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Boyz break heart of MoBay fans seeking relief from Melissa’s misery
November 21, 2025
WESTERN BUREAU:
Scores of football fans in Montego Bay, who left the darkness in their communities on Tuesday night to watch the crucial World Cup qualifier between Jamaica and Curacao, which was being shown on a big screen in Sam Sharpe Square, had one thing in mind, they wanted something to lift them from the misery left behind by Hurricane Melissa.
Since the passage of the hurricane, life in many communities has all but become primitive, with residents facing the daily struggles of trying to survive with compromised shelter, limited amount of food items, no electricity, no water in their pipes, against a massive mosquito invasion, which, combined with the heat, has made night life oppressive.
So naturally, football lovers jumped at the opportunity to leave the darkness and the mosquito menace behind to cheer for the Reggae Boyz from the artificial sides created sitting in the historic square, which was cordoned off to allow them to occupy the roadway, sitting on chairs, boxes or just on the asphalt.
FANTASTIC IDEA
"I think this is a fantastic idea," said former national striker Devon Ricketts, who turned out to watch the game.
"With no electricity, we would not be able to watch the game on our television, which would mean not being able to see the game. So having the big screen here in Sam Sharpe Square is a blessing. We must commend the people behind the idea."
While there were many disappointed faces after the game, in which Jamaica failed to secure the victory that would have resulted in automatic qualification to the 2026 World Cup, the lead up to the game was an amazing spectacle as black, green and gold, men, women and children, with flags, horns and vuvuzuelas got ready for what many hoped would've been a victory.
Before the start of the game, the expectation of the fans was further lifted when former national striker, Paul 'Tegat' Davis - who had planned to travel to the National Stadium to watch the game live but was derailed by car trouble - joined the fans in the square, clad in the #9 shirt he wore while playing in Jamaica's successful 1998 World Cup campaign.
FIRST REGGAE BOY SHIRT
"MoBay, a yah suh it all start ... a we start the Reggae Boyz thing," said Davis, after he was introduced to the gathering and asked to say a few words.
"Yu see da shirt yah, a de first Reggae Boyz shirt dis. It put down for 28 years and mi tek it out tonight because I want tonight to be special ... we need to win this game.
"We are going to win, I am saying we are going to win 2-0," said Davis, who represented Jamaica in 61 full international games, scoring 18 goals in an illustrious career.
However, as the game progressed, the initial enthusiasm began to dissipate, with Jamaica struggling to get a grip on the game, and the visitors controlling the tempo.
"King (Richard), a wah wrong wid yu bwoy," screamed a fan, as if the defender would be able to hear him. "Man cut out de long aerial pass dem, yu nuh se dat nah work. Put the ball pon the ground star, get de midfield inna de game."
With time ticking away in the game, the groans of disappointment got loader, especially on the occasion when close-range attempts on goal by Jamaica came back after hitting the goalpost.
LOUD COMPLAINTS
Soon, some of the men, who came come with their bottles of rum to celebrate what they were hoping would be a Jamaica win, began loudly complaining about poor tactics by the coaching staff.
In extra time play, the square erupted in the loudest cheer of the night when the referee pointed to the penalty spot, after Jamaica's Dujuan 'Whisper' Richards was seemingly fouled inside the penalty area. However, almost eerie silence returned when the penalty call was ruled out by a VAR review.
After the final whistle, the square emptied out in minutes, as the disappointed fans, stung by the unexpected result, began their journey back to their light-less communities to face the misery of the sweltering heat and the menacing mosquitoes, with burden added by the disappointing Reggae Boyz.
