Reggae Boyz vs Japan Friendly Match Cancelled after COVID-19 Concerns
The Japan Football Association has officially cancelled the match they had scheduled for this Thursday against Jamaica’s national football team. According to the JFA, the Reggae Boyz tried to enter Japan in two different groups however one of the groups were not allowed to enter because of COVID-19 concerns.
The report detailed that the groups were travelling from the US and from Europe. While the US group was allowed to enter the country, the Europe group was not allowed to do so. JFA chairman Kozo Tashima explained that the reason for the denial of entry for the Europe group which consists of mostly English based players was because the COVID-19 negative certificates presented were deemed “inadequate”.
The problem was caused by the fact that the English-based players did PCR tests using the widely accepted dual method of the nostril and oral swabs, but, Japan only accepts the more complicated nasal PCR tests and this was not explained to the JFF prior.
“We need to be careful to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again,” said Tashima.
The players who did not get to travel on the first trip have already done the required nasal PCR test and will arrive in Japan on Wednesday. As a result Japan has already chosen to play against Japan’s Olympic team on Thursday.
Overseas names that made the squad are; Andre Blake and Cory Burke from the Philadelphia Union Club team, Kasey Palmer and Adrian Mariappa who plays for Bristol City, Wesley Harding and Devon Williams from Birmingham City, Devon Walker, Lamar Walker and Jashaun Anglin from Miami City, Kemar Lawrence from Toronto Fc, Oniel Fisher who plays for La Galaxy, and Bobby Reid just to name some of the internationally based players.
Some of the locally selected footballers include Dennis Taylor from Humble Lion, Luca Levee who plays for Harbour view Fc, and Jardine White from Cavalier Sc. The Jamaican team is scheduled tackle Serbia on June 7th and the Japanese Olympic team on June 12th. These two matches are expected to go on as scheduled.
According to Fifa, Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz currently ranks 48th worldwide with Belgium being the number 1 ranked football team in the world.
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Check out the squad below.
