Trinidad and Tobago's Reon Moore has joined the call for local football fans to be their 12th man, as the Angus Eve-coached team prepares to host Guatemala in a crucial Concacaf Nations League Group A game at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday.

“Unbelievable” was the word used by Charlton Athletic midfielder Karoy Anderson to describe his maiden Reggae Boyz call-up for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League fixtures against Grenada and Haiti.

The 19-year-old London-born midfielder, in an interview with JFF Live on YouTube, described the experience of finding out he’d been called up to the squad.

“It’s something I can’t really describe honestly. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and now that I’m here, it’s unbelievable,” Anderson said.

“At first, I couldn’t really believe it because I knew I was in the provisional squad but when I got the news I was just shocked. I was staring for a long time trying to take it all in and I told my mom and she started crying,” he added.

Anderson qualifies to play for the Reggae Boyz through his mother who was born in Clarendon and his grandmother who was born in Trelawny.

“I’m very busy,” was Anderson’s response to what fans can expect from his play style.

“I get around a lot and I like going forward and defending so I just try to do everything,” he said.

Anderson’s club teammate Michael Hector will also make a return to the Reggae Boyz set up after a two-year absence and he says the defender has been instrumental to his development as a player.

“It’s good because when I made the step up I knew he played for Jamaica and that was something that I looked to do so, being able to play with him, also with his experience in club football, is good. He’s a good person to look up to as well,” Anderson said.

Finally, the midfielder had nothing but good things to say about his experience with the squad, so far, as well as their chances in the upcoming games.

“Everyone’s nice. It’s a good energy around so I’m looking forward to getting involved with the games,” he said.

“When you look at the squad we have, we know we’ve got enough quality to win these games so I just want to come in and add to that and see what areas I can help in,” Anderson added.

Jamaica will first take on Grenada on Thursday before facing Haiti on Sunday.

They currently lead their CONCACAF Nations League A group with four points.

Jamaica’s senior Reggae Boyz Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson says qualifying for next year’s Copa America is of utmost significance for the staff to properly polish the team’s playing style, as he again stressed the need for consistent improvement to drive their 2026 FIFA World Cup ambitions.

“I think we can, as a national team, improve a lot of areas. The JFF as well, I think can do a lot more, but we are closer to what the best national teams are doing. Playing style, I think we are getting there slowly, but in order to improve our playing style we have to work with the same players.

“So, I think we have found a core of players that we think we can continue working with and then we can develop a playing style,” Hallgrimsson declared during a press conference at the Jamaica Football Federation’s offices on Friday.  

Hallgrimsson’s sentiments came on Friday as he announced the addition of Charlton Athletic pair Karoy Anderson and Michael Hector to his 23-member Reggae Boyz squad for their upcoming Concacaf Nations League fixtures away to Grenada and Haiti on October 12 and 15, respectively.

London-Born midfielder, Anderson, 19, is a first-time call up, while Hector, 31, returns to the setup after an almost two-year absence.

Both, along with goalkeeper Kemar Foster, Dexter Lembikisa, and West Ham United’s Michail Antonio, replace goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke midfielder Kasey Palmer, forward Dujuan Richards and defenders Amari’i Bell and Ethan Pinnock, who all miss out due to injuries among other reasons.

“We cannot develop a playing style picking 12 new players every camp because then we would have to start over. Being a national team coach, we know that there are two training in a game, so there is not a lot of time to get the team on the pitch. So, in that case, I think we are doing well with the time, but again, if we want to continue to grow it is important to go to finals and go to Copa America and spend a month with the team to grow on and off the pitch,” Hallgrimsson shared.

The 56th-ranked Jamaicans, who bettered Honduras 1-0 and came-from-behind for a 2-2 stalemate with Haiti, both at the National Stadium, currently sit atop Group B in League A on four points, same as second-placed Cuba.

Victories in both games, would guarantee Hallgrimsson’s side a spot in next month’s quarter-final where they would face Canada or Costa Rica, provided Cuba does not surpass them on goal difference, should they too win their two encounters.

If the Boyz were to finish in the runners-up position, they would have United States or Mexico to contend with in their hunt for a Copa America berth. The 48th edition of the quadrennial international men's tournament is scheduled for June 20 to July 14, in the United States and will act as a prelude to the 2026 World Cup, also to be hosted in North America.

“We have a lot to improve on and we know that so now going for these tricky away matches, it's going to be a tough, tough task. To get into the quarterfinal is important for so many reasons because if we win that game, it will secure us to place in the semi-final and hopefully from there we will get to the final and that gives us the right to play Copa America next summer,” the tactician stated.

“So, for many reasons this is important for our team. Number one, to grow to play in tournaments that really will test us to play against the best teams. So, it is an important step for developing a good team to qualify for the World Cup in 2026. We want to put all our emphasis on this camp coming up and go for six points to finish top of the group,” he added.

“We have quite a few versatile players in the squad, and I think that is a benefit to a small nation like Jamaica. So, in our minds I think we have solutions to the problems, and we decided to go for a young player [Anderson] to look at this camp to see how we can manage him within the players group we have,” Hallgrimsson ended.

Squad: Andre Blake, Kemar Foster, Jahmali Waite, Javain Brown, Tayvon Gray, Di’Shon Bernard, Michael Hector, Greg Leigh, Adrian Mariappa, Damion Lowe, Dexter Lembikisa, Bobby Decordova Reid, Daniel Johnson, Joel Latibeaudiere, Kevon Lambert, Karoy Anderson, Demario Phillips, Michail Antonio, Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray, Shamar Nicholson, Romario Williams, Renaldo Cephas

The Charlton Athletic pair Karoy Anderson and Michael Hector have both been included in the Reggae Boyz squad for their upcoming CONCACAF Nations League away fixtures against Grenada and Haiti set for October 12 and 15, respectively.

The squad was announced during a press conference at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters on Friday.

Anderson, a 19-year-old London-born midfielder, got his first call-up while Hector, 31, has earned 35 caps for the Reggae Boyz with his last appearance coming in 2021.

Midfielder Kasey Palmer and defender Amari’i Bell are both missing from the last squad due to injuries while Dujuan Richards, Ethan Pinnock and Coniah Boyce-Clarke also miss out.

Jamaica’s last game against Grenada was a 5-1 Friendly win in 2018. Their last tussle with Haiti saw them erase a 0-2 deficit to pull out a 2-2 draw at the National Stadium last month.

The Reggae Boyz are currently at the top of Group B of League A of the Nations League with four points. The top two teams from that group will advance to the quarterfinals and this will mean the teams are one step closer to qualifying for the Copa America.

Finishing at the top of the group would put the Reggae Boyz up against either Canada or Costa Rica in the quarterfinals in November while finishing second will mean a tie against the USA or Mexico.

The full squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Andre Blake, Kemar Foster, Jahmali Waite

Defenders: Javain Brown, Tayvon Gray, Di’Shon Bernard, Michael Hector, Greg Leigh, Adrian Mariappa, Damion Lowe, Dexter Lembikisa

Midfielders: Bobby Decordova Reid, Daniel Johnson, Joel Latibeaudiere, Kevon Lambert, Karoy Anderson, Demario Phillips

Forwards: Michail Antonio, Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray, Shamar Nicholson, Romario Williams, Renaldo Cephas

Well aware that many football enthusiasts are not fond of his leadership, Trinidad and Tobago’s Head Coach Angus Eve has encouraged the public’s continued support for the players, despite personal feelings of him.

Eve’s side recently secured two crucial victories over Curacao and El Salvador in their Concacaf Nations League campaign, and the strength of those performances has resulted in a climb up the latest FIFA World Rankings.

Trinidad and Tobago, who currently head Group A of League A on six points, jumped back into the top 100 on the world rankings after sometime away.

They will be aiming to make further inroads during the October window when they engage Guatemala and Curacao and Eve believes they deserve every bit of support.

“(The fans) may not come out and support Angus Eve because they may have an issue with Angus Eve, but let's support these players who are trying to do something positive for their country and nation. It's extremely important that people come out and support and understand that this is a new beginning,” Eve said at a media briefing recently.

"The campaign has started like a house on fire. It's a new beginning. There is a lot more work to be done, but we are well-placed and we have a good platform to build on.

"Our country is in a state where we're losing young people every day through violence and gun violence and to see young people do something positive for the country (is great). They go out and give their hearts to their country. It may be a case where we need to come out and support that," he added.

Given their current position, Eve knows that a win against Guatemala at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on October 13, would book Trinidad and Tobago a spot in the Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals where they will meet one of the four seeded Concacaf nations –Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico or the US.

As such, he stressed the significance of the 12th man to give players an extra lift when the time comes.

"Any team at home is dangerous. Some places don't think home advantage means anything, but we need to capitalise on home advantage and we need to capitalise on this start we have gotten. Hopefully, the fans will come out and celebrate these kids and push them forward so they can continue to achieve excellence,” the tactician said.

On that note, the 51-year-old Eve pointed out that though unexpected by many, the start to the Nations League is confirmation that his players are focused.

"We believe in ourselves and we believe that if we go out and do the work we can do, and match these teams' intensity, we can compete at this level,” he reasoned.

"Our first inclination would have been trying to stay in (Nations League) A, just like any team who (has been promoted) to the Premier League. We have to take it one game at a time. If we get a point, we are guaranteed a spot in the Nations League A. If we get three points, then who knows, the sky's the limit for us,” Eve ended.

As members of Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men's team head back to their respective clubs, they do so with the words of captain Aubrey David etched in their minds as they eye a quarter-final berth in the Concacaf Nations League.

David, who was named captain after the sudden retirement of Kevin Molino earlier this month, reminded the Soca Warriors that while they continue to revel in what was a massive achievement taking three points off El Salvador, the job to bring their Copa America vision to fruition is far from finish.

Trinidad and Tobago ended the recent window atop Group A in League A on maximum six points, following a 1-0 win over Curacao and an impressive come-from-behind 3-2 win over El Salvador in hostile territory. Panama (four points), Guatemala (four points) and Martinique (three points) are next, while Curacao and El Salvador are pointless in the six-team group.

Two more positive results against Guatemala and Curacao in October, would secure the twin island republic a top two finish, as well as a spot in the quarterfinals, from where they could secure qualification for next year’s Copa America tournament in the United States.

“All the noise that is going on outside we blocked it out and we believed in each other here. Maybe only us and our families believed in us and we made them proud and we made ourselves proud. It’s a big, big accomplishment and it has been a longtime coming,” David said after the win in Central America.

“Feel good about yourselves yes because it’s a big achievement, but when we go back to our clubs, let us take care of ourselves because we still have more to go,” he added.

David, 32, who plays professionally in Costa Rica and has over 70 international caps, pointed to the significance of not only building on the momentum from this window, but also guarding against complacency, especially with Panama and Guatemala both within striking distance.

"So, whether you are going to an international club or locally, let us take care of ourselves because we still have a good way to go. It is just a small hurdle we crossed (with the win against El Salvador) so feel good about it, but when you go back to your club, keep putting in the work because we have a job to finish,” he said in a heartfelt post-match team talk.

“It is only up from here and what it does is give us that confidence and belief that we belong. Again, I know some of you were getting your foot wet at this level, but you have a good base and experience to build on and when you come here and get this kind of victory, you don’t just go back and stay on the same level, you try to raise your game,” he reasoned.

Faced with the challenge of establishing a winning culture, Reggae Boyz Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson insists that he is trying to do so in ways large and small. Though his plans, where delivering according to expectations are yet to really take flight, the Icelandic coach remains adamant that his brand is becoming increasingly evident on the Boyz since he took the reins late last year.

 For Hallgrimsson, the manner in which the Boyz have started their Concacaf Nations League campaign, is an extension of their Gold Cup semi-final run, and that, he believes represents a step in the right direction.

The 58^th-ranked Boyz currently head Group B on four points in League A competition, as they registered a 1-0 win over Honduras last Friday, followed by a come-from-behind 2-2 stalemate with Haiti at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

“Everybody has their opinion, and I cannot control what people feel about the team. The only thing I can say is that we will continue to work, and we will try to improve. We all see football in a different way, with different eyes how we want football to be played, but we are trying to develop our game and that's the only thing we can do. We will continue to do what we have been trying to do,” Hallgrimsson declared.

Having stressed that his is a culture that is about improvement, Hallgrimsson expressed pleasure with the Boyz display against Haiti when compared to that against Honduras.

In that opener against Honduras, the Boyz looked scrappy when in possession, as their passing and, by extension, movements off the ball was woefully lacking and it took Demarai Gray’s solitary goal to spare their blushes.

While the Boyz looked much better in their attacking transition against Haiti, they were sloppy defensively and that resulted in the opponents taking and early two goal lead courtesy of Don Louicius, who struck in the 12^th and 15^th minutes. However, Hallgrimsson’s side rescued a point through a 51^st-minute own-goal and Bobby Reid’s 81^st minute penalty.

“If we compare these two performances, we did much better this game than against Honduras, so we need to be pleased that we are going at least in the right direction, even though we didn't win today (Tuesday). I thought we had a much better game, even though we won against Honduras,” Hallgrimsson shared during a post-game press conference.

He continued: “If we look at the results, I think it is good that we did not lose this game, and performance wise, I would say, even at two-zero, I felt that we were better team in that moment. So, it (falling behind) was kind of a slap in the face and if we take away those two, three mistakes, we didn't give them chances. I think we played a really a good game.

“But a coach is always most pleased with the character and togetherness that they showed to win this game. They fought until the end, we wanted to win…I think everybody saw that we wanted to win, we pushed for the win. So, I'm mostly pleased with the character in the team, we stood our ground and I like that we played in a high tempo like that as well and we should build on this performance in my opinion.”

That said, Hallgrimsson pointed out that with the core of his team now identified, the expectation is that the Boyz hustle and competitiveness will remain on the upgrade, especially as they hunt qualification for next year’s 48^th edition of the prestigious Copa America to be staged in the United States.

Their next assignments will be away to Grenada on October 12, before visiting Haiti in the Dominican Republic on October 15.

To get to the Copa America, the Jamaicans are required to finish in the top six, as such, they will need to secure one of two spots from their group to progress to quarter-finals.

Should they do so and go on to win their quarter-finals fixture, the Boyz would automatically secure berth to Copa America. However, if not, then they would take the playoff route for a second shot at qualification.

“We're always looking to improve, I said it in the last press conference, we're happy with what we have, but we're always looking out for improvements in every area of our game for players but also how we play, or we work together etc.

“So, we just have to improve how we do things and do as much as we can. We try to analyze the opponent where the weakness is, and I felt we had a chance to punish them better than we did. But the only way you can improve your conversion rate is to train it day after day,” the tactician ended.

Nicaragua continued their decent start in Group B of League B in the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League, with a convincing victory in its home opener, while Dominican Republic were also victorious at home on Monday.

Dominican Republic vs. Montserrat 

Dominican Republic defeated Montserrat 3-0 at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The hosts took the lead in the third minute after midfielder Jean Lopez forced an own goal from defender Abraham Dorsett.

Edarlyn Reyes nearly scored a wondergoal for the home side but was denied by the top post in the fifth in an attempt from just outside the penalty arc. Immediately after, Montserrat goalkeeper Kynami Nelson made a pivotal save to deny Ronaldo Vasquez on the rebound.

Dominican Republic's goalkeeper Xavier Valdez and defender Michael Sambataro were then crucial to halt a potential equalizer in the 19th by impeding forward Lyle Taylor. 

Dorny Romero doubled the lead to 2-0 in the 25th, thanks to a long through pass from Edison Azcona.

Romero nearly collected his second in the 44th minute but couldn’t connect properly on a long cross from Michael Sambataro as Montserrat were spared prior to halftime.

The Dominican Republic began to pull away in the second half as Romero completed his brace on a breakaway in the 64th following a long assist form Jeremy Baez.

The win lifts the Dominican Republic to second in the group and improves the nation’s record to 1-0-1 in the campaign. Montserrat, also with a 1-0-1 record, slipped to third in the group.

Nicaragua vs. Barbados

Nicaragua won 5-1 against Barbados on a rainy night at the National Football Stadium in Managua, Nicaragua.

Ariagner Smith opened the scoring in the 11th minute, with a header at the near post on a corner kick.

Juan Luis Perez sent fans into a roar with a hit from long range in the 40th to extend the lead for the hosts.

A penalty was awarded to Nicaragua right before the half, as Juan Barrera was taken down inside the box. Jaime Moreno converted the spot kick for the three-goal lead.

Jacob Montes continued the offensive production with the fourth goal of the night in the 69th after Smith was blocked on the attempt, but the ball fell to Montes who drove it into the area for a diagonal strike.

Moreno completed his brace in the 75th on a second chance opportunity inside the box. Brathwaite pushed away a whipped in ball from Josue Quijano, but Moreno was there to clean up the play.

Nicaraguan goalkeeper Miguel Rodriguez was sent off in the 85th for a takedown just outside the box. Down to 10 men, and out of substitutions, it was Moreno who donned the goalkeeper jersey for the final stretch.

Thierry Gale of Barbados converted from the ensuing free kick upon the restart in the 89th, as Moreno nearly got a hand for the save.

Nicaragua retains first place in the group and improves to a 2-0-0 mark. Barbados occupies the last spot in the group and will look to improve from a 0-2-0 start during the October FIFA fixtures.

Aruba and St Martin assumed pole position in their respective groups following victories over Cayman Islands and Bonaire respectively, in League C the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League on Monday.

Cayman Islands vs. Aruba

The first match-up of the day saw Aruba come away with a late 2-1 win over the Cayman Islands in Group B at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands.

With the win, Aruba moved to the top the group with three points after one match, while Cayman Islands are third with one point.

Fans could not have asked for a more exciting start with two goals inside the first six minutes of play.

Striking first was Aruba inside the first 90 seconds, as a ball played in from the left wing met the stabbing foot of Rovien Ostiana for a 1-0 lead to the visitors.

The hosts answered right back in the sixth minute, as Christhofer Nunez got loose on the left edge of the area and from the slimmest of angles, fired in a shot that deflected off the leg of Aruba GK Matthew Lentink and into goal to make it 1-1.

Some heroic defending from the Cayman Islands in the 58th with a ball cleared off the goal-line kept the draw intact, but Aruba would land the decisive goal 21 minutes later in the 79th through Darryl Baly, who got low to steer home a header off a corner kick for the 2-1 Aruba victory.

Saint Martin vs. Bonaire

The second game of the day in League C was decided on some late fireworks, with Saint Martin rallying to edge Bonaire 2-1 in Group A action at the SKNFA Technical Centre in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

With the result, Saint Martin now sit firmly atop the group with six points through two matches, while Bonaire are still with no points after one match.

An even first half in which neither side were able to break through gave way to a more open second stanza, but the first goal would not arrive until the 67th.

The man to do it was Sheehander Martinus, who was at the right place at the right time, turning in a rebound after back-to-back shots off a free kick for a 1-0 Bonaire lead.

Saint Martin quickly got back on level terms though, thanks to Axel Raga, who scored his fifth goal of this CNL in the 75th.

Keelan Lebon’s shot from distance took a deflection off a Bonaire defender and fell right to Raga at the far post, making for an easy stroke into net for Raga.

The momentum was now with Saint Martin, and they made the most of it, getting the winning goal in the 87th, after an own goal from Bonaire’s Jurven Koffy when a cross deflected off his leg and into net.

Group A of League A of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League completed its September window on Sunday, with Trinidad and Tobago moving to the top of the group with their second win in two matches.

Martinique vs. Curacao

The day started off with Martinique edging Curacao 1-0 at the Stade Pierre-Aliker in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

An even first half gave way to a second half that started with a bang, as Martinique took a 1-0 lead in the 48’ when Brighton Labeau rose up above a pair of defenders and steered a header into net.

Martinique kept their foot on the gas in search of a second score and were awarded a penalty in the 62’ when Mickael Biron was fouled by Juninho Bacuna in the Curacao area. Biron stepped up to take the spot kick, but was denied on a soaring save from Curacao GK Trevor Doornbusch.

The game loosened up in the 67’ when both teams were reduced to 10 men, as captains Leandro Bacuna of Curacao and Martinique’s Daniel Herelle were sent off with straight red cards.

Minutes later Curacao were on the doorstep for an equalizer when a deflection fell to Kenji Gorre right in front of goal, but Gorre was unable to get a shot on target, with the ball caroming to Jearl Margaritha, who missed the follow-up completely.

Margaritha had one final crack in second half stoppage time, but the block was made from the Martinique defense to secure the three points.

Guatemala vs. Panama

In a duel of teams who left their mark on the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, Guatemala and Panama played to an exciting 1-1 draw at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Gold Cup finalists Panama could not have asked for a better start, as they earned a penalty just over five minutes into the match when Jose Fajardo was taken down from behind in the Guatemalan area. Eric Davis stepped up and calmly stroked home a left-footed attempt into net for a 1-0 Panama lead.

Panama remained on the front foot as played drifted into the second half, but soon enough the Guatemala attack, just like it did in their Gold Cup quarterfinal run, came to life and they got their reward in the 71’ to pull level 1-1.

A foul on the left edge of the box resulted in a free kick, and Oscar Santis duly obliged by steering home a right-footed effort over the Panama wall and into net.

El Salvador vs. Trinidad and Tobago

The day wrapped up with Trinidad and Tobago rallying for a 3-2 victory over El Salvador at the Estadio Jorge Gonzalez in San Salvador.

El Salvador were aggressive from the start and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 17’ when Dustin Corea played in a free kick that Eriq Zavaleta met with a perfectly placed header into net.

Trinidad and Tobago’s response was almost immediate, as Reon Moore played in a cross to Ryan Telfer from the left wing, and the first touch gave Telfer the time and space to fire into the net the 1-1 equalizer in the 22’.

Things were wide open to begin the second stanza and Trinidad and Tobago made the most of it, taking a 2-1 lead in the 51’ through Malcolm Shaw, who converted a penalty after being fouled in the box by Zavaleta.

Right back came El Salvador to pull even 2-2 in the 53’ courtesy of Brayan Gil, whose nodded header off a corner kick deflected right back to him, allowing him to guide a shot into net.

Back and forth the teams went with each looking for a winning score. That precious third goal would fall for the visiting Soca Warriors, as a falling away Justin Garcia managed to pop a header over El Salvador GK Tomas Romero in the 72’ to make it 3-2.

El Salvador pushed hard for a third to get a point, but Trinidad and Tobago GK Denzil Smith was excellent in net and made the saves to lock down the three points.

“A great feeling” is how Reggae Boyz winger Demarai Gray described netting his first goal on Jamaican soil.

The 29-year-old scored his third goal for the Reggae Boyz and his first in Jamaica to help the team secure a 1-0 win over Honduras to kick off their CONCACAF Nations League Group A campaign at the National Stadium on Friday.

After a scrappy and cagey first half, the Al Ettifaq winger latched on to a through ball from Fulham midfielder, Bobby Decordova-Reid, to comfortably slot home Jamaica’s winner in the 64^th minute.

“It was important that we got the three points because that’s all that matters in the end,” Gray told the media after the match.

“It wasn’t the nicest game. Credit to Honduras because they were aggressive and made it difficult for us but in the second half, we came back together and came up with a game plan. You have to be patient in these games and wait for the moment and, luckily, the moment came for me on this occasion. We’ll look back on what we did well and what we did badly and focus on the next game,” he added.

The former Everton man also described the feeling of scoring his first goal in front of the Jamaican crowd.

“Scoring in front of the fans was a great feeling but, most importantly, we take the three points. The fans came out to watch us so we needed to give them something to celebrate and we did that,” he said.

“We have to give thanks for them because without them, we’re half as strong. When we play at home, especially, we have to give our best. Jamaica as a team are going to keep growing,” he added.

Gray will hope to continue his excellent form to start his Reggae Boyz career when the Jamaicans host Haiti at the same venue on Tuesday.

Jamaica...1

Trinidad and Tobago, Panama and Guatemala all emerged with home victories to kick start League A of the 2023-24 Concacaf Nations League on Thursday.

The day started with Trinidad and Tobago edging Curacao 1-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

Curacao created majority of the scoring chances in the first half but overall, the finishing of the two sides was off target, leaving things scoreless going into intermission.

Trinidad and Tobago started to take control in the second half, creeping closer to goal, including a Reon Moore shot that flashed just wide in the 74th minute.

The decisive score came in the 87th and it was from 19-year-old debutante Nathaniel James, who took a nodded down header from Ryan Telfer and cranked a shot into net for his first Soca Warriors goal.

There was still work to do, though, to secure the three points and goalkeeper Denzil Smith made sure of it, making a one-on-one save against Curacao’s Jearl Margaritha in the 90th to nail down the win.

Panama started with a 3-0 win over Martinique at the Estadio Universidad Latina in Penonome.

It was an ideal start for the Canaleros, as Jose Fajardo made it 1-0 in the 9th when he finished off an inch-perfect pass from 2023 Gold Cup Best Player Award winner Adalberto Carrasquilla.

Panama remained on the front foot but would have to wait until the early stages of the second half to extend their advantage to 2-0. Ismael Diaz struck in the 47th thanks to a cross from the right wing from Eduardo Guerrero, allowing Diaz to nod home a header.

Martinique looked to pull a goal back and almost did so in the 86th when a superb backheeled pass set up Mickael Biron with a golden opportunity, but the shot-stopping ability of Panama's goalkeeper Cesar Samudio proved pivotal.

Cecilio Waterman then put the finishing touch on the Panama win with a strike in the final seconds of stoppage time.

Rounding out the day was an all-Central American contest between Guatemala and El Salvador at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where the home side secured a 2-0 triumph.

It was all Guatemala at the start and after Nathaniel Mendez fired over the crossbar in the 7th, Carlos Mejia opened the scoring in the 15th by heading in a chip from Alejandro Galindo, making it 1-0 to Guatemala.

Mendez was then clipped in the El Salvador area in the 28th, leading to a penalty for the hosts, but Rubio Rubin’s effort was swallowed up by El Salvador's custodian Tomas Romero.

The spot kick save sparked the El Salvador attack and they nearly evened things up when Amando Moreno went just wide in 44th with an effort.

Guatemala reasserted their authority to start the second half and Mejia was a whisker away from a second but was unable to connect on a cross with the goal gaping wide open for him.

Guatemala kept pressing and the big insurance goal came in the 78th on a hammered left-footed shot from substitute Pedro Altan, doubling the lead and wrapping up the three points.

Jamaica’s senior Reggae Boyz Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson says his team will not only draw inspiration from senior Reggae Girlz Fifa Women’s World Cup exploits, but more importantly, build on the positives from their own Gold Cup campaign to achieve future success.

Hallgrimsson’s sentiments came as he named a 23-player squad for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League tournament, where they will be hunting qualification for next year’s 48^th edition of the prestigious Copa America to be staged in the United States.

The Boyz, who will contest League A of the Nations League, are grouped with Suriname, Haiti, Honduras, Cuba and Grenada.

They are scheduled to open their account on home soil against Honduras on September 8, before tackling Caribbean rivals Haiti, four days later. Both games are scheduled for the National Stadium.

Following those games, Hallgrimsson’s side will play away to Grenada on October 12, before visiting Haiti on October 15.

To get to the Copa America, the Jamaicans are required to finish in the top six, as such, they will need to secure one of two spots from their group to progress to quarter-finals.

Should they do so and go on to win their quarter-finals fixture, the Boyz would automatically secure berth to Copa America, however, if not, then they would take the playoff route for a second shot at qualification.

With that in mind, Hallgrimsson, alluded to the Reggae Girlz, who became the first male or female team from the Caribbean to contest the knockout rounds at a World Cup since Cuba’s feat in 1938.

On the way to that accomplishment, the Girlz held top-ranked France and Brazil to goalless stalemates and also secured a first ever World Cup win with a 1-0 scoreline over Panama.

“A lot of positivity surrounds Jamaica’s football at the moment, the Girlz performance should give us energy for our games and we should try to use that to our benefit to go forward. But before I go forward, I want to look back at the Gold Cup, we were very satisfied with that tournament and we got even more positivity from analyzing those games,” Hallgrimsson said during a press conference on Friday.

“We feel that we are getting stronger as a unit and as a team. We had some good performances from players, some were new faces at the tournament with very little preparation period prior and we know those players will grow into the team and play an even bigger role than they did in the Gold Cup. So lot of positives, if we talk tactically, we know we can improve in areas like our attacking game, as well how we possess the ball,” he added.

On that note, Hallgrimsson only made four changes from that Gold Cup squad with Jonathan Russell, Kaheem Parris, Javain Brown and Kemar Lawrence being replaced by Tayvon Gray, Kasey Palmer, Greg Leigh and former Arnett Gardens standout Renaldo Cephas.

The American-born Gray, 21, who currently represents New York City FC, won the MLS Cup in 2021 and Campeones Cup in 2022. The right-back also represented the United States in multiple games at the youth level.

Aware that Jamaica contested the Copa America in 2015 and 2016, the Icelandic coach is hoping to also achieve the feat during his tenure, as he believes playing at that level will be integral to their preparations for a shot at making the 2026 World Cup.

“As I said we were very pleased with the Gold Cup so there are not much new faces for this camp. Time spent together is hugely important to us, so again qualifying for the Copa America will help us even more in preparation for the World Cup,” Hallgrimsson declared.

“Firstly, we want to win and be number one in Nations League. That is one thing, it is just an extra spice that doing well in this competition will give us a chance to play in the Copa America, an even bigger competition than the Gold Cup.

“In the process of growing as a unit, it is really important that we qualify for competitions like this to keep the growth going. So, we are just preparing ourselves playing in big tournaments like this,” he reasoned.

Moving up the Fifa rankings is another component of added significance for Hallgrimsson, who again made note of the Reggae Girlz rise from 43rd to 37th, as well as his team’s own move from 66th to 58th.

“Fifa ranking means a lot in national team football today. For example, in the Nations League the top four ranked teams United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama, don’t need to play in the group stage, they automatically qualify for the quarter-finals and that is a huge benefit for them.

“So we want to be in that position to not need to play a whole group stage to be able to play for top four. We want to be top four in the ranking and I would say if we get to 40, it would be a huge success for us,” Hallgrimsson noted.

Squad: Goalkeepers –Andre Blake, Jahmali Waite, Conniah Boyce-Clarke

Defenders –Damion Lowe, Tayvon Gray, Ethan Pinnock, Amari’i Bell, Di’Shon Bernard, Dexter Lembikisa, Adrian Mariappa, Greg Leigh

Midfielders –Kasey Palmer, Joel Latibeaudiere, Daniel Johnson, Kevon Lambert, Bobby Reid

Forwards –Leon Bailey, Michail Antonio, Demarai Gray, Dejuan Richards, Cory Burke, Shamar Nicholson, Renaldo Cephas