the crew and owners of the vessel, signaled his intention to bring private criminal charges against Peters.
Hood told Grenadian journalists on Friday that he was awaiting a signature from Grenada’s Chief Magistrate, Teddy St Louis, to proceed with the lawsuit. He was seeking to prosecute Peters for harm, assault, obscene language, abusive language and insulting language.
When Hood first announced his intention, DPP Nelson said the allegations against Peters had issues of credibility and reliability.
However, the matter could still proceed if it is appealed in the High Court. Contacted for comment yesterday, Hood told Trinidad & Tobago Guardian Media he was awaiting instructions from his clients on whether to file an appeal.
The charges stemmed from a brawl on the Harbour Master on August 10. Following the brawl, four crew members were slapped with two charges of assault against Peters and brother, Kiddon.
In the days after the brawl, the vessel was also “arrested” after Peters’ legal team filed a civil action against its owners. The vessel cannot be brought back to Trinidad until it is released by a Grenadian court.
Riqui Puig says Barcelona "hurt" him by making him train alone ahead of his transfer to Los Angeles Galaxy and criticised their approach of putting pressure on players to leave.
The 23-year-old midfielder made something of a surprise switch to Major League Soccer this month after being deemed surplus to requirements at Camp Nou.
Puig made his Galaxy debut as a substitute on Friday in a 3-3 draw with Seattle Sounders following his arrival on a three-and-a-half year deal.
While Barca spent their pre-season in the United States, the former Spain youth international was left back at home with other players they were looking to move on.
Puig felt he deserved to be treated with more respect.
"It was a tough month because I had never seen that before, leaving players behind in Barcelona and going on a tour without them," he stated.
"Perhaps I understand the club's position, they want to put pressure on players to leave, but there are other ways to do it.
"It was really difficult being in Barcelona, training alone, with four other team-mates who were also there with me.
"After seven years at the club, being in Barcelona when all my team-mates are in Los Angeles playing matches, well, the truth is that it hurt me a lot.
"It's a difficult situation and sometimes you have to make decisions and they have made this decision but I don't agree with it."
Jamaica secured 24 medals to lead all Caribbean nations at the 2022 NACAC Open Championships which concluded on Sunday in Freeport, Bahamas.
Entering Sunday’s final day with 12 medals, the Jamaicans doubled their tally to finish second overall on the medal table, trailing the USA who finished with 69.
Those 24 medals were split into six golds, nine silvers and nine bronzes. Cuba was the next best placed Caribbean country with six medals including two golds, one silver and three bronzes.
Jamaica’s final day was highlighted by Andrew Hudson’s personal best 19.87 to win the 200m.
Hosts The Bahamas was next with one gold, two silvers and four bronzes for seven medals overall. That gold medal came from hometown hero Shaunae Miller-Uibo who ran 49.40 to win the 400m.
Also registering gold medals were The British Virgin Islands through Kyron McMaster’s brilliant season’s best 47.34 in the 400m hurdles and Dominica through Thea LaFond's 14.49m in the triple jump.
Trinidad & Tobago got silvers in the men’s 4x100m and men’s javelin through Keshorn Walcott
Bermuda (one silver), St Vincent & The Grenadines (one silver), Barbados (one silver), Antigua & Barbuda (one bronze) and Puerto Rico (one bronze) also registered medals.
West Indies white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran said his bowlers’ struggles with the wet ball contributed to the team’s five-wicket loss to New Zealand in the third and final ODI match at the Kensington Oval on Sunday night.
The loss, with 17 balls to spare meant New Zealand won the three-match series 2-1.
Playing before their home crowd, Kyle Mayers scored 105 and Shai Hope, 51, to set the base for the West Indies’ challenging total of 301-8.
Both featured in an opening stand of 173 before Trent Boult dismissed Hope in the 35th over. Two balls later Lockie Ferguson removed Mayers at the same score and triggered a slide as the West Indies slipped to 191-4 in the 39th over.
Pooran then came to the rescue smashing nine sixes and four fours in a 55-ball 91 that took the West Indies within sight of 300 by the time he was dismissed by Boult in the 49th over.
Alzarri Joseph clubbed 20 from just six balls as the West Indies innings closed on 301-8.
Boult finished with 3-53 while Mitchell Sandter took 2-38. Ferguson was the most expensive of the bowlers with 1-80 from his 10 overs.
Needing 302 for victory, Martin Guptill (54), Devon Conway (56), Tom Latham (69) and Daryl Mitchell (63) combined to take the tourists within sight of victory.
James Neesham then took them over the line with 17 balls to spare with a quick-fire 34 from 11 balls to seal the match and the series.
Jason Holder was the best of the West Indies bowlers with 2-37. Yannic Corriah returned figures of 2-77.
Pooran, who dropped Mitchell on 23 off Corriah’s bowling rued the team’s failure to secure victory.
“Tough one. 300-plus on that wicket felt good. One or two wickets more in the Powerplay would have helped but they played well,” he said.
“When it (the ball) got wet, we saw how tough it got.”
He also addressed the West Indies' slow start to their innings wherein they scored only 24 runs from the first 10 overs.
“In hindsight, everyone will talk about starting slow,” Pooran said. “But we had discussed not giving away wickets to Boult and Southee and capitalize.
“But they are a top team. I do believe we have a special bunch of guys and have no doubt we will get better with experience. It was difficult with the ball once it got wet. We let go of the chance of winning the second and this happened. We won the first, lost the second and we came here, committed and fought. We will learn and have better ways.”
West Indies have been fined and hit with a World Cup Super League points deduction for maintaining a slow over-rate in Sunday's third ODI defeat to New Zealand, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced.
Nicholas Pooran's side fell to a 2-1 series defeat on home soil with a narrow six-run loss in Sunday's decisive third meeting, as Kyle Mayer hit 105 – the second highest ODI score of his career – in vain.
West Indies will also be deducted two points from their Super League tally after being adjudged to have fallen two overs short of the target by the on-field umpires.
An ICC statement read: "West Indies have been fined 40 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against New Zealand in the third and final ODI in Barbados on Sunday.
"In accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
"In addition, as per Article 16.12.2 of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League Playing Conditions, a side is penalized one point for each over short. Consequently, West Indies will lose two points from their points tally during the Super League.
"Pooran pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing."
West Indies are currently seventh in the Super League standings, having posted just nine wins from their 24 games after New Zealand recorded successive wins over Pooran's side.
A first-half brace from Nashville striker Hany Mukhtar propelled his side to a 4-0 home win against FC Dallas in a Western Conference showdown on Sunday.
Less than five minutes into the action, Mukhtar received a pass on the right-hand side of the penalty box and seemingly dribbled himself into too tight of an angle to shoot – but he did just that, rocketing one into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.
Mukhtar then turned distributor for Nashville's second goal, playing with his back to the goal and laying one off for debutant Jacob Shaffelburg in the 22nd minute to make a productive start with his new side after arriving from Montreal.
The incredible first half for Mukhtar was capped off with a picture-perfect free kick from the top of the box, expertly curling his shot over the wall into the top-right corner to make it 3-0.
Centre-back David Romney completed the rout with a header from a corner in the 72nd minute, handing the Western Conference's third-placed team a resounding defeat, with no shots on target. With the win, Nashville moved up to sixth.
Earlier in the day, New York City were efficient in front of goal in their 2-0 away win against the Chicago Fire, netting an early goal in each half to take the Soldier Field crowd out of the contest.
Chicago finished with more possession (58 per cent) more shots (10 to eight) and more expected goals (1.09 to 0.82), but none of their 10 shots forced a save from Sean Johnson in the New York goals.
Gabriel Pereira broke the deadlock in the 16th minute after getting on the end of a move authored by Santiago Rodriguez, and Rodriguez was the beneficiary of Pereira's strong pressing work to begin the second half, scooping up a loose ball deep in Chicago's defense and slotting it.
Two goals from William Agada led the way in Sporting Kansas City's 4-1 home win against the Portland Timbers, with two assists from 36-year-old American Graham Zusi coming in the first half.
The Western Conference's bottom team, Kansas City still have the worst goal-difference with 30 scored and 49 against.
In Charlotte, an 89th-minute winner from substitute Tesho Akindele lifted Orlando City to a 2-1 away win. Charlotte could have jumped into the Eastern Conference playoff picture with a victory, but still sit three points behind the Columbus Crew.
Columbus could have added to that buffer when they hosted Atlanta United, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw against the 13th-placed strugglers.
After a first-half goal from Atlanta's Santiago Sosa, a quick-fire Cucho double saw Columbus equalise in the 66th minute and take the lead in the 72nd, before Juan Jose Purata finished the scoring for the visitors five minutes later.
Dominica’s Thea LaFond is the 2022 women’s triple jump champion after she jumped 14.49m on her final jump to win the event on the final day of the NACAC Senior Championships in The Bahamas on Sunday.
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