Whitmore pleased - Reggae Boyz start 2021 Gold Cup campaign with 2-0 win

National senior men's head coach Theodore Whitmore says that he hopes for improvement from his team despite opening their 2021 Gold Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Suriname at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, yesterday.

First-half goals from Shamar Nicholson in the sixth minute and Bobby Reid in the 26th minute were enough as Jamaica controlled the majority of the game against Suriname who were making their tournament debut.

Jamaica had seven shots, six of them on target compared to Suriname who had 10 shots, with three of them managing to test goalkeeper Andre Blake.

However, Whitmore says that they did not do a good job in closing out the game in the latter stage.

"Not the type of performance that we expected but at the end of the day it's three points. I think we were OK in the first half but I think the second half, the Suriname team made it very difficult for us." Whitmore said after the game. "But it's the first game, so we have got the first one out of the way and we hope to improve in our next game."

Captain Andre Blake and Alvas Powell were making their first start in over a year while Leon Bailey, Nicholson, Michael Hector, Reid played their first games of 2021 in a starting line-up that included four players who made their international debut this year.

While Nicholson got off the mark in the sixth minute with a low drive that nestled into the bottom corner, Suriname had a chance to equalise almost directly from the kick-off. Gleofilo Vlijter was put through on goal but his shot went wide of Blake.

Suriname head coach Dean Gorre lamented the missed opportunity which he said would have changed the whole complexion of the game. Reid doubled their lead 19 minutes after that with a brilliant volley that smashed into the back of the net.

"It was difficult especially when we conceded the second one," Gore said. "But the good thing is that we stayed focused and in the second half we showed that we were getting better and better."

Whitmore said that despite having to endure the Suriname pressure late in the game, he was pleased with the result.

"We played in pieces in the second half. We didn't manage the game how we wanted to but I think we did enough to come out victorious," Whitmore said.

The Reggae Boyz face Guadeloupe in their second group game on Friday in Orlando, Florida.