The script for the Golden Jaguars on Monday evening at the National Track and Field Facility at Leonora, WCD read the same as in times past: The Reggae Boys of Jamaica again trashed the Golden Jags by four goals to nothing, drilling holes in the Jaguars’ net with impunity as they dominated the competition.
A snippet of Monday evening’s game
But despite their dismal performance in this CONCACAF Nations League match, Interim Head Coach of the Guyana senior national men’s team, Marcio Maximo, remained confident that the Jags can bounce back. He noted that the Jags will take this loss as a lesson going forward, and will work on being better for the remaining Nations League encounters.
“About the team: I think that you (they) pay (paid) a big price in our first half (of play); second half, we fixed our mistakes, (made) tactical adjustments, and second half they came better! It’s a good lesson for us. Jamaica is a good team; of course we are, as well. In the meantime, because it’s a long time away — I’m not a magician, football doesn’t have magic; you take lessons from each game — so next game we’ll be better,” the Interim Head Coach explained.
Probed about the exclusion of Torell Ondaan, Maximo disclosed that the focus has been on giving more local players the opportunity to develop.
Interim Golden Jags Head Coach Marcio Maximo
“First of all, it’s our new policy to give more chances to local players. I think that our local football needs to develop. It’s one chance that you have to do it, and so we give more chances to them. I don’t talk about private players, I’ll talk about the team,” he shared.
What went down at Leonora?
The Reggae Boys completely outclassed the local side in their 4-0 encounter. The match could even have ended with a larger margin of defeat for the Jags.
The home team had opted for a starting XI that comprised Akel Clarke, Kevin Layne, Matthew Briggs, Clive Nobrega, Samuel Cox, Sheldon Holder, Keanu Marsh Brown, Kelsey Benjamin, Daniel Wilson, Liam Gordon and Neil Danns. Inexplicably, the ever consistent Torell Ondaan had been omitted.
The Jamaicans meant business from the start, and attempted to score from the earliest possible opportunity. Charging forward from his defensive position in the 14th minute, Elvis Powell took a shot from just outside the box, and sunk it!
He tried at the goal again in the 26th minute, and found goalkeeper Akel Clarke scrambling to find his footing. Thus he connected for his second goal, putting Jamaica 2-nil ahead.
Being truly Jamaica’s man of the hour, Powell created the assist which led Dever Orgill to find the back of the net in the 44th minute, pushing the halftime score to 3-0.
When play resumed, the Jags had a tighter defense, but not tight enough to prevent the mighty Jamaicans from scoring again, as Orgill secured his second goal in the 54th minute of play.
In the latter moments of the game, the Jags increased their possession and attempts at the goal, but the superb Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake kept the score at 4-nil.
Guyana currently sit at number two in Group C, League B, just above Antigua and Barbuda on goal difference. Antigua and Barbuda recorded their first win on Monday night when they defeated Aruba 2-1. Jamaica lead the group on both points and goal difference.
Guyana will play their next Nations League game on October 11: against Antigua and Barbuda.
