Jamaican defender Claude Davis (right) crashes into Jamaica's goalkeeper, Shawn Sawyers (left), during the second half against Mexico in the qualifying round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Houston on Wednesday night. Mexico defeated Jamaica 1-0. - REUTERS
HOUSTON:
MEETING THE United States in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup does not concern the head coach of Jamaica's senior football team, Wendell Downswell.
The Jamaicans, after finishing third in Group C because of Wednesday night's 1-0 loss to Mexico, were thrust into the showdown with the Group B table-topping Americans.
"If you want to win the competition you've to play tough teams, at some stage you've to play them,"
Downswell said. "We'll come up against America and we're very confident. We've seen significant improvements and we're definitely looking forward to the America game. This should be a nice test for us, hopefully we'll be at full strength.
"It's just unfortunate that Omar (Daley) who came in at right back got two yellow cards and is out because what we were looking for in a right back position he gave us that," he added.
Asked to expound on Daley's offering, Downswell said: "Somebody who is more
offensive oriented and strikes a good balance as it relates to our defensive work and we got that from him overall. It's just unfortunate, probably the US game would have been an excellent test for him. So therefore it is somewhat satisfying from a coaching standpoint."
Daley, one of six changes to the Jamaica starting team which drew their previous match 3-3 against South Africa in Los Angeles on Sunday, was red carded after a second bookable on a tackle at the 70th minute.
He picked up his first booking at the 43rd minute for unsportsmanlike conduct after slamming the ball into the turf in frustration after being called for a foul and Downswell, who was trying the midfielder for the first time on the defensive flank, had been impressed with his play in the position Tyrone Sawyers held for the first two matches.
Commenting on the mass changes to the starting line-up, Downswell listed a combination of factors as contributors.
"We have some injuries and we had already qualified for the second round. Garfield (Reid) came in and I think he equipped himself well. Omar Daley, we tried him at wing back and it seems as if we've found somebody there. The other two strikers we definitely had to look at them because there's a possibility that Luton (Shelton) might not be ready for the other game, so we've to look at which one we think can complement Ricardo Fuller. And 'Teddy' (Jermaine Johnson) is there, he can play in midfield and also give us the striker's role. I'm pleased with what I've seen so far.
"Probably the result is not the best that we were working for but if you look at the game tactically, based on how we played, to play against a Mexico team, which is the superior team in CONCACAF... in former years when we played against a Mexico team we'd be down three or four, especially when we're down to 10 players."
Jamaica's football is going through a phase with a lot of youthful players and a thrust involving local talent and Downswell said these matches are par for the course.
"This is going to be an excellent part of it. This is part of the whole development process. We are using this Gold Cup as a springboard, this will be a tremendous experience with the players moving back and forth so probably in another year or two when the Gold Cup comes around we'll be ready."
If they had managed to avoid defeat, the Reggae Boyz, who were on a 14-match unbeaten run, would have played their quarter-final at the same venue in Houston on Sunday as winners of the group against Panama.
The team was hoping things would have worked out like that and asked if the loss was a letdown, Downswell said "we're not deflated".
"The fact that we've qualified for the next round, that was our objective. We'd very much have liked to stay in Texas as one of the second or first place teams. We didn't accomplish that but despite that, overall there's some satisfaction and gratification in the performance that we displayed today because against a Mexico team which just finished up the Confederations Cup in fourth, we came here and we fought gallantly throughout the game.
"Probably it wasn't the best first half we've played but in the second half we came out and we were quite positive - even when we were down to 10 men. It's just unfortunate that Andy (Williams) didn't find that equaliser in the last minute. It was an outstanding piece of goalkeeping that denied us," he commented on the skipper's blistering shot that was saved by Mexican custodian Moises Munoz.
The Jamaicans left Houston shortly before noon yesterday and arrived in Boston later in the day.
