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‘We deserved all three points’ - Whitmore lauds Reggae Boyz for fighting effort in Costa Rica WCup 1-1 draw
September 09, 2021
Reggae Boyz head coach, Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore, praised his team for the character they showed in their away Concacaf World Cup Qualifying football match against Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica, last night.
Jamaica, who were beaten in their first two games by Mexico (2-1) and Panama (3-0), rallied after conceding a goal at the fourth minute to secure a 1-1 draw and with it their first point of the Hexagonal series.
"I think our team showed character tonight, effort. I think we deserved all three points from this game. We let off the Costa Rican team," said Whitmore.
"But we lost our first two games and to come to Costa Rica to get a point, I think it's something good going forward," Whitmore added.
Shamar Nicholson scored for Jamaica with an equalising goal at the 47th minute, cancelling out a goal scored by Jimmy Marin.
After three rounds, Jamaica have one point and Costa Rica two. Mexico lead the standings with seven points after rallying at home to tie 1-1 with Panama, now on five points. Canada moved to five also following a 3-0 hammering of El Salvador, on two points. Honduras, two points, lost 4-1 at home in the late match against the United States, who moved to five points.
After 14 matches apiece, the top three will advance directly to the FIFA World Cup Finals Qatar 2022. The fourth-place team will play off for a berth.
Jamaica qualified for the FIFA World Cup Finals once, in 1998, when Whitmore was a star player.
Now he is the coach and for the second consecutive game, Jamaica made eight changes to its starting team. This time the alternative players were forced into action, with a high percentage of the British cast in the squad back in the United Kingdom.
Fielding players more familiar with each other, and more familiar playing with each other, there were clear improvements for Jamaica as they played their best match in this eight-nation series. Tyreek Magee, Speedie Williams and Junior Flemmings, especially, brought life with pace, skill and movement to a midfield that offered little in both its opening matches.
Both teams suffered napping defences to score early in either half.
Conceding early
We expected this (early goal) from Costa Rica, but I think the Jamaica team lifted its head after conceding early in the game. We didn't drop our head. We came back and fought. We deserved something from the game and we did just that," said Whitmore, whose team improved considerably upon its poor start.
The Jamaica team not only showed guts, but they pressed the opponent and played like a man to a man, confident and unafraid to match Costa Rica toe-to-toe, and even better with the goal-making plays, only to suffer from poor finishes.
Nicholson, besides scoring, had chances all night and on a couple occasions when unmarked within six yards of goal. He certainly should have put Jamaica ahead near the hour-mark and inside the final four minutes.
Nicholson also turned provider for substitute Javon East at the 87th minute, but the latter did not get good connection on the ball, which hit off his body really and squeezed to Navas.
Costa Rica were led by Campbell, Ruiz and the very dangerous Marin, who kept finding open positions to shoot inside the box. But goalkeeping captain Andre Blake was equal to the task when called into action and made a magnificent save off a one-time finish from Campbell.
It probably was poetic justice as Jamaica should have won, having created more and better chances.
Teams: Jamaica:- Andre Blake (GK), Alvas Powell, Anthony Grant (Je-Vaughn Watson, 85th), Cory Burke (Blair Turgott, 69th), Junior Flemmings (Javon East, 68th), Damion Lowe, Adrian Mariappa, Kemar Lawrence, Tyreek Magee (Lamar Walker, 64th), Devon (Speedie) Williams, Shamar Nicholson (Romario Williams, 92nd).
Costa Rica:- Keylor Navas (GK), Francisco Calvo (Jurguens Montenegro, 91st), Bryan Oviedo (Kendall Waston, 91st), Oscar Duarte, Ricardo Blanco, Celso Borges (David Guzman, 82nd), Jimmy Marin (Randall Leal, 75th), Joel Campbell, Bryan Ruiz, Jefferson Brenes (Ronald Matarrita, 82nd), Jonathan Moya.
