Nicholson confident ahead of Mexico
Published:Thursday | September 2, 2021 | 12:13 AMRobert Bailey/Gleaner Writer
Having netted a hat-trick in his last competitive match for his Belgian club, Charleroi, national striker Shamar Nicholson is confident of taking his form into Jamaica’s World Cup qualifying game against hosts Mexico at the Azteca Stadium at 9 p.m. tonight.
“Shamar is always Shamar, and Shamar’s aim is always to help my national team to the best of my ability and to score some goals,” Nicholson told The Gleaner.
“As you know, it was my first hat-trick in Belgium, and it was our first home win of the season, and that made it even more important, but it was a fantastic feeling.”
Nicholson will however enter the game following a below-par showing at the Concacaf Gold Cup tournament in July, where he scored one goal in four appearances.
He said that he is in much better shape entering these qualifiers, and he is expecting better performances.
“I had less preparation going into the Gold Cup, but this is not an excuse. I was disappointed with my overall performance and such,” Nicholson said.
“I continued to work, get in shape, and I think, now, that I am in really good form.”
Nicholson will be vying for one of the centre forward spots in the Reggae Boyz starting line-up along with Javon East, Junior Flemmings, and Cory Burke.
Nicholson has scored 21 goals, five this season, for Charleroi since joining the club from Slovenian side NK Domžale in 2019.
He made his debut for the Reggae Boyz in 2017 and has scored eight goals from 22 appearances.