Boyz hunt positive result against Venezuela to end Copa America on high

By June 30, 2024
HALLGRIMSSON...we go into this match wanting to win for a lot of reasons that are important for us to get a win. HALLGRIMSSON...we go into this match wanting to win for a lot of reasons that are important for us to get a win. file

With no shot at progressing beyond the group stages, Jamaica’ senior Reggae Boyz will at least be hoping to salvage some pride from their final Group B contest to possibly end another failed Copa America campaign on a high in Austin, Texas.

Kickoff is 7:00pm Jamaica time.

The Boyz, who lost 0-1 to Mexico and 1-3 to Ecuador, will now have group leaders Venezuela to contend with, which means their task of securing an historic point or win at the prestigious CONMEBOL tournament that much more difficult.

However, the feat is by no means beyond the Jamaicans, and with Michail Antonio already accounting for their maiden goal at the tournament, it should lift their confidence significantly.

In fact, if the head-to-head statistics is anything to go by, then it puts the Boyz in good stead, as Jamaica has won two of six meetings with their South American counterpart, with one ending in a stalemate. This will be their second meeting in the Copa America, with the first being in the Centenario 2016 (USA), where Venezuela registered a 1-0 win.

Knowing very well that his team can compete at this level, Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson pointed out that the aim is for nothing less than a win. But, to achieve the feat, they will require a more compact display in the midfield, fluent passing, and certainly more creativity in the attacking third.

“We are going for for the win in this game,” Hallgrimsson declared in a pre-game press conference.

“Of course, we hoped and wished that we were in a different position than where we are, but it is what it is. There is good morale and the players are happy and together, and I give them a lot of credit for the atmosphere still in the camp. So we go into this match wanting to win for a lot of reasons that are important for us to get a win,” he added.

The Boyz are rooted at the foot of the standing without a point, with Venezuela on maximum six points from two games, while Ecuador and Mexico, on three points each, will do battle for the second spot to the quarter-finals.

Despite Venezuela’s current vein of form, Hallgrimsson believes they are by no means infallible.

“Well, they are the surprise package of the tournament, I would say. We have analysed them before and we knew they are a hard-working, honest team with great individuals. But, how they have performed, especially with the confidence they have displayed now, is impressive to see,” he said of the opponents.

“For the players, it is just margins that we can control that made it that we don’t have a point today. We go into this match knowing that we can get a win for sure, but there is balance,” he noted.

Still, the Icelandic coach pointed out that regardless of the outcome, the Boyz have shown glimpses of their potential to prove formidable at the highest level. This he believes is a significant positive, especially as they target a successful World Cup qualifying campaign.

“No matter what the result will be, I think this is a really important tournament for Jamaica in working towards qualifying for the World Cup 2026, and probably the closest thing to the World Cup that we can participate in,” the tactician reasoned.

“There has been a lot of questions about whether we are good enough to qualify for the World Cup. With how we’ve played Mexico and how we’ve played Ecuador, who played in Qatar World Cup, we’ve matched them in some areas. So, if anyone were to doubt if Jamaica can qualify for the World Cup 2026, I hope that some doubts are gone,” Hallgrimsson stated.

Sherdon Cowan

Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.

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