When the final whistle was blown in the semi-final Gold Cup match between Jamaica and Mexico at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California on Sunday night history was made in more ways than one.
Most pundits are pointing to the fact that Jamaica’s soccer team became the first country from the Caribbean to make it to two consecutive Gold Cup finals. The Jamaica Reggae Boyz will play the USA in the finals on Wednesday, July 26.
Specifically, history was created by two members of Jamaica’s coaching staff. These are head-coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore and goalkeeping coach Warren Barrett. Both are members of the historical 1998 Reggae Boyz team, the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to qualify for the World Cup. The Jamaican team on a historic day 19 years ago, defeated Mexico 1-0 at Kingston’s National Stadium to advance to the World Cup in France.
Goalkeeping captain and inspirational midfielder
Barrett was then the team’s goalkeeper and captain, and Whitmore an inspirational midfielder. The achievement of advancing to the World Cup prompted then Jamaican Prime Minister, PJ Patterson to declare a national holiday.
Now both former players must surely be reveling that they are part of a coaching staff that saw Jamaica defeat the Mexicans against the odds to rewrite soccer’s history books.
Interestingly, Jamaica’s most outstanding player in the tournament thus far, Andre Blake, is also the team’s goalkeeping captain.
No stranger to making history
Whitmore has had a checkered past as coach of the Jamaican team. He is no stranger to making history. He scored two goals against Japan in the 1998 World Cup to become the country’s leading goal scorer in that tournament.
The Jamaicans stand on the cusp of another history making performance. They’ll first have to conquer the hosts and overwhelming favorites, United States.
It will not be an easy task, but the Jamaicans have worn the underdog tag well and with the same disciplined approach they have taken in previous matches, the task is not an insurmountable one.
The Jamaicans carry the hopes of the Caribbean region on their shoulders and a win for Jamaica will translate to a victory for football in the region.
