Premier League hopefuls Rivoli United gained a massive boost in confidence when they clipped the Reggae Boyz 2-1 in a practice game at the Spanish Town Prison Oval on Wednesday.

A brace from former Jamaica U-17 player Nicholas Nelson, whose goals came in the 60th and 75th minutes, gave the St Catherine Super League champions a 2-0 lead before Johann Weatherly pulled one back for the Jamaica senior team five minutes from time.The game was a part of a series of games organised by Head Coach Theodore Whitmore to get a look at local-based players ahead of the friendly international against Peru on Tuesday, June 13, in that country.The Boyz are in preparation for the CFU Caribbean Cup in Martinique June 22-25 and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA July 7-26.On Wednesday the goals conceded by the Boyz were as a result of mistakes in defence which gifted young Nelson a chance to score on both occasions. The second was the easier of the two as all he had to do was side-foot the ball into an empty goal.“The major things we were looking at is how we pressed the ball, the communication and the transition in terms of how we attack and defend. When you play against teams like Rivoli you are going to get the type of fight they put out,” Whitmore reasoned.Whitmore was less than pleased with the way the team conceded the goals and insisted that they needed to adjust the approach to playing for the national team.“We gave away two silly goals, which is unacceptable at this level, but it is football. The more games we play is the more these players will get to understand.“What we are trying to change is their whole approach, their whole attitude. It’s not the Premier League or Major League or Super League attitude, but the international level (attitude) that is required.”“It’s going to take some time, but that is why we are here (for the long haul). We lost our shape but that is no excuse at this level; this is the national team, but we keep working… we have a lot of work to do,” Whitmore reasoned.A few players had to leave the field with cramps and Whitmore admitted that he had pushed the team quite hard in the morning session at the national training centre.“We had a good session this morning and the intensity was high so we had to balance the team to play. It’s really hard, but it’s the mental toughness of these players and how they adjust themselves on the pitch in situations like these, so we can know who we are working with going forward.“We knew that the players would be a little bit fatigued. We are not, training to play against Rivoli we are training to play against Peru and other countries. Playing against local teams is going to be tough because everybody comes out to prove. Even the fifty-fifty challenges this afternoon, we were a bit timid in them since players don’t want to get injured,” said the former Jamaica international.Rivoli United Coach Anthony Thompson was delighted with his team’s performance and also the result which he expects to boost the confidence of his charges.“This win will motivate them and this can push them to let them know we have something going out there for and we can be the best. I am pleased with all the players’ performance today,” he said.