Final four for perfect U14 Reggae Boyz

Jamaica’s Under-14 Reggae Boyz marched into the semi-finals of the Caribbean Football Union Under-14 Challenger Series after a 2-0 win over Curaçao in their final Tier I Group C game in the Dominican Republic yesterday.

Goals in either half from Jaheem Brown (28th) and Tai-Sean Headley (67th) ensured that the young Reggae Boyz topped their group with a perfect nine points from three games. Jamaica have scored seven goals without conceding.

Coach Vassell Reynolds praised the team for achieving its first objective of reaching the semi-finals.

“Pleased for the most parts. Very pleased that we would have achieved our first objective, which was to qualify for the semi-finals.

“We would have done so with a clean sheet, some good performances, and improving game by game.

“Those are some things we are very satisfied with, and so we would have accomplished what we came here to accomplish so far,” he told The Gleaner.

Reynolds had anticipated that Curaçao would provide their toughest test in the group and believes the players were close to perfect in their execution on the day.

Brown gave Jamaica the lead when he swept home a cross from Basil Trail. Headley then sealed the victory, turning home a cross from Makiri D’Agullar.

“The entire team applied itself,” Reynolds continued.

“We had to make some changes at the beginning because of the situation with the minutes.

“However, after the first two games, we realised that the substitution we made in the previous two games, people came on and impacted the game positively.

“So we were pretty confident with any 11 on the pitch. People who did not start gave a good account of themselves. So I’m, overall, pretty pleased with the effort.

“This was a Curaçao team we had seen and assessed would have given us the biggest challenge, and they did for parts; but we did well when we came under pressure,” he said.

The young Boyz will now turn their attention to Friday’s semi-finals, and Reynolds said the aim is to keep improving.

“As a team we are improving. So I am pretty pleased with that. In the final phase of our play, and in midfield, we need to be more consistent.

“We will be focused on this (semi) game alone. We will not be focused on the final because we have to win this game to get there, but we are very confident and positive.

“The semi-finals come with its own pressure; but from within, we will not apply any pressure on the boys. We hope they keep growing, and that’s what we ask of them — keep practising, keep focusing, and take it a game at a time. And once we do that, the result will take care of itself,” he stated.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com