Sat | Apr 27, 2024

Two Jamaicans make Nations League best XI

Published:Thursday | March 28, 2024 | 12:11 AM
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Concacaf Best XI line-up.
Courtesy of concacaf.com
Concacaf Best XI line-up.
Reggae Boy defender Dexter Lembikisa is all smiles after a wonder goal against Panama in the Concacaf Nations League third-place play-off at the At&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday.
AP
Reggae Boy defender Dexter Lembikisa is all smiles after a wonder goal against Panama in the Concacaf Nations League third-place play-off at the At&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday.
Panama’s Jose Fajardo (17) is knocked to the ground by Jamaica’s Michael Hector (3) as they work to control possession in the first half of a Concacaf Nations League third-place play-off at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday.
AP
Panama’s Jose Fajardo (17) is knocked to the ground by Jamaica’s Michael Hector (3) as they work to control possession in the first half of a Concacaf Nations League third-place play-off at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday.
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JAMAICA’S REGGAE Boyz have two players among the Concacaf Nations Best XI line-up, in Dexter Lembikisa and Michael Hector.

The list, announced after the United States beat Mexico 2-0 in the final and Jamaica clipped Panama 1-0 in the third-place play-off on Sunday, was made up of players from the top-three teams.

The United States dominated the list, accounting for seven of the positions in a 4-4-2 formation.

Mexico, like Jamaica, have two players on the list with Edson Alvarez and Cesar Montez.

Hector and Lembikisa were hailed for their defensive work.

According to concacaf.com, the official website of the region’s football governing body, Lembikisa’s debut goal in Jamaica’s win against Panama put him over the top for the right-back position, though his seven clearances in the tournament also took him a long way toward being the best defender down that flank.

Hector, on the other hand, was the man Concacaf deemed as most influential in taking the Reggae Boyz to within seconds of a famous win against the United States.

That United States team had Cristian Pulisic, Matt Turner, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Gio Reyna all in the best XI line-up.

The Jamaicans will now turn their attention to the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers.

The Reggae Boyz will open those qualifiers against the Dominican Republic on June 6, before taking on Dominica on June 9.

After that, the Reggae Boyz go to Texas for Conmebol’s Copa America competition, where they find themselves in group B alongside Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela.

The Jamaicans will open their account at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, against Mexico on June 22, while the United States will take on Bolivia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington on June 23.