Defeats Throughout 2022 Leave Reggae Boyz Languishing Outside Top 60
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz have slipped out of the top’s 60 following some dismal yet flsttering results this year under interim head coach Paul Hall.
However, the good news from FIFA’s latest world rankings is that the Boyz remain the fifth-highest ranked team in the CONCACAF region. Hall, who took over the reins from axed head coach Theodore Whitmore in December, has not managed to achieve the results that the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) were anticipating.
Following a trio of CONCACAF World Cup defeats, Jamaica have fallen by five spots to be ranked as world no.62. Mexico, who registered a 2-1 win at Kingston’s National Stadium in January, have leapfrogged the United States in the latest world rankings. Mexico moved up two places to reach no.12 while the US fell two places to no.13 after two victories and a slender defeat to in-form Canada during the World Cup qualifiers.
Both Canada, in formidable form with their unbeaten run in 11 qualifiers for Qatar 2022, and Costa Rica have leaped seven places to be ranked no33 and no.42 respectively.
Costa Rica inflicted a 1-0 defeat on Jamaica in Kingston last month, although the JFF have controversially lodged a formal complaint to FIFA claiming that the visitors fielded two COVID-positive players during the encounter.
With eight CONCACAF teams in the World Cup qualifiers, the Boyz are ranked above Panama (no.63), El Salvador (no.70) and Honduras (no.78). However, this could soon alter as the JFF president Michael Ricketts has proclaimed that for the rest of the World Cup campaign that island-based players will be given an opportunity.
There are three group games remaining in the chase for a trio of automatic places to qualify for November’s World Cup finals in Qatar. With the fourth-placed nation given a chance to qualify through a play-off match.
Yet Jamaica are out of contention to make it to Qatar 2022 unless FIFA overturn the Costa Rica result and award the Boyz maximum points.
Hall’s final three games as interim head coach are a home tie against El Salvador (24 March), a visit to Canada (27 March) and then to welcome Honduras to Kingston’s National Stadium (30 March).
CONCACAF World Cup qualifying table (after 11 games): Canada 25pts (+14 goal difference), USA 21pts (+9), Mexico 21pts (+6), Panama 17pts (+1), Costa Rica 16pts (+1), El Salvador 9pts (-7), Jamaica 7pts (-8), Honduras 3pts (-17)
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