Hoping to give fans a local “treat”
On Friday, September 4, the Reggae Boyz will play Nicaragua in their opening World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
Hoping to replicate their historic, Gold Cup and Copa America performances, Reggae boy Darren Mattocks wants the team to give local fans a treat.
In the Gold Cup, Jamaica topped a group, including Costa Rica, before beating Haiti 1-0 in the quarterfinals and the United States by the same margin in the semi-finals.
The performance pushed the Reggae Boyz ranking in the FIFA standings to 55, making them firm favourites to get by the 144th ranked Nicaragua.
That fact, Mattocks says, is not a factor in the way the team will prepare for or approach the match on Friday.
Midfield Je-Vaughn Watson, who had a standout performance in the Gold Cup, mimicked Mattocks’ sentiment, saying the side would not be taking Nicaragua or any other team lightly. According to Watson, the aim of the qualifiers was to win every game.
