Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren expressed pleasure with how his team went about business as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in the first match of their two-game friendly series at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Thursday night.
The win, sealed by Sue-Lae McCalla’s decisive 80th-minute strike, marked Jamaica’s first home triumph over their Caribbean rivals since 2014, a feat that McClaren welcomed as he highlighted that the fixtures provide an opportunity to evaluate local-based players.
“I've got to say I've lost my voice shouting over the last two days. It’s been a pleasure to work with them. We’ve given them quite a bit of information, and they took it on board. The first half, they were a little unsure, a little passive rather than aggressive, but in the second half, we made some adjustments and became more proactive,” McClaren said in a post-game interview.
That said, the Englishman praised the impact of his substitutes, who brought fresh energy and helped tilt the game in Jamaica’s favour.
“We talked about people coming on and making a difference, and I think all the changes were excellent. Every one of them impacted the game. The solid foundation we had—especially with the two center-backs and Sue-Lae—was crucial. They dominated, which gave us the platform to play,” McClaren stated.
He acknowledged the importance of giving more local-based players time to integrate into the system, despite the congested Jamaica Premier League (JPL) schedule.
“We would like to have had two days, two weeks ago with them, two days last week, and two days this week. That way, they would get familiar with what international football is all about because it’s a lot to learn in just two days, but their attitude, effort, and work rate got us the win,” McClaren shared.
With the second game of the series scheduled for Sunday at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex, McClaren is already looking ahead as he hinted at possible changes for Sunday’s rematch.
“We’ve got a big squad, and you saw the energy that the substitutes brought. We need that energy again on Sunday, so we’ll reassess and pick a team that can hopefully repeat this result,” he declared.
Meanwhile, for McCalla, getting the all-important goal was a milestone moment in his fourth international appearance.
“My job is to keep on doing what I'm doing, so when the coach calls on me, I just want to be ready, stay fit, and put my best foot forward. So it's a tremendous feeling to get my first goal for the country. It is nothing new for me because in the JPL, I find these goals regularly, so it was just about keeping my composure and finishing for my country,” McCalla noted.