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Blake credits Boyz’ commitment
September 14, 2023
Goalkeeper captain Andre Blake is positing that the Reggae Boyz were committed to dragging themselves from their precarious position after they conceded two early goals in their League A Concacaf Nations League Group match against Haiti at the National Stadium Tuesday night.
The Reggae Boyz trailed Haiti 2-0 at halftime, and Blake had to make a crucial save in the second half while still hunting their first goal, which kept the contest alive. He credits the players for their resolve and commitment to earn the 2-2 draw from a situation he believes was tedious to overcome.
"It is never easy to come back against a good team, so credit to the boys for sticking together, supporting each other and fighting through the situation.
"We didn't win, but we definitely build some character out there because, as a good team, you want to have moments like this to show that you can come back from two goals down," Blake said.
He revealed that the determination not to lose was garnered during the discussion at halftime.
"We went in the locker room, and the talk was, 'No matter what, we cannot lose this game, whatever it was going to take'. We were playing well, and we had a lot of chances. We were not as clinical as we wanted to be on the night.
"We went into the locker room and knew exactly what the game was like. We just said, 'Stick together and support each other'.
"It was all about getting that first one, and we were getting the chances. We just needed to put the first one away, and the second one would come," Blake continued.
Midway through the second half, a Haitian forward broke loose and looked sure to make it 3-0, but the Jamaican captain spread-eagled to thwart the danger.
"I knew if they scored at that point, the game would be over, so I just tried to keep my composure and stay as big as possible and do everything I could to make that save," Blake said.
He added that the Reggae Boyz must be consistent onward, although still gelling.
"We need more consistency in the team to keep things going, but sometimes we forget that this team is relatively new. We are still figuring it out, and players are still learning other players' tendencies.
"I am happy that we have identified a core group of guys and the more we play together, we are just going to get better, and I am excited for what's to come with this group."
