| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Karl |
Posted - Mar 10 2003 : 11:21:55 AM
Taken from www.jamaicaobserver.com
Reggae Boyz leave for Cuba series
Sean Williams
Monday, March 10, 2003
JAMAICA'S Reggae Boyz will today hop to neighbouring Cuba for a two-match friendly series against that country's senior national team in the capital city of Havana.
The games, to be played on Tuesday and Thursday, will serve as part of the Boyz' preparation for the upcoming Gold Cup qualifying play-offs which will be staged here at the National Stadium.
Haiti, Martinique and St Lucia will join the hosts from March 26 to 30 in a tussle for the rights to appear in CONCACAF's premier tournament later this year in the United States and Mexico.
Following the Cuba test, the Boyz will then host Barbados in a final prep match on Sunday, March 23, at 'The Office' ahead of these qualifiers .
Jamaica's coach, Peter Cargill, is anticipating a stern trial from the Cubans.
'In the past Cuba have been a very tough opponent ... they are physically and technically good and should provide us with a real test,' he said.
'This series will be very good preparation for our upcoming Gold Cup qualifiers,' he added.
The squad, which will return to the island on Friday, is composed only of locally-based players, but Cargill is optmistic that they will rise to the occasion.
'... These players can go there and do well ... this could also be valuable experience for them ... we will do our best and try to get positive results,' he said.
Victory against the Cubans will be in the forefront of the Boyz' minds as they seek to brush off their poor start to the year, having gone 10 matches unbeaten on the road in 2002.
In friendlies against Barbados and the United States earlier this year, the Jamaicans were defeated 1-0 and 2-1 respectively.
Full squad: Aaron Lawrence (Reno FC), Donovan Ricketts and Fabian Dawkins (Village United), Ian Goodison, Denton Vidal and Theodore Whitmore (Seba United), Gerald Neil, Oneil Dunn and Jonathan Williams (Arnett Gardens), Damion Stewart and Fabian Taylor (Harbour View), Kevin Deerr, Linval Dixon, Claude Davis, Omar Daley and Roen Nelson (Hazard United), Christopher Nicholas and Kasai Hinds (Tivoli Gardens), Lacon Brissett (Wadadah) and Damion Williams (Waterhouse).
|
|
|
