Sat May 31 14:50:00 UTC 2025: **Jamaica and Nigeria Set for Unity Cup Final Showdown**

**[City, Date]** – Despite the Unity Cup’s emphasis on fostering camaraderie, Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren has made it clear that his team is aiming for victory as they prepare to face Nigeria in the tournament final today at 11 a.m.

The Unity Cup, designed to promote unity between nations, will see Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana face-off in the third-place match at 6:30 p.m.. However, the focus remains on the final, where McClaren insists winning is the only acceptable outcome for the Jamaican squad.

“When you’re playing for Jamaica, there are no friendlies. You’ve got to win every game,” McClaren stated emphatically in a pre-game interview. He highlighted the high expectations of fans, the team, and the players themselves.

Jamaica is coming off a narrow 3-2 victory against Trinidad and Tobago in their opening match. McClaren acknowledged the limited preparation time before that game but praised his team’s performance. He also noted that the team’s spirits are high.

McClaren expects a much tougher challenge from Nigeria, praising their Premier League-level talent, organization, athleticism, and team spirit. Jamaica’s historical record against Nigeria stands at one win, three draws, and two losses in six encounters. The last match between the two teams resulted in a scoreless draw in 2009.

“Nigeria were very strong with Premier League players – very good players. They were very well organised, very athletic, very strong and what I liked was the spirit that they showed,” McClaren said.

The Reggae Boyz are at full strength. McClaren views this match as a crucial opportunity for players to prove their worth ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers and the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, also anticipates an exciting game, describing the Reggae Boyz as a “great team.” He added: “We want to win but the reality is that Jamaica is a great team with a great staff, great players. It will be a great game.”

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