HOUSTON, Texas — Kemar “Taxi” Lawrence says that the Reggae Boyz will be gunning for a professional performance against El Salvador on Friday as they look to consolidate their perch atop the group.

Jamaica and El Salvador jointly lead Group C of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup with maximum three points from the opening games in Kingston’s National Stadium on Monday.

Honduras and Curacao are pointless. The group leaders meet inside BBVA Stadium at 6:00 pm, ahead of the feature clash between Honduras and Curacao two-and-a-half hours later.

Victory for either of the group leaders would push them to the brink of the quarter-finals knockout round in Philadelphia on June 30.

“Pretty good, preparation has continued. We played against this team a few months back [March in the Nations League Qualifying round], and things are going well and we are looking to go out there tomorrow and put up a professional performance in a climate that is hotter than normal, but something that we will adjust to as best as possible,” Lawrence told the media during a press conference at the game venue.

Lawrence, the New York Red Bull left wing back and a senior Reggae Boy was quick to point out that the off the field issues will not create distractions for team members, though he hopes for a cessation of drastic measures sooner rather than later, as the players and their bosses are supposed to be on one team.

“The off the field issues will always be the off the field issues. Our hope and our dream is that one day it will stop, one day meaning very soon and every time you hear something off the field happens it is just us pushing to try to let it stop.

“It is not a JFF vs Reggae Boyz thing because we are one and we just have to figure out how we can communicate better and work out things better and in faster timing, so for right now there are no off the field issues. I feel like we are clear and right now we are just focused on our goal and that is to get three points from El Salvador so that we can advance.”

Ian Burnett