East sets targets
Published:Thursday | November 12, 2020 | 12:15 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
With just one goal to his name from 11 caps, national striker Javon East says he is anxious to add to his tally when they Reggae Boyz take on hosts Saudi Arabia in their back-to-back friendly international assignments this weekend.
The matches will take place on November 14 and 17, marking the Reggae Boyz’s first games since March of this year and 25-year-old East, who plies his trade for San Carlos in the Costa Rican top flight, is hoping to bulge the net and help the team to a couple of wins.
“My personal aim, and also for the team, is to go out there and win the game,” said East. “I would love for the chance to be on the pitch and try and score as many goals as I can.”
The former Portmore United striker noted that both matches would play a vital role in Jamaica’s position in the FIFA rankings and gave the assurance that the players would do their best to ensure that they get the victory.
The Reggae Boyz are ranked 48th in the world while Saudi Arabia are rated 67th.
“It is just about going out there and working hard as a player and a team because it is all about our international rankings, and so we have to be mentally and physically prepared for these games this weekend,” said East.
“Everything starts from off the pitch, and if everything is going well off the pitch, then the results will go our way,” he added.
The Reggae Boyz were beaten 5-2 by Saudi Arabia in their last meeting, but East, who has scored 18 goals in 30 matches for his club, stated that the Jamaicans are confident that they can turn the tables on their opponents.
“I want to try and help the team in whatever way I can to win,” East said. “They are going to be tough games because the last time we played this team, we lost 5-2, and so we know it is very important for us to do well against them and win these two matches.”