Boyz satisfied with performance despite result
PANAMA CITY, Panama — While members of the Reggae Boyz are patting themselves on the back for a well-fought 0-0 draw against host Panama in a World Cup qualifier at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium here on Friday, they were the first to admit that the result was far from desirable.
While reflecting on Friday night’s disappointing scoreline, already they are looking ahead to Tuesday’s game against tournament leaders Costa Rica at the National Stadium.
Marlon King, playing for the first time in a year after being kept out by the previous coach set-up and consequently quitting the international game, rued the sending off of Rodolph Austin.
“If you have a referee that doesn’t speak English, it doesn’t help and that sending off just didn’t help the team, but with 10 men we dug in and I hope that kind of team spirit we can take into Tuesday’s game,” said the striker, who has 12 goals in a Jamaica shirt from 23 appearances.
O’brian Woodbine, who plays professionally in the US Major League, thinks the team played “a good first half”, but offered that going down to 10 players brought a change in wind direction for the Boyz.
“I believe we played a good first half, but when we went down to 10 players the pressure just came down on us. But it was a good result from a very difficult game. Tuesday’s game we have to go all out; we can’t think about anything else but three points,” he told the Sunday Observer yesterday morning, the day the team arrived home from their assignment.
Adrian Mariappa, who is now a Crystal Palace defender, said playing away in Central America was always going to be a difficult task.
“Playing away from home it was always going to be difficult, so I think it was a great performance, especially after going down to 10 men and coming away with a clean sheet.
“What was also good is that everybody was working for each other, and we always looked like we could score on the break, so we have to take all these positives into the next game,” said the defender, who did not play in Panama due to card suspension, but who should be back for Tuesday’s date with the hangman.
