Keep your heads
Hall wants discipline in Nations League clash against Mexico
Published:Tuesday | June 14, 2022 | 12:12 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
For Jamaica to capture their first win against Mexico on home soil in over a decade, interim head coach Paul Hall says that discipline in their defence and in their temperament will be key factors as their Concacaf Nations League campaign continues.
The Reggae Boyz and Mexico will resume hostilities in their League A clash at the National Stadium today at 7 p.m. as they look for their first home win against the Concacaf giants since 2008 and to keep their lead atop their group and move towards Gold Cup qualification.
Their last meeting was their World Cup qualifying return leg at the National Stadium on January 27 where Mexico beat a short-handed Jamaica 2-1. Defender Damion Lowe was sent off in that game and despite taking the lead through Daniel Johnson in the second half, they succumbed to their man disadvantage. Mexico opened their Nations League campaign with a 3-0 win over Suriname last Saturday.
It is a scenario that Hall says he does not want to be repeated as he was bullish on their chances of beating ‘El Tri’ in yesterday’s pre-game press conference.
“When Damion (Lowe) got sent off, it was just stressful in that game because we were so close. And I feel like we are getting closer to Mexico and beating them. So it’s important to keep everyone on the pitch,” Hall said. “We will kick ourselves if the same things happen again. Because I really do feel that 11 players from Jamaica can beat 11 players from Mexico on home soil.”
The optimism he says is based on their performances in their last two meetings against Mexico in the World Cup qualifiers where both times they were on the verge of getting a result only to concede late. While Hall does not expect any surprises in how Mexico will come out, he says that his defence is going to have to be organised to deal with their threat.
“We know Mexico like to attack in the wide areas. We know we are going to have discipline in the way that we play. It’s nothing new that Mexico will bring. It’s just how we deal with it and how we approach the game,” Hall said.
That approach will be without defender Richard King who is out because of injury. Jordan Scarlett has been called in as a replacement. Hall said that they have options to compensate, similar to how he adjusted against Suriname when Kevon Lambert moved to the centre of defence and Lowe also moved across the defensive line to deal with their attacking threat.
“There are different permutations of how we could do things. I think what is important is the people that come in, can come in and do a job and we trust them to do that job,” Hall said. “It doesn’t change anything but what it does do is it provides us with opportunities to look at people as well as asking them to perform in the fire.”
Jamaica currently lead their group with four points while Mexico are in second place with three points.