– valuable experience garnered despite 0-2 series loss
Despite being swept by the Trinidad and Tobago ‘Soca Warriors’ in their two-match international football series, Golden Jaguars head coach Jamaal Shabazz stated that Guyana’s recently concluded tour provided invaluable experience and insight that will shape the future of the locally based players.
This was disclosed in a press release from the Guyana Football Federation. The Golden Jaguars remain winless against Trinidad and Tobago in their previous meetings, as they lost 1-2 on Monday and 0-2 on Wednesday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain. Guyana’s dismal record reads: two wins, 17 losses, and seven draws.
Shabazz, during a post-match interview, said, “It is clear that player for player, we were able to match our opponents. Some boys gave a good account of themselves, and some were a bit nervous. Most importantly, the lads would have learnt a few lessons for their future, like the margin for error at the international level is small and the need for more composure in front of goal.”
The Golden Jaguars team, which primarily featured players from the Elite League, comprised: goalkeepers: Jamaine Cumberbatch, Amari Thompson, and Simon Emmanuel; defenders: Jeremy Garret, Curtez Kellman, Quincy Adams, Colin Nelson, Kevin Layne, and Cedric Osborn; midfielders: Leo Lovell, Bevan Baker, Terique Mohammed, Amos Ramsay, Nicolai Andrews, Ryan Hackett, Simeon Moore, Daniel Wilson, Chris Macey, Darron Niles, and Solomon Austin; and forwards: Kelsey Benjamin, Marcus Tudor, Anthony Smith, and Stephen McDonald.
He further stressed that “we did not win, but a lot of questions were answered as to who is ready to move into our full international squad. We achieved our other objectives. We got higher-level match practice for the likes of Daniel Wilson, Kelsey Benjamin, Curtez Kellman, Colin Nelson, and Ryan Hackett, all of whom travel with our first team. We gave valuable exposure to players like Marcus Tudor, Simeon Moore, Chris Macey, and Stephen McDonald, just to name a few.”
According to Shabazz, who is currently in his fourth stint with the team, “I must thank the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Football Federation for enabling this exposure for the home-based players. At least twice a year, we should get these types of matches for home-based players to develop.”
The series was being used to select the remaining roster spots for locally based players for the imminent qualifiers. The aforesaid fixtures also form part of the preparation for the team’s League A debut in the CONCACAF Nations League in September. The second match of the series will occur on Wednesday at the same venue.
The Golden Jaguars will commence their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign on June 6th, away to Panama. According to the match schedule published by the local confederation, Guyana will oppose Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez, Panama City, at 20:30 hrs.
The Golden Jaguars will then oppose Belize in their home fixture on June 11th. This match will be staged at the Wildey Astro Turf in Bridgetown, Barbados, at 18:00 hrs. CONCACAF is yet to confirm the dates and venues for the remaining matches.
The Golden Jaguars have been drawn in Group D in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which is scheduled to commence in June. The Guyanese have also been paired with Nicaragua and Montserrat.
In their previous 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, the Guyanese ended with a record of one win and three losses to finish in fourth place on three points. Guyana defeated the Bahamas 4-0 but suffered defeats against Trinidad and Tobago [0-3], St. Kitts and Nevis [0-3], and Puerto Rico [0-2].
Guyana is also slated to make its debut in League A of the CONCACAF Nations League. The Golden Jaguars were drawn into Group A alongside Costa Rica, Guatemala, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Suriname.
