Jamaica Not Taking Antigua Lightly

Details

Football

Tuesday, 12 June 2012 02:30

By Ian Magic Hughes

Antigua St John's - The Jamaica Reggae Boyz may be the favourite to beat the Antigua & Barbuda Benna Boyz, but the visitors will not be taking the home team lightly when they clash tonight at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Fresh off a 2-1 win over Guatemala on Friday at home in the semis of the FIFA World Cup, the Reggae Boyz will be looking for a repeat performance on the road.

The Benna Boyz went down 1-3 to the USA in Tampa the same time Jamaica was knocking off Guatemala and will be hoping to turn around their fortunes against Jamaica.

The visitors went through an extremely loose practice yesterday at the stadium and Coach Theodore Whitmore is focused on another win and is taking nothing for granted.

“We do not underestimate any opponent,” Whitmore said after the team’s workout.

“No matter what team we play, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Antigua, we do not take teams lightly.”

Whitmore, a former national team midfield general, added that the team’s mood is a clear demonstration of what one can expect later tonight.

The coach went on to say that he knows that the home team will be coming out to play at their best and that his team will be ready to play.

“Antigua is a good team and I know they will be coming out to play tough football, but the guys’ mood shows that they are loose and ready,” Whitmore said.

Jamaica goes into the game tied with the United States at the top of the four-team group after both teams won their opening encounters.

Antigua & Barbuda is considered out of its league in this competition, but the team demonstrated a level of maturity against the US that should carry over against the Jamaicans.

Tonight will be the true test of the Benna Boyz.

The Jamaicans, though ranked below the US, is a different team and should give the Benna Boyz some trouble in the middle and from set pieces.

To combat those aspects of the Jamaicans’ game, the Benna Boyz will have to raise their game perhaps two or three notches.

They will have to put Friday’s game behind them and become extremely disciplined in defence.

The Jamaicans are known for their trick plays, running men in offside position and springing a runner through the middle.

That will be a huge challenge for the home team.

Keeper Molvin James had a great game against the US and he will have to duplicate that performance and even improve on that.

A win for Antigua & Barbuda will certainly put them back on the road to Rio after they were derailed against the United States.

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