The Reggae Boyz will be seeking revenge when they face Nigeria in today’s final of the Unity Cup at The Valley in South London. Match time is 1:30 p.m. Jamaica time.The Jamaicans were beaten 5-4 on penalties in last year’s final after both teams played out a 2-2 draw. The Reggae Boyz, ranked 71 by FIFA, have assembled a youthful and inexperienced squad for this year’s tournament. They booked their place in the final after an easy 2-0 victory over India (ranked 136) in Wednesday’s semi-final.On the other hand, Nigeria (ranked 26) got the better of Zimbabwe 2-0 in their semi-final encounter. Interim head coach of the Reggae Boyz Rudolph Speid said he is confident that they can turn the tables on their opponents today.“You guys (Nigeria) have beaten us every single time we have met, but I am hoping that is not the case this time,” said Speid after Wednesday's win against India.“It is always exciting to play against Nigerial. They are one of the powerhouses in Africa, so we always look forward to playing them.“The last time we played them the match was very exciting - 2-2 draw. This year, I hope we will have a better result against them,” he said.Speid also added that his technical staff hads already started assessing the Nigerians ahead of today’s final and, therefore, he wais expecting a very tough encounter.“We saw them play last night, and we will do some more analysis of what they will be doing and then we will decide if we need to change anything,” he said.“They are very good, but every team is beatable. We have to be wary of what they bring, but we have some things to bring ourselves. We are still in a rebuilding stage, there are a lot of young players, but nobody is a winner before the game is played,” Speid said.The Reggae Boyz will be without experienced midfielder Issac Hayden, who has left the squad due to personal reasons. The team will be led by captain Damion Lowe, Odin Samuels-Smith, and Kyle Ming in defence. Brandon Cover, Tyrese Hall, and Courtney Clarke, who scored his first goal for the country against India, will marshal the Reggae Boyz midfield.The Jamaican attack will once again be led by Kaheim Dixon, who netted the country’s second goal against India, along with Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri. The bulk of the Nigerian squad is based in Britain. Twenty-four year-old Femi Azeez of English Championship club Millwall bagged both goals in the 2-0 semi-final win over Zimbabwe on Tuesday. Azeez, who scored 11 goals and had seven assists for Millwall from midfield last season, should again be the dangerman for Nigeria in today's game. CAPTION:Courtesy of @CourtsOfficial4Reggae Boyz defender Courtney Clarke celebrates after scoring against India during their Unity Cup semi-final match on Wednesday.
Boyz on a mission: Jamaica seek to dethrone Nigeria in Unity Cup final
The Reggae Boyz will be seeking revenge when they face Nigeria in today’s final of the Unity Cup at The Valley in South London. Match time is 1:30 p.m. Jamaica time.The Jamaicans were beaten 5-4 on penalties in last year’s final after both teams played out a 2-2 draw. The Reggae Boyz, ranked 71 by FIFA, have assembled a youthful and inexperienced squad for this year’s tournament. They booked their place in the final after an easy 2-0 victory over India (ranked 136) in Wednesday’s semi-final.











