Well Jamaicans got a treat on Saturday, October 11, when the Reggae Boyz (Jamaica's football team) won their 2010 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Qualification Group 2 match against Mexico at the National Stadium ("The Office".)
They beat Mexico 1-0.
The winning goal was scored by Jamaican international player, Ricardo Fuller, who plays as a Forward for his English-based Club, Stoke City.
It was a must-win match for Jamaica, who need nine (9) points from three (3) at-home matches to move to the next round of World Cup Qualifiers.
It was also our first win of the last four matches played in the competition so far.
(Present point standings for the Group 2 countries in CONCACAF are as follows:
- Mexico 9 points
- Honduras 9 points
- Jamaica 4 points
- Canada 1 point)
However, this match was different from the previous three (3) matches played under Renee Simoes, as:
1. Jamaica's best team was put together from the fifty-two (52) international players who play football in the USA and Europe
2. Former Technical Director, Renee Simoes, had been replaced by new interim coach, Theodore "Tappa" Whitmore
3. The Reggae Boyz were under extreme pressure to perform well and did.
(The Reggae Boyz used their physical size and athletic ability to overpower the Mexicans...and thus the Mexicans were prevented from making the fluid passes known to score goals. As such, they made stupid mistakes when given the chance to score.
Granted, goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts did make a brilliant save against Mexican forward, Raúl Díaz Arce in the second half of Saturday's match.)
So does this single win represent a return to true form for the Reggae Boyz?
I'd say no.
Jamaica needs to win at least three (3) more matches to prove that we are back to the Reggae Boyz' form of 1998 (the only year that we qualified for the Finals of the World Cup.)
Why three (3)? Because winning the next two (2) matches would give Jamaica the 10 points needed to qualify for the 4th Round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup CONCACAF Qualifiers.
Winning the first match of Round 4, would put us in the right frame of mind to win the other matches in the 4th round.
So our journey has just begun!!!
We need to keep a firm head on our bodies and realize that we have to win both the Honduras and Canada matches, before we can begin to celebrate.
Nuff said! (Jamaican meaning enough has been said.)
(Jamaica plays Honduras at The Office on Wednesday,October 15, at 7:00 p.m...we play Canada at The Office, on November 19,2008.)
I want to thank Dirk Koolmees for the use of his Inset Youtube video, above, of Reverend Al Miller's prayer for the Reggae Boyz and the Reggae Boyz' winning goal against Mexico on Saturday.
Gillian
Sources Include:
1) Television Jamaica, October 11,2008
2) 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification (CONCACAF) page, Wikipedia.org