MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, CMC- Jamaica’s head coach Winfried Schaefer says discipline, team spirit and adequate preparation are factors which helped propel Reggae Boyz to another CFU Caribbean Cup title on Tuesday night.
Jamaica out-shot Trinidad and Tobago 4-3 on penalty kicks after scores were locked nil-all following regular and extra time in the finals at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.
“This is a team with very good spirit, big discipline and very strong, and today was the highlight of it,” noted Schaefer.
“I hope everybody knows now what is possible in Jamaica when we have good preparation, when we have good time with our team, good service for our team; only then we can make success”.
Reggae Boyz victory over Soca Warriors was the sixth time they have won the CFU Cup and their second title in the last five years.
In 2010 they defeated Guadeloupe, also on penalties, in the final staged in Martinique.
“This team is fantastic, everybody should be proud of this team,” said Schaefer during a post-game interview.
“I’m very proud of this team. I have won the African Cup, the Caribbean Cup, the Dubai Cup, I’m very proud of my team, they are fantastic and we have to do all that is necessary for this team, or else we go down (regress)”.
Outstanding Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake, who won the Golden Glove Award, gave his team the perfect start when he denied skipper Kenwyne Jones.
However the win was sealed when T and T’s Khaleem Hyland blasted over the cross bar to set off ecstatic celebrations across Jamaica.
“The aim of the team was to win the tournament,” declared an excited Schaefer.
“The players went over the limit despite their many problems and fatigue and they did everything to win the cup.”
The top four teams from the Caribbean Cup, including third-placed Haiti, who beat Cuba 2-1 in the bronze medal match, had already qualified for next summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The victory also guarantees Jamaica’s participation in a special edition of the 2016 Copa America Centenario slated for the United States.
