We believe in Leon –Whitmore
National senior head coach Theodore Whitmore has backed midfielder Leon Bailey to display his best throughout the Gold Cup tournament, ahead of their second group game today.
The Reggae Boyz will face Guadeloupe at 5:30 p.m. at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, with a chance to secure a quarter-final berth with a win.
Bailey, 23, had been out of the national team since last November’s match against Saudi Arabia and only made his first international appearance of 2021 in their opening 2-0 win against Suriname. While the finalising of the World Cup qualifying contract prevented his availability for the March friendly against the United States, he missed the final two games of the club season with German outfit Bayer Leverkusen with a toe injury.
During his pre-game press conference, Whitmore has called for patience with
“We know what he can offer to this team and it’s just a matter of time to see all those qualities come out.”
Bailey as he believes that he will play a significant role in the Reggae Boyz chances of progressing through the tournament.
“The good news is that he has gone through the first game. We don’t want to put Leon under excessive pressure but I think we know the quality of a Leon Bailey,” Whitmore said. “We know what he can offer to this team and it’s just a matter of time to see all those qualities come out.”
Bailey is coming off the best statistical season with Leverkusen scoring 15 goals and registering 11 assists in all competitions last year. It was Bailey that helped to set up Jamaica’s first goal against Suriname. He weaved his way through the penalty area, before finding Daniel Johnson who relayed the ball to Shamar Nicholson whose low drive found the bottom corner.
Bailey is expected to feature again for Jamaica against a Guadeloupe team that gave Costa Rica problems despite eventually losing 3-1. But national defender Amari’i Bell says that he believes that they can put on a more complete performance than they did against Suriname.
“The squad is confident (they will) go out there and do well. We want to improve on the previous game so I think that’s what we are all aiming for,” Bell said.
The Reggae Boyz will face Guadeloupe with a reduced squad today. A player has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be unavailable for selection in today’s game.
Costa Rica will face Suriname in the second game of the double-header at 7:30 p.m. Jamaica time. Both Jamaica and Costa Rica enter today’s fixtures with three points.