McClaren praises veterans for good start to WCQs
Published:Sunday | September 7, 2025 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott - Gleaner Writer
REGGAE BOYZ coach Steve McClaren believes the key to Jamaica’s opening Concacaf World Cup qualifying 4-0 win over Bermuda, in Bermuda on Friday, was the quality and leadership from senior players.
Individual efforts from Renaldo Cephas (26th minute) and Kasey Palmer (58th), followed up Damion Lowe’s sixth-minute opener, while striker Shamar Nicholson sealed the result with a 90th-minute header.
McClaren, who called the game ‘tricky’ and difficult initially, noted that getting the early goal from Lowe was settling, and that their quality separated them from their spirited opponents.
“This was what you call a tricky game. It’s difficult. It started that way. We wanted to score the first goal and we did that. Settled us down a little bit.
“Credit to Bermuda, they kept playing football, kept creating opportunities, which we had to defend very well, and we did.
“But the individual quality got us the goals. It was a professional performance. We talked about a clean sheet and we did that.
“We took our opportunities with the quality we have. We could have been better on the ball. We could have used the ball better and kept it better.
“So (we had) 46 per cent possession. But, on transition, we created nine chances, and could have scored more,” he said.
He also praised the leadership of Captain Lowe, Richard King and Isaac Hayden.
“The likes of Tyrece Campbell, Kaheim (Dixon), (Ronaldo) Webster coming on, Karoy (Anderson). But the old heads were the key to the win. The likes of Damion Lowe, even Richard King, who is really growing in stature. He looked immense. Isaac Hayden was very good. Kasey got his goal. And our front three was very quick in transition and always dangerous,” he said.
PREPARED FOR A TOUGH MATCH
McClaren said they were fully aware of Bermuda’s qualities and prepared the players mentally to face a tough match, and was pleased with how they executed on the night.
“That’s what we said. Come here (Bermuda). Take the three points and go home. I’ve watched many games with Bermuda, and I’ve said to the players, and they took it on board, it’s not going to be an easy game for people coming here, and we were very fortunate the field is in perfect condition.
“I’m impressed with some of the new players coming in and all the players who had caps before. It’s great to see the likes of Shamar coming in and Damion Lowe, who have not played much football but got the goals, which is most important. And credit to the deliveries on set-pieces, which we said at the beginning of the game was going to be very important.
“We easily could have had more goals. But we got to be satisfied with four. A very professional performance. Job done. Let’s recover. Get back to Jamaica and prepare for Tuesday,” he added.
Jamaica took the lead after six minutes when Lowe toed home a loose ball from a corner.
Chephas made it 2-0 after 26 minutes, speeding his way from the half line before dismissing a couple defenders and firing home.
The Boyz then weathered an early second-half burst from the home team, and Palmer fired home a low shot from the edge of the box in the 58th minute to put Jamaica 3-0 up.
Nicholson sealed the win in the last minute when he rose at the near post to head home a corner from Webster.
The Reggae Boyz arrived in the island yesterday, ahead of their Tuesday fixture against Trinidad and Tobago at the National Stadium. The game begins at 7 p.m.