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Reggae Boyz want full points in feisty rivalry against Soca Warriors
September 09, 2025
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz are aiming to maximise home advantage and take all three points in their Final round Group B Concacaf World Cup Qualifying football match against Caribbean archrivals Trinidad and Tobago at the National Stadium today at 7 p.m.
The Jamaicans, locked in a four-team battle to claim top place - which is the guaranteed World Cup 2026 spot from Group B - lead the quartet of challengers, following their opening round 4-0 thumping of Bermuda in an away fixture last Friday. The other teams in the zone, Trinidad and Tobago and Curacao, have one point apiece after tying goalless at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Trinidad on the same day.
Hosting matches are seen as a plus, especially as it affords more confidence to players, familiarity with playing conditions, as well as massive spectator support. Jamaica's head coach, Steve McClaren, looks forward to his charges making the best of all circumstances.
"Everybody expects us to win, but it will be a difficult game as always. But we were professional and got the job done (in Bermuda). Now it's a home game and you've got to win your home games," he said.
"We hope that the supporters come out because we need that energy. That's always key in the second games. So I am looking forward to a good atmosphere that the Boyz can play in ... when we've got energy and attitude we perform well," McClaren observed.
RIVALRY
The teams are the biggest rivals in the Caribbean, even outside football, so any contest generates extra motivation. Their football clashes date back to 1935 when Trinidad and Tobago won 1-0 in Jamaica, and they have gone on to play 64 matches since, with pretty much an even result sheet.
Jamaica slightly edge the fixture with 27 wins against the Soca Warriors' 26, with 11 drawn contests.
In their most recent matches, however, since 2023, the countries have played four times, with Jamaica winning their Unity Cup fixture 3-2 in May and 4-1 at the Concacaf Gold Cup in June 2023. Earlier friendlier in March had seen the teams draw 0-0 and the Soca Warriors winning 1-0.
"Everybody knows Trinidad is a tough opponent. We've played each other three times already, so we know each other well. It will be a hard game, a tough game," McClaren said.
"I watched their game against Curacao and they should have won. They played very well, (they are) a dangerous opponent," he continued.
"They are improving. Like us they have speed, athleticism. They are strong and fast and they've got good individual players that can win football matches. And that is what it will be about, the big players, important players, they are the ones who must deliver and whoever delivers will win the game."
Jamaica will again be without injured players Leon Bailey, Demarai Gray, goalkeeping captain Andre Blake, Ethan Pinnock, Amari'i Bell and Joel Latibeaudierre.
Shamar Nicholson, with his 20th international goal, coming off the bench, along with Renaldo Cephas, Kasey Palmer and captain Damion Lowe scored against Bermuda and number among Jamaica's likely scorers for this fixture. All have scored more than once for Jamaica, which will be looking to tighten its defence, after giving up several chances in Bermuda..
"I expect the team to know the job and do the job," McClaren said. "Work hard. Work together, cover each other, be a team, be hard to play against but also express themselves like they did in the last game.
"It will be harder, it will be tougher," he said, comparing this with the Bermuda game. "But we need the same kind of attitude, courage, organisation and discipline."
WITHOUT CAPTAIN
Trinidad and Tobago will enter the fixture without their captain, Kevin Molino, who has been a thorn in Jamaica's side, and hard-working midfielder Daniel Phillips.
Still, head coach Dwight Yorke, in an article posted in the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian, emphasised the need to remain positive and says they hold no fear.
"We know the group that we got drawn into, and we need to be at our best. We weren't at our best in the first half (against Curacao), and I think it was well acknowledged, but in the second half, we played in the manner that we can play and if we create the opportunities that we created, then I don't see any reason why we couldn't win," said Yorke.
"We have, obviously, the most difficult challenge of going into Jamaica, but we feel that we are in a good place, and it's a long road ahead. We were never going to try and tell the public something else, but we know the challenge of qualifying was always going to be a bit challenging for us, and this is the first step towards it."
