Jamaica will face Caribbean neighbors Trinidad and Tobago in the second round game in Group A of the 17th edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup at 6:30 pm inside City Park Stadium in Missouri, St Louis, on Wednesday.
Trinidad and Tobago lead the four-team Group A with three points following their 3-0 victory over ST Kitts and Nevis on Sunday. Hosts US and Jamaica are next on one point following their 1-1 result in the competition’s opener on Saturday, while St Kitts and Nevis are at the bottom without a point.
The US entertains St Kitts and Nevis also on Wednesday at the same venue two hours later.
For the Reggae Boyz head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, Wednesday’s game represents a most crucial encounter as if he fails to win his first game in charge of Jamaica, then it could be curtains for the two-time Gold Cup finalist.
“A second game is always really important,” he said before adding: “Saying so a win for Trinidad would get them through, so we know what we are facing; we need to get a good result against them. We are only thinking about this match now, we are not thinking far ahead, we just want to go out there and have a good performance and hopefully a win tomorrow (Wednesday), that’s the only thing we are thinking about at this stage of the tournament.”
The coach was speaking at Tuesday’s pre-game press conference.
Despite the absence of Ethan Pinnock, the towering central defender from Brentford in the English Premier League, Hallgromsson is more than happy with the team’s overall strength.
“I’m really happy with the squad, both the depth and the quality as well, so at the moment everyone is fit and ready to play, and everybody wants to play, so it’s a good situation for a coach to have.”
Jamaica got off to a good start again the US on Saturday with central defender Damion Lowe heading them in front on 13 minutes. And the Caribbean Kingpins could have doubled their lead in 27 minutes only for Leon Bailey to squander the opportunity.
US goalkeeper Matt Turner celebrating his birthday palmed the ball away back into the path of Bailey who could only look on in dismay as the ball sailed wide of an empty goal.
And Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago were engaged in two friendly internationals in Jamaica earlier this year, with the visitors edging the first game with the odd goal while the second game ended in a draw.
“These two friendlies were kind of special in a way, it was domestic players, mostly, and young players, from not only us but I think from them as well, but it meant a lot,” Hallgrimsson said.
“For me what I learnt from these matches was the passion for the win instead of using it as a friendly to test players to give chances etc. The will to win the match was more than to use it as some preparation matches.”
