KOBE, Japan — Javon East has been on fire in the Costa Rica Primera Division since joining Santos de Guapiles in 2019.

Since arriving in the Central American nation, the 26-year-old striker has racked up 34 goals, and led the charts in the just-concluded 2021 season with 13 strikes.

It’s a form the former Portmore United man wants to replicate for Jamaica as his country seeks glory at the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying tournaments.

East, who has had a couple of goals for the Reggae Boyz since debuting in 2018, is looking to continue his goal-scoring exploits when his country takes on Serbia in a friendly international here on Monday.

“For me, it starts from here [game against Serbia] and it will depend on what I do… I would like to carry my goalscoring form from my club to the national team,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

The Boyz will also engage Japan’s Olympic team in another friendly on June 12, on a tour that has had its fair share of bumps.

A match against the senior team of Japan, which was scheduled for Thursday (today), had to be cancelled because Jamaica were unable to get all their players in the East Asian country in time for that fixture.

Still, East wants to focus on the games at hand even as he rues not having the chance to test his ability against the highly rated Japanese.

“I have to go out there and deliver for these games before I can think about the Gold Cup, so I take these games very seriously.

“As long as I am here I am ready for every game that the coach wants me to play. Serbia is a high-ranking and a quality team, so we have to be ready physically and mentally,” East said.

“We are disappointed because we didn’t have a lot of players here for the game [against Japan], but these things happen… what is important is that we have to be ready for this game against Serbia,” he added.

East says he’s hungry to improve his game for Jamaica, and claims “it’s a great privilege” to be able to wear the national colours.

“It’s a great chance to be able to showcase my talent, so I have to just build on that and try to get more caps by playing in more tournaments and just doing good for my country so that everyone can be happy,” he shared.

East first went to Santos de Guapiles on loan in 2019-2020, where he instantly made an impact in front of goal. He also played for AD San Carlos before moving back to Santos.

But living and playing in Costa Rica has had its ups and downs for the bustling front man.

“In the first couple of weeks I found it strange [the language and culture], but I found afterwards that they do similar things to what we do in Jamaica, like the food, but it depends on where you go,” shared East.

“But going there to play, I have learnt to play simple, and it’s a league where the players are very technical and they play at a high tempo, plus most of the players play for the national team. Also, there are players playing there from Europe, so the league is of good quality,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, nine English-based players who were delayed arriving in Japan due to them not having the approved negative COVID-19 test result certificate, were due to arrive in the country yesterday.

They are Liam Moore, Curtis Tilt, Wes Harding, Amarii Bell, Kasey Palmer, Adrian Mariappa, Andre Gray, Dillon Barnes, Blair Turgott.

USA-based attacker Junior Flemmings was also scheduled to arrive yesterday. Belgium-based Shamar Nicholson, who is nursing hamstring injury, was “afforded time to have it sorted out”.

Another Belgium-based player, Tyreek Magee, is said to have returned home to Jamaica for reasons still to be determined.

However, the 10 players who travelled from Jamaica, or through points of the USA on Sunday and who arrived in Japan on schedule, are Luca Levee, Javon East, Dennis Taylor, Damion Lowe, Jeadine White, Devon Williams, Kevaughn Isaacs, Kemal Malcolm, Kevon Lambert, and Oniel Fisher.

The squad, originally 30, which was then cut to 22 after some late withdrawals, now stands at 20.

The Boyz were due for an outdoor training session yesterday, their second since landing in the country.