Sports

U-17 Girlz end on winning note

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- Jamaica's Under-17 Reggae Girlz ended their CONCACAF World Cup qualifying campaign on a winning note by blanking Panama 2-0 at the Morera Soto Stadium here on Monday.

Shantel Bailey opened the account in the 28th minute and skipper Trudi Carter put the icing on the cake in the 74th in a 10-man effort, as goalkeeper Shantel Graham was sent off for handling the ball outside her authorised area in the 15th minute.

Coach Vin Blaine was relieved the Girlz will leave Costa Rica with at least three points and be spared the humiliation of finishing at the bottom of Group A.

"I don't think it was one of our best games, as I believe our best games were... against Canada and Mexico... We came out and were put on the backfoot right away when we went down to 10 players, but I think the girls fought hard," he said.

The win ensured Jamaica finished third in Group A with three points. Canada were surprisingly beaten 1-0 by Mexico in a late game, thus finishing runners-up in the group.

The Young Girlz lost their two previous matches 1-4 to Canada and 0-3 to Mexico. They started Monday's game positively as they attempted the passing game, but fell down on occasions in the offensive third of the field.

The one-player deficit did not appear to matter as the Jamaicans matched strides with their opponents for the most part.

And following a number of offensive moves spearheaded by Shenika Williams, captain Carter and Bailey, Jamaica got their second goal of the tournament.

In a neat give-and-go down the left flank in the 28th, Bailey was sent charging into the box, and her attempted cross to the far post dropped short of the intended target and into the Panamanian goal.

Two minutes later, US-based Alika Keene worked her way into a good position for a shot, but her right-footed effort ballooned over the horizontal from 20 yards.

But while Jamaica were being enterprising at the opposing end, central defenders Renee Freeman and Shauntae Brown had their hands full containing the main Panamanian threat in the towering and lanky striker Angela Evans.

In one of her moves in the 20th, Evans wriggled her way from her markers and chested the ball around advancing goal-tender Chris-Ann Chambers, but the goal was ruled offside in a late response from the assistant referee.

Jamaica doubled their lead in the 74th when a disappointing Carter, up to this point, drifted into space at the edge of the area to lob the goalkeeper.

Group B of the tournament was finalised on Sunday when the USA razed hosts Costa Rica 10-0 to top the group, while the Cayman Islands clipped Haiti 1-0 in an all-Caribbean match-up for third spot.

Canada, Mexico, USA and Costa Rica will contest the semi-finals today.

Jamaica -- Shantel Graham, Tisha Campbell-Henny (Chris-Ann Chambers 15th), Adrianna Johnson, Renee Freeman, Shauntae Brown, Lotoya Duhaney (Natani Tomlinson-Trail 81st), Trudi Carter, Shenika Williams (Teola Caine 68th), Shanise Foster, Shantel Bailey, Alika Keene.

Subs not used: Sh'nell Briscoe, Davia Morrison, Shanese Bowen, Remona

Booked: Graham (15th red card)

Panama -- Anyuri Montenegro, Angela Evans, Yessenia Zorrilla (Mayra Jordan 63rd), Natalia Mills, Margie Moreno, Gabriela Guevara (Yerenis De Leon 70th), Astrid Diaz, Joselyne Sanjur (Isis Herrera 86th), Lisbany Alveo, Onelys Alvarado.

Subs not used: Saireth Perez, Celeste Garcia, Yoselyne Sanjur, Alma Valderrama.

Booked:

Referee: Margaret Domka (USA)

Assistant Referees: Veronica Perez (USA), Maria Saez (CUB)

Fourth Official: Irazema Aguilera (CUB)

Match Commissioner: Boris Punch.

Did you watch American football's Super Bowl on Sunday?
	Yes, but just for the advertisements
	Yes, just for the game itself
	Yes, for both the game and advertisements
	No, I did not watch the Super Bowl.

View Results
Results published weekly in Sunday Finance

Username:
Password: