Boyz face tough task in Costa Rica

WORLD CUP senior men’s qualifying football competition is very difficult. Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz have been slapped with that harsh reality in their opening matches for the Qatar 2022 Finals, with a 2-1 away loss in Mexico last Thursday and Sunday’s 0-3 home thumping by Panama at the National Stadium in Kingston.

The degree of hardship in this high-level qualification expands immensely for a Jamaican outfit disjointed on and off the field, when they tackle Costa Rica on a turf where they have never won, Costa Rica’s National Stadium, in San Jose. Kick-off is set for 8 p.m.

All seven World Cup qualifiers in Costa Rica have resulted in defeat for Jamaica. The rate of concession has been quite exorbitant, with the homesters bulging the net 23 times and Jamaica scoring only three times in qualifiers dating back to 1965.

That though mirrors only the tip of the iceberg of Jamaica’s problems, partly owing to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and largely self-inflicted with crazy late recruiting of Britain-based players.

In matches within the past week, the unsettling effects of those concerns were manifested in team play totally devoid of a coordinated approach and a Reggae Boyz outfit looking woefully lost within itself.

Now faced with a crucial fixture, the Jamaica team is back to square one after its player-hounding, with most of the players back in Europe.

It is an astonishing turnaround and sequence of events. The British government placed Central American and South American countries on a red list due to high cases of coronavirus. So some clubs in Britain released players with a clause not to travel there.

They eventually trained together and were exposed as a unit with the players who went to the red listed Central American country.

For the Mexico match last week, only three of 15 Britain-based players travelled for the game. The others stayed behind with assistant coach Paul Hall and trained.

Meanwhile, the next half of the Jamaica team played their heart out in Mexico. Only three were on the starting list for Sunday’s Panama match at the National Stadium, Andre Blake, striker Cory Burke and Kemar Lawrence.

Not even the man who scored the goal in Mexico, Shamar Nicholson, was on the start list.

For Sunday’s home match against Jamaica’s tough-to-beat Panama opponent, eight Britain-based subs made the starting team, including West Ham star player Michail Antonio, of whom much was expected.

The Britain-based players expedited into the starting team have since returned to their clubs in Europe.

So for three straight matches, Jamaica will make wholesale changes to its team for a World Cup qualifier.

The mad team selection and losing results have piled up more pressure on coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore, with open calls for his sacking.

And, upon arrival in Costa Rica on Tuesday, players Lawrence and Norman Campbell faced deportation.

However, quick diplomatic intervention, including by Jamaica’s Sports Minister, Olivia Grange, resolved the issues. Another player, Richard King, was dropped last-minute from the squad in Jamaica due to visa issues, and was replaced by veteran Je-Vaughn Watson.

Whew! World Cup football is not easy at all.

Worse now, like Jamaica’s Boyz, Los Ticos lost their last game - 0-1 at home to Mexico on Sunday. So they, too, will be very desperate for a win.

What Jamaica will be guarding against mostly is being that team that loses to every other in this Concacaf ‘Hexagonal’.

In the latest Jamaica-Costa Rica clash, Costa Rica won 1-0 lastly at the Gold Cup in group play, barely a month ago, when Bryan Ruiz netted a second-half penalty.

Jamaica’s marking and tracking were poor at weekend, and not all great against Mexico. This group displayed more heart and has shown that they can be competitive. But they will have to display consistency, confidence and composure, hoping that the strikers score and give them something to defend.

Damion Lowe, Lawrence and company will have to be sharp and given their recent showings, a central midfield shield appears necessary.

The Reggae Boyz midfield has not generally been good in its link-up play and in settling the team, so much improvements are also required in that department.

It is hard to imagine Nicholson not returning to the starting line-up and Cory Burke, his usual partner, can do some damage so they will lead the hunt for goals. Javon East, surprisingly omitted against Panama after showing good poise and play off the bench in Mexico, is another goal promise, along with midfielder Junior Flemmings, who has been playing well off the bench and got a couple goals in the Gold Cup.

The Costa Ricans are one of the most skilful teams in Concacaf. They are a slick-passing unit, which plays with big confidence at home and relied mainly on former Arsenal man, Joel Campbell, Ruiz, Ariel Lassiter and veteran central midfielder, Celso Borges against Jamaica at the Gold Cup.

Not much is expected to be different for this clash.