Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

Simoes

The Bahamas contingent also known as the Rake 'n' Scrape Boyz are expected to arrive in the island today ahead of Sunday's crucial first leg World Cup qualifier against Jamaica's Reggae Boyz at the National Stadium.

Despite their lowly rank of 167th in the latest FIFA World rankings, at least some fans have perhaps decided to sit up and take notice following an alarming 2-1 loss for the national team to Grenada in a mid-week friendly international. Many who once expected the reggae beat to easily drown out the native rake and scrape sound of The Bahamas, may now be having second thoughts, but not technical director René Simoes.

"I have no doubt that the team can perform well," Simoes said.

"All of us are as vexed about that result as the rest of Jamaica and it is a wake up call. I guarantee you that it will not be the same." he added.

Stunning victory

Unlike the Grenadians, who had registered a 2-0 win over Jamaica in 2001, The Bahamas have never beaten Jamaica at the senior level. The reverse also holds sway as the simple fact of the matter is that the teams have never met.

However, at the Under-23 level it was The Bahamians that registered a stunning 1-0 victory, which basically put the young Reggae Boyz out of the race for a spot in the Olympics.

Much like the senior team are expected to do now, the then Wendell Downswell coached Under-23 outfit a team, which won a silver medal in the Pan American Games, were expected to win easily against The Bahamas but after several squandered opportunities for the young Boyz the underdogs rallied to deliver a fatal blow.