Being placed in what has been described as ‘the most competitive group’ of Copa America 2015, Jamaica had their work cut out for them, being the first Caribbean representative in the tournament’s history. After two games in the group stage, Jamaica still hasn’t managed to claim any points after losing 1-0 to both Uruguay and Paraguay. The Reggae Boyz’ next opponent is another tough one; They’ll be challenging heavyweights Argentina on Saturday, June 20th. Residing at the base of their group table, the odds of the Boyz advancing beyond this stage are possible, but very small. They can no longer qualify as one of the top two teams in their group, but still have a chance as one of the top two third-placed teams.
There has been a mix of reactions from sports fans to the performances; Some sending praises for the level of display by the Jamaican team, while others shared criticisms of players not being able to capitalize on chances, as well as being “praised for not losing by a large margin”. HVFC international Kemar Lawrence, who currently plays for the New York Red Bulls and has been a consistent member of Jamaica’s squad since 2013, shared his thoughts and emotions on Facebook following the loss against Uruguay.
“Can’t sleep and can’t eat after games, this is all I got. God gave me something special and I’m trying my best, and I know some of my teammates change tops [jerseys] after the game but that’s not why they go out there either. We are grateful to represent a beautiful and great country such as Ja[maica] and we won’t stop until we start winning. Don’t think we go to bed after nights like this, because we don’t. The stuff* we do out there keeps replaying in our heads and that leads to sleepless nights and frustration on how to get it right, but with God there is hope. I am proud to be a Jamaican.” – Kemar ‘Taxi’ Lawrence
Keep up the good fight Boyz!