AS GUYANA prepare to face St Lucia on Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, head coach Jamaal Shabazz says he’s looking forward to the challenge both on and off the field.

The International Friendly will be the Golden Jaguars’ first at home after a break of over two years, dating back to their 2014 World Cup Qualifiers.
On the field, Shabazz calls St Lucia a formidable opponent who will give his side the test they need heading into the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers against St Vincent and the Grenadines and off the pitch, the pressure of pleasing the Guyanese fans will present an equal challenge.
“I don’t mind how people judge us” Shabazz told Chronicle Sport in an exclusive interview yesterday, adding, “We’re happy to be back playing home and we’re happy that football will be played in Guyana once again because it’s so important to play home, to integrate with the fans and get back that feeling of playing for a people”.
“So we will no way feel pressured by expectation; in fact we welcome the feeling of expectation because we’re working hard to achieve our goal,” Shabazz said.
Despite pointing out that’s the best way to please the home crowd and those who were longing to see the Jaguars play. It’s also important that they (the coaching staff) try to find the right formula and combination ahead of the qualifiers and the Friendly Internationals which will give them the perfect chance to fit the right piece of the puzzle together.
“First it’s important to come out with a good result and added to that, we’re trying to be compact; we’re trying to work on our compact approach because this is how it is at CONCACAF and World level now.
“A lot of our time has been spent on trying to move on as a unit in defence and move as a unit in attack, so while the result is crucial, I think it’s also important to display what we’ve been doing in the training ground,” said Shabazz.
Meanwhile, Banks DIH behind its Coca Cola and Banks Beer brands came on board to sponsor the team’s friendly internationals against St Lucia and Grenada which are set for this Sunday and March 29 at the Guyana National Stadium.
The company said that it feels obligated to support the National team because of its strong ties to the people of Guyana.
An urge was made for the public to come out and support the side by wearing yellow, as the company wishes to see a ‘sea of yellow’ flowing through the stands at the stadium.
Tickets cost $1 000 for general admission and $4 000 for VIP.