Young Boyz target Cayman Islands
JAMAICA’S rampant Under-17 footballers will be hunting another win today when the tackle Cayman Islands at 7:00 pm as the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Group One World Cup Qualifiers continue today at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.
French-speaking Guadeloupe, with three points but lying second on goal difference, play the US Virgin Islands at 4:00 pm and are heavily fancied to secure another win.
On Saturday, Jamaica registered probably their biggest win at any level, dismantling the US Virgin Islands 19-0 and. Based on that performance, albeit against an overmatched team, the Cayman Islands could be in for a hard time.
The Jamaicans looked slick and very efficient, showing tremendous strength in every area on the pitch and will prove too much for the Caymanians.
Head coach Andrew Edwards noted that, despite the poor showing from the US Virgin Islands, his boys executed their game plan well and the inter-play leading to the goals was quite impressive.
Having scouted the first encounter between Guadeloupe and Cayman, Edwards was not perturbed and expects his young charges to secure victory number two on the trot.
“Based on what we saw today I expect we should get a positive result. But as I said, we don’t want to focus too much on the results at this stage, I want to focus on the performances,” said Edwards.
“We are practising stuff in training, and I know they will not get it all together all at once. But what we want is small bits and pieces coming out in the games, and once they are doing that the adaptation will come gradually,” explained Edwards, fresh from his coaching course in Germany.
There should not be any change to the starting line-up, barring injuries, and once again Donovan Dawkins, who scored seven times, should lead the charges up front.
Dawkins, of Tivoli Gardens High School, netted in the fifth, 32nd, 43rd, 68th, 71st, 86th, and 89th minutes, and will be partnered by Justin McMaster of Hillel Academy, who grabbed four goals in the ninth, 36th, 50th and 61st minutes.
The rest of the starting team should remain the same with the skilful Alex Marshall of St George’s College, who scored an 8th-minute hat-trick in the 15th, 20th and 23rd minutes; Tajea Brown of Camperdown High, Hakin Williams of Calabar High and Charles Grant out of Muschett High in midfield.
Captain Jahwahni Hinds of Calabar High will again form the central defensive partnership with his vice-captain Ajeanie Talbott of Jamaica College. Kingston College’s Javain Brown should start at left back with Fabian Grant of Camperdown at right back. Jahmali Waite of JC gets the nod in goal.
