Cuba test for Boyz

Boyd

THE Reggae Boyz face a stern test this afternoon when they oppose Caribbean neighbours Cuba in a friendly match in Havana, starting at 4:30 p.m.

The 18-man Jamaica squad includes seven Under-20 players who contested the recently concluded World Youth Championship in Argentina.

A notable inclusion is controversial striker Walter Boyd who returns to the team for the first time in months. Boyd's participation for Jamaica in the current World Cup campaign was recently in doubt following his failure to attend the JFF training camp for an earlier match against Cuba last month, this after returning home from England at the JFF's expense.

However, the differences between the player and the JFF have been ironed out and Boyd is expected to play a key role in today's match, especially in the absence of overseas based players like Andy Williams, Onandi Lowe, Tyrone Marshall, Deon Burton, Fitzroy Simpson, Frank Sinclair and Daryl Powell.

Despite their absence, technical director Clovis de Oliveira is hoping that the players will give a good account of themselves.

"The match should provide them with invaluable experience", he said. "The Cubans will have their best players at home for this match and it should be a tough one for us".

The squad is:

Linval Dixon (captain), Aaron Lawrence, Leon Gordon, Shaver Thomas, Marco McDonald, Claude Davis, Jermaine Johnson, Robert Scarlett, Sean Fraser, Kevon Harris, Sheldon Battiste, Patrick Graham, Omar Daley, Fabian Dawkins, Damion Williams, Fabian Taylor, Kirk Wright and Walter Boyd.

Jamaica defeated Cuba 4-1 in the first match at the National Stadium on June 10, thanks to two goals from Onandi Lowe and one each from Ricardo Gardner and Andy Williams.

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