Burrell savours first goal at ‘The Office’

Rumarn Burrell marked a special milestone on Friday night, scoring his first goal at the National Stadium in Jamaica’s dramatic 3-2 win over Guatemala in the Concacaf Nations League.

Burrell netted Jamaica’s second goal of the evening, peeling away from his defender to finish across the goalkeeper into the far post. It was his second international strike in six appearances, and his first on home soil.

The forward had previously scored in a similar 3-2 win over Trinidad and Tobago at the Unity Cup inside England’s GTech Stadium last year.

Speaking after the match, Burrell described the moment as unforgettable.

“Just a very great moment for myself,” he said. “Obviously, that was my first goal at home, so just a very proud moment. Hopefully more to come.”

His goal came on a night when interim head coach Rudolph Speid emphasised movement in and around the penalty area. Speid explained that training sessions had focused on creating and finishing chances, and he was pleased to see the work pay off.

“The movement in the box is the key to scoring goals no matter who you’re playing with,” Speid said.

‘We showed character’

While Burrell’s strike helped turn the game around, he admitted the team was not at its best.

“Obviously, that wasn’t our best performance ever, but it’s a performance that we can build on,” he said. “I feel like, after we took the lead, we should have slowed the game down, but that’s the way the game goes sometimes. I feel like we’ve done very well, showed character, so let’s come back and keep fighting until the end, and we’ve got a victory in the end.”

Burrell said the squad is already focused on their next challenge against Honduras tomorrow at the National Stadium.

Fans support

With Honduras expected to provide a sterner test, Burrell urged fans to turn out in numbers.

“I feel like we need everyone there. We need the Jamaican spirit in the stadium, atmosphere. It just helps the boys. It just makes it a good experience for everyone,” he said.

Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. Jamaica sit joint-second in Group B with three points, while Honduras are bottom without a point. The top two teams will advance to the Nations League quarterfinals in November.