Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren says the character shown by his players was as pleasing as the result itself, as they dug deep to carve out a gritty 3-2 win over a determined Trinidad and Tobago side in the Unity Cup opener.
In fact, Tuesday's performance left the Englishman so proud and hopeful to the point where he exuded a quiet confidence about his team's ability to match or better whichever of the African heavyweights—Ghana or Nigeria—they get in Saturday's final.
The Boyz—many of whom were donning national colours for the first time in front of family and friends—got their goals from Kasey Palmer (25th), debutant Rumarn Burrell (53rd), and a late penalty from Richard King (90+4). The spirited Soca Warriors fought back twice through Isaiah Leacock (54th) and Kevin Molino (69th) at the Gtech Community Stadium.
"It was always going to be a difficult game because one day of preparation was not ideal. Players were jet-lagged, and most of the players had not played for three weeks, and so they did remarkably well to come away with a victory. I'm delighted with the first half. I thought we were excellent and really should have had a few more than just the one goal we got," McClaren said in a post-game conference.
"I think it was important to win. It was a great game as well because Trinidad are very technical and tactical, but our Boyz did really well in terms of discipline; they stuck to the game plan, and the transitions that we had and opportunities to score were great. Again, I believe we should have scored more than three, but happy nonetheless," he added.
It was a night of firsts, as Palmer got his first international goal for Jamaica, and so too did 24-year-old Burrell, who capped his debut with a poacher’s finish. Burrell's celebration spoke volumes of the weight the moment carried.
"I'm personally just delighted for Burrell. He comes from nowhere and plays for Burton, scoring goals, a bit of an unknown. It must have been a huge game for him and his family. I know they're all here, and what a debut to score. And that goal that he got is what we saw in him. He's always in the six-yard box bouncing around and ready to score, and that's a real strength of a number nine," McClaren stated.
Despite relinquishing the lead twice, the Reggae Boyz showed growing maturity. Trinidad and Tobago were tactically sound and tested Jamaica throughout with fluid formations and attacking verve, particularly in the second half. But McClaren’s men remained composed to seal the deal in the dying moments.
"I think the key was the reaction after 2-2; I was a little bit stunned because we didn't see it coming, but the reaction from the team was excellent. They never panicked, never lost focus, and carried on playing. So I was really pleased in that respect; they showed maturity and belief, and one of our mottos is to fight and don't give in," the tactician shared.
That said, McClaren also credited the crowd, which was dominated by a sea of gold and green that made the stadium feel like Kingston in the heart of London.
"I think another key thing is the fans. They were fantastic. From the moment we stepped out on the field for the warm-up, and even when we went to 2-2, they were always behind the team. So we obviously wanted to put in a performance to make the supporters proud and smiling when they leave the stadium, and that's what the players did with the win," he noted.
With the final set for Saturday at the same venue, McClaren’s focus now shifts to recovery, reinforcement, and readiness. Jamaica will face the winner of Wednesday’s clash between Ghana and Nigeria, with the loser to face Trinidad and Tobago in the third-place match.
"I've not seen a lot of either team apart from the fact that they've got good players and good squads. So we'll just enjoy this break and try to recover as best as we can. We have a couple of days to prepare and be in better shape for a tough game on Saturday. Hopefully the fans will come again on Saturday, and we'll be able to put in another good performance and win," McClaren ended.