The Jamaica Observer has learnt that the Reggae Boyz will take on Martinique in an international friendly on February 21 as they continue preparations for their final attempt to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in March.

It’s understood that an official announcement of the match will be made by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) this week.

It’s the second friendly in two months under interim head coach Rudolph Speid after traveling to Grenada and securing a 1-0 win against the hosts.

Martinique, who are currently ranked 13th in Concacaf, last played in November when they went down 0-2 to Cuba and drew 0-0 with Dominican Republic.

With the game falling outside the FIFA international window, it’s expected that the Reggae Boyz squad will feature players primarily from the Jamaica Premier League.

It could be the final match for the national team before they head to Mexico for the inter-confederation playoffs where they will play New Caledonia of Oceania in the semi-finals on March 26 and potentially DR Congo of Africa on March 31 for the final spot in this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

– Daniel Blake