Audley Boyd, Assistant Editor - Sport

Reggae Boyz head coach, Winfried Schäfer, insists Friday's World Cup Qualifying football match against Nicaragua will be the most significant for his team.

In a year when Jamaica shot their way into the history books on several fronts, Schäfer outlined that nothing supersedes clearing the first hurdle on the 'Road to Russia' campaign, which is geared at qualification for the 2018 World Cup Finals.

"It's more important than the Gold Cup," Schäfer noted, referring to Jamaica's participation in the CONCACAF flagship tournament last month, when they advanced to the championship game against Mexico, before losing 3-1.

Schäfer said the Reggae Boyz are pumped up for Friday's match.

"It's the first qualification for the World Cup group. All the players are highly motivated," he said. "We need a full stadium behind us, it's important.

"We have to play with (a lot of) concentration, be disciplined and everybody has to play for the team," Schäfer underscored. "It's not easy."

The coach has recalled Alvas Powell to the national senior men's squad. Powell, 21, turned his back on Jamaica by walking out of the national team at the Gold Cup, following their first round 1-0 win over El Salvador at BMO Field in Toronto. At the time, Schafer said he would not recall the player, but with barely a month gone and with the crucial World Cup engagement at hand, he notes that the unavailability of key players has forced his decision.

The countries will play home and away, this weekend at the National Stadium and in Nicaragua next Tuesday, with the winners advancing to the 12-team CONCACAF semi-final group stage on aggregate.

"We've problems in the defence," the German coach said. "We don't have Wes Morgan and we've lost Jermaine Taylor (injury).

"That is why I take Alvas back," Schäfer reasoned. "He called me and said 'sorry for this' and I told him when you come back you've to talk with our team. He's a young player and he told me he made a mistake. I think we'll give him a second chance."