Steve McClaren is savouring his first victory since taking the reins as Jamaica’s senior Reggae Boyz head coach after they secured a 2-1 win over Honduras in hostile territory, a scoreline that kept their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal hopes alive.

The hard-fought League A battle in Tegucigalpa on Tuesday saw McClaren's men step up under immense pressure, especially following their opening draw against Cuba, which meant they had to rebound to improve their chances of finishing in the top two.

A 49th-minute own goal by Denil Maldonado and Michail Antonio’s 76th-minute penalty got the job done for the Boyz, who moved to the top of the Group B standings on four points, the same as Nicaragua, who were held to a 1-1 stalemate by Cuba. Honduras, who had their goal from David Ruiz in the 50th minute, were relegated to third on three points, with Cuba (two points), French Guiana (one point), and Trinidad and Tobago (one point) rounding out the group.

McClaren, who took charge of the team ahead of the tournament, credited the victory to the team’s blend of youth and experience.

“We had Premier League players out there, Ethan Pinnock, Antonio, and others, but we also had some new players coming on. We gave an opportunity to Norman Campbell, and yeah, he persisted and got us the first goal, then introduced Kaheim Dixon. So we had on the field a really nice blend of personalities of the older guys, looking after the younger guys,” McClaren said in a post-match press conference.

“At the end of the day, football is about what you do in one box and what you do in the other. A lot goes on in the middle, where we can have an influence, but we in our box defended for our lives, and we were very clinical in their box with our opportunities, and that was good,” he added. 

The atmosphere in Honduras was fierce, with the home crowd making their presence felt. Yet, the Reggae Boyz displayed resilience, overcoming the intimidating environment, as they applied pressure in patches and unlocked Honduras’ defence on a number of occasions.

McClaren highlighted the significance of the win, as he again stressed that the draw against Cuba only intensified the pressure going into the match.

“I think after the Cuba result, in which we played so well and played for more, but couldn't score goals, added the pressure for us coming here. I think we had to win. We definitely didn't want to lose the game; otherwise, it would have left us in a bad situation. So it was imperative we came here and put in a good performance, which we did,” McClaren stated.

“I thought we were controlling; we were very brave in possession; we built from the back, and I was so impressed with that. It's difficult to come away and play football like that. We were always dangerous on transition, and we did well to survive, so credit to my players for the work. They were hard to beat, they boast an unbelievable team spirit, and we had good players coming off the bench and finishing Job,” the Englishman noted.

Having ended the window on a high, McClaren and his Reggae Boyz will now shift their focus to their next fixture away to Nicaragua on October 10, before they face Honduras again in a rematch on October 14 at the National Stadium.

McClaren expressed confidence that the team will continue to grow from strength to strength as they aim for a spot in the quarterfinals and, by extension, the next Concacaf Gold Cup.

“In another three, four weeks, we're still to play two difficult games, one about a mile away to Nicaragua, and then we host Honduras, so we have to take what we've done the last ten days and build on it. Like I said to the players, I can't fault their attitudes, but together, we can play better football,” McClaren declared as his eyes are firmly set on the 2026 World Cup.