Jamaica’s Senior Men’s national team Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson has called up two new players in his 23-man squad named on Monday to face Mexico in their CONCACAF Nations League encounter on the weekend.
Barnsley Football Club’s midfielder Jonathan Russell and Reading FC’s Under-21 goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke are the two new additions to a team that has seen the return to the fold of left-wing back Kemar Lawrence of Minnesota United and Brentford’s central defender Ethan Pinnock.
Seven players who were a part of the two-game series against Trinidad and Tobago recently, have been recalled.
Jamaica will face Mexico inside the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City at 7:00 pm (Jamaica time) on Sunday in their final League A Group A match at 7:00 pm (Jamaica time).
The seven players returning to the senior team are Adrian Mariappa, Ravel Morrison, Demario Phillips, Richard King, Trivante Stewart, Dexter Lembikisa, and Jahmali Waite.
Injuries have also forced the absence of Captain Andre Blake and striker Michail Antonio.
“We are not shy to say we are going there to win because it’s truly [an] important game for us Jamaica. Number one, it’s a Nations League match so if we win we go to a semi-final and a final in the Nations League and we have a chance to win a trophy.”
“Secondly we will get a semi-final and a final in June, really good preparation matches for the Gold Cup… and the third one is that it is chance to play a semi-final and final in the USA before we go to the Gold Cup campaign,” Heimir Hallgrimsson told the media in no uncertain manner.
He added: “Of course we have big respect for Mexico. I saw two games in Qatar in the World Cup, really aggressive team… attacking wise, quick, skillful, especially front three players, really attack-minded, high-pressing team.”
Jamaica leads the group with five points after three games. They are one point ahead of Mexico, who will play Suriname (one point) on Thursday.
The teams had battled to a 1-1 draw on the last Nation’s League match day, in Kingston last June.
Russell is a 22-year-old midfielder who is said to be a box-to-box player with a great eye for a pass, while Coniah Boyce-Clarke is a promising youth goalkeeper.
Hallgrimsson admitted that Russell had been a target for some time.
“For the Argentina camp we tried to get him but he didn’t have his passport, now I think it is sorted out so we would like to see him. At that time he was playing for Huddersfield.
Full squad: Amal Knight, Jahmali Waite, Coniah Boyce-Clarke (goalkeepers); Amari’i Bell, Ethan Pinnock, Dexter Lembikisa, Adrian Mariappa, Damion Lowe, Richard King, Javain Brown, Kemar Lawrence (defenders); Jonathan Russell Demario Phillips, Kevon Lambert, Daniel Johnson, Ravel Morrison, Kaheem Parris (midfielders); Jamal Lowe, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Cory Burke, Shamar Nicholson, Trivante Stewart, Leon Bailey.
