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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - Jamaica's head coach John Barnes rued the Reggae Boyz's possessional play, but showered them for demonstrating a rare spirit of "determination and heart" following their hard-fought 2-2 draw with Haiti in a friendly international at Lockhart Stadium Saturday night.
Jamaican spectators sit silently as their team trail 1-2 to Haiti in their friendly international match at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday. The game ended 2-2. (Photo: Sean Williams)
For the approximately 12,000 fans, most of them Jamaican supporters, it was sweet relief when Damion Stewart braved a tangle of flying feet to go low to head home and pull the Boyz back from the brink of defeat against Haiti.
"We didn't pass the ball, particularly in the first half, as well as we would have liked. and we didn't keep possession. but what they showed me, not only when they went 10 men down, but when they went 1-2 down, are the qualities that I am also looking to see," he said at a post-match press conference.
"We weren't playing particularly well, we weren't playing with confidence, so to come back from 1-2 down shows a lot of effort," added the former England winger and Liverpool standout.
"I wanted them to show belief and desire and they did. We need more composure because I know they have
the fight."
When the team lost Derby County's Davis, Barnes was forced to restructure the formation by pulling Roland Dean from the frontline with Addlery, leaving the busy-body striker alone.
"It's difficult for the strikers, because when you go down to 10 men, you have to take a strike partner out and all of a sudden he's (Addlery) up front working all by himself. I think at times they had a good partnership as they linked up well," said Barnes, who is yet to lose a game since officially taking the reins last December.
On the dismissal of Davis, Barnes believes the referee Jair Marrufo was a measure too harsh on the hard-tackling centre back who has just returned from injury.
"The second one (yellow card) I believe to be a coming together of bodies, it was a 50-50 and he (Davis) got there ahead of him (Haiti's Sirin). but I have seen yellow cards given for that and I have seen yellow cards not given because both of them clashed and both of them got hurt. I think it was a harsh booking," he noted.
The Haitians, who like Jamaica are preparing for the CONCACAF Gold to be staged in 13 US cities from July 3-26, gave a spirited performance, pretty much what Barnes expected from them.
"I know the Haitians had quality, so I expected a
hard match and I got that,"
he concluded.
Jamaican spectators sit silently as their team trail 1-2 to Haiti in their friendly international match at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday. The game ended 2-2. (Photo: Sean Williams)For the approximately 12,000 fans, most of them Jamaican supporters, it was sweet relief when Damion Stewart braved a tangle of flying feet to go low to head home and pull the Boyz back from the brink of defeat against Haiti.
"We didn't pass the ball, particularly in the first half, as well as we would have liked. and we didn't keep possession. but what they showed me, not only when they went 10 men down, but when they went 1-2 down, are the qualities that I am also looking to see," he said at a post-match press conference.
"We weren't playing particularly well, we weren't playing with confidence, so to come back from 1-2 down shows a lot of effort," added the former England winger and Liverpool standout.
"I wanted them to show belief and desire and they did. We need more composure because I know they have
the fight."
When the team lost Derby County's Davis, Barnes was forced to restructure the formation by pulling Roland Dean from the frontline with Addlery, leaving the busy-body striker alone.
"It's difficult for the strikers, because when you go down to 10 men, you have to take a strike partner out and all of a sudden he's (Addlery) up front working all by himself. I think at times they had a good partnership as they linked up well," said Barnes, who is yet to lose a game since officially taking the reins last December.
On the dismissal of Davis, Barnes believes the referee Jair Marrufo was a measure too harsh on the hard-tackling centre back who has just returned from injury.
"The second one (yellow card) I believe to be a coming together of bodies, it was a 50-50 and he (Davis) got there ahead of him (Haiti's Sirin). but I have seen yellow cards given for that and I have seen yellow cards not given because both of them clashed and both of them got hurt. I think it was a harsh booking," he noted.
The Haitians, who like Jamaica are preparing for the CONCACAF Gold to be staged in 13 US cities from July 3-26, gave a spirited performance, pretty much what Barnes expected from them.
"I know the Haitians had quality, so I expected a
hard match and I got that,"
he concluded.
. I hope it's appropriate.
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