Fans excited to be back at ‘The Office’
Published:Wednesday | November 17, 2021 | 12:11 AM
EVEN WITH the limited crowd, for local fans who got to watch the Reggae Boyz World Cup qualifying game against the United States, it was a relief for them to be in the National Stadium for the first time in over 20 months.
A maximum of 5,000 fully vaccinated fans were approved to attend the game, the first time that the Reggae Boyz have played in front of their fans since the start of the campaign.
For Triscia Turner, the occasion represented a small return to normality with large gatherings, and a reward for getting vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus
“I think it’s exciting that everybody gets to come out and see what Jamaicans really love, which is football,” Turner told The Gleaner. “I know everyone else is excited to be here as well. If we do our due diligence and get vaccinated we deserve to be able to have the privileges and fun that come with it.”
Additionally, she said it was more significant coinciding with the 24th anniversary of the 1998 World Cup campaign.
“If it’s the anniversary this is a perfect time for this to be the first time we come back in a while,” said Turner.
PLEASED WITH PROTOCOLS
For Machel Erskine, while acknowledging the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented in not being able to gather normally at events, he was pleased with the protocols, which included the sanitation upon entering the National Stadium.
“Just to experience this and to see everybody coming out and everything is good. I think everybody wants the freedom to move about and do their regular activities. But we understand the situation and we don’t want this thing to spread and kill persons,” Erskine said. “I faced several protocols upon entering the stadium and throughout the process, so I can sit down and enjoy the game.”
Patrons had to use an online registration system to not only verify their vaccination status, but also to purchase their tickets.
It is a process that needed some assistance for Anthony Nelson, whose family travelled from Montego Bay and needed assistance to secure his place at the stadium.
NOT EASY
“We have been so hungry to watch international matches. It was not easy because we had to go into higher technology due to my son, because he is more advanced than I am,” Nelson said. “We were able to do everything to come to the football match.”
It was not just the local fans relishing the moment. United States fan, Eric Schmitz, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee and has attended the majority of the United States’ away games, was pleased with the protocols.
“There have been plenty of health checks. I felt very secure that they are not going to let anyone in that should not be in here. With everything going on in the world this is what has to be done to be safe,” Schmitz said.
Erskine hopes that the fan support can continue for the following home games in 2022, as Jamaica continues its crucial stretch of qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
“The more support the better. The Reggae Boyz need it,” Eskine said.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw. Timothy Pepi gave the United States an 11th-minute lead, but Michail Antonio equalised for Jamaica at the 22nd minute.