Boyz want first Copa win against Venezuela

REGGAE BOYZ head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson wants the Reggae Boyz to end their Copa America adventure with a win against Venezuela today.

With elimination from Group B already confirmed after losses to Mexico and Ecuador, Hallgrimsson said the Boyz want to come away with a victory from the tournament, to show they can compete at this level.

“We go for this game for the win,” he said.

“Of course, we hoped and wished that we were in a different position than where we are, but it is what it is. There is good morale and the players are happy and together, and I give them a lot of credit for the atmosphere still in the camp.”

He added, “We go into this match wanting to win for a lot of reasons that are important for us to get a win.”

Jamaica sit at the root of the table without a point, while Venezuela have already booked their spot in the quarter-finals with six points from wins over Ecuador and Mexico.

Hallgrimsson described Venezuela as the tournament’s surprise package, but was confident the Boyz can defeat their final opponents.

“Well, they are the surprise package of the tournament, I would say. We have analysed them before and we knew they are a hard-working, honest team with great individuals. But, how they have performed, especially with the confidence they have displayed now, is impressive to see.

“For the players, it is just margins that we can control that made it that we don’t have a point today. We go into this match knowing that we can get a win for sure, but there is balance.”

For Hallgrimsson, the appearance at the Copa America will prove especially important for the Boyz, as they are also in the midst of a World Cup qualification campaign.

He said he has seen enough positives from the tournament to be optimistic about qualifying for the 2026 staging of the global tournament.

He believes the Copa America is the closest Jamaica can come to facing against the level of opposition to be expected at the World Cup.

“No matter what the result will be, I think this is a really important tournament for Jamaica in working towards qualifying for the World Cup 2026, and probably the closest thing to the World Cup that we can participate in.”

According to Hallgrimsson, Jamaican fans should have less doubt about the team’s ability to qualify for the World Cup, having seen how closely the team can contend against opponents who are of World Cup quality.

“There has been a lot of questions on are we good enough to qualify for the World Cup,” he said.

“With how we’ve played Mexico and how we’ve played Ecuador who played in Qatar World Cup, we’ve matched them in some areas. So, if anyone were to doubt if Jamaica can qualify for the World Cup 2026, I hope that some doubts are gone.”