ST THOMAS, US Virgin Islands — Head Coach Andrew Edwards has urged his charges to lift the level of their game when they take on leaders Antigua and Barbuda in game two of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Group Four World Cup-qualifying play-offs at the Lionel Roberts Stadium here today.

Match time is 2:00 pm (1:00 pm Jamaica time).

In the other match of the double-header, hosts US Virgin Islands tackle Guyana at 5:00 pm (4:00 pm Jamaica time).

Though he is confident that his team is the best in the four-team tournament, Edwards wants his players to toughen up and bring to the fore the killer instinct he knows will serve them well on the journey to India.

“In order to get by the Antiguans tomorrow (today) we have to raise the level of our performance, which we are fully capable of. As I have said before, the performance yesterday (Friday) was way below what we have become accustomed to from these youngsters,” Edwards told the Jamaica Observer.

Having watched Antigua play against US Virgin Islands on Friday, the Jamaican coach thinks he has seen enough to determine the better team.

“We scouted the Antiguans in their game and they have some capable players but all round, I think that we have everything to get by this team quite comfortably,” Edwards noted.

Antigua lead Group Four of the six-zone, CFU first-round play-offs by one goal, but are on three points like Jamaica. In Friday’s first set of games, the Young Reggae Boyz defeated Guyana 4-1, while Antigua went one better, brushing aside the hosts 5-1.

Jamaica will make three changes to the starting line-up from the last match, two forced by injury and the other based on a tactical contingency.

“We will definitely have to make a couple of forced changes, and one that is tactical and one we think will give us an advantage in our offensive thrust. Goalkeeper Tajaye Griffiths will be rested with a sore to the right elbow and Nickashie Murray has a hamstring problem, so those two will miss the game… Omar Thompson will be rested in favour of Chad Letts in the striker position.

Daniel Russell will replace Griffiths, while Renato Campbell comes in for Murray.

In the 4-3-3 formation, Russell will start in goal, while Casseam Priestly, Kendall Edwards, Jamoi Topey and Kimani Gibbons will cover the defence. In the three-prong midfield, Captain Jeremy Verley, Blake White and Campbell will take charge, while Letts, Raewin Senior and Kaheem Parris have been tasked to get the goals.

Though the win on Friday could be considered a comfortable one, Edwards has not bought into that, especially with the numerous missed scoring opportunities.

“I was very upset that we didn’t punish Guyana the way they deserved to be punished. Even in training this afternoon (yesterday) we were pointing out to them that we are second place in the group simply because we were not as prolific in front of goal as we should have, and that we have to recognise that this is a tournament and your advancement could come down to the smallest margin of a goal.

“So, we have to be very decisive and positive as far as that is concerned. But they are youngsters and we have to continue to guide and groom them and they usually respond very well, so I am not expecting anything less this time around. I am confident that come tomorrow (today) they will give a total performance,” Edwards said after training at an unnamed field near the Cyril E King International Airport yesterday.

Jamaica will face the hosts on Tuesday to close their campaign, while Antigua and Guyana do battle.

Only the winners of the six qualifying groups and the best overall second-place team will advance to the eight-team Caribbean finals, where they will join hosts Trinidad and Tobago for the September 16-25 CFU finals.

The top-five will advance to the CONCACAF Under-17 Men’s Championship slated for Panama in April next year.

The FIFA Under-17 Men’s World Cup will be staged in India next summer.