A YOUNG Golden Jaguars team will depart Guyana today from the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara, for St Kitts and Nevis to play back-to-back matches in their final Group F encounter in the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup Qualifiers. “We are very optimistic as usual, because we’re still in the race,” head coach Marcio Maximo said, taking into consideration Guyana’s peculiar position in the group that consists of Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, and Puerto Rico. Guyana will face the home side (St Kitts and Nevis) on June 4, followed by Puerto Rico on June 8. Both matches kick-off at 16:00hrs. After two matches, Golden Jaguars are in third place behind Trinidad and Tobago and group leaders St Kitts and Nevis.
Having lost 0-3 to Soca Warriors, and claiming a 4-0 victory of The Bahamas in their opening matches, Golden Jaguars must hope those teams slip-up in the concluding group matches, in order to secure the top spot in the group and progress to round two. “It’s not going to be easy, but we have to win these two games. We have an equal chance in our view. Our team has been training very well and everyone is motivated to represent Guyana,” Maximo said.

Maximo raised some eyebrows with the composition of the team selected, with the Brazilian leaving out Colchester United talisman Callum Harriott, captain Sam Cox and defender Kadell Daniel. In all, there have been six changes to Guyana’s 23-man roster, as Maximo looks to find favour with a more youthful and inexperienced side.
The team saw a return of Duke-McKenna, Kevin Layne and Liam Gordon and handed first-time call-ups to three U-20 national players.
Duke-McKenna, the flashy 20-year-old midfield player, made his first team debut for English Football League Championship side, Queens Park Rangers (QPR) this year.
Layne, 23, has recently signed for Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant Academy, joining Golden Jaguars goalkeeper Akel Clarke in the island’s top flight.
Bolton Wanderers full back Gordon, 22, has impressed on loan at fifth tier Dagenham and Redbridge.
Javier George who plays in midfield for Stade Beaucairois in the French fifth tier, Santos midfielder Marcus Wilson and Guyana Police Force forward Osafa Simpson have already made their mark at international level as part of the recent Guyana U-20 squad.

English Premier League’s Watford defender Bayli Spencer-Adams, 19, and Bournemouth midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh, 19, re-joined the squad following their international debuts in March, alongside 17-year-old Fruta Conquerors forward Omari Glasgow, who scored in a memorable debut against The Bahamas in March.
According to Maximo, “it’s very important that you renew the team and maintain the competitive level but in Guyana’s case, we do not have another option.”
“Even the players who did good performance overseas and also local players are young. So Guyana should look at the present of course, try to represent well, but also, don’t forget the future. We should maintain the programme that we have in Guyana now as its foundation for at least 10 years,” he noted.
While optimistic that Guyana will advance, Maximo was keen to note that “we might not get the best results at this time, but definitely in the future and I hope in the next games.”