GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — The U-20 Reggae Girlz will make yet another attempt at qualifying for a FIFA World Cup Finals when they tackle the USA in a tough game at 5:30 pm today at the Cementos Progreso Estadia here.

Jamaica are drawn in Group B of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship alongside the USA, Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago in the two-group format involving eight teams.

The Reggae Girlz are hunting one of three spots to the FIFA World Cup set for Germany this July.

Jamaica, who finished fourth in the 2006 edition, losing the third-placed play-off 1-4 to Mexico, are hoping to go at least one better, but have an uphill task in the so-called ‘Group of Death’.

The opening match cannot be any more difficult as they play a USA team which is the defending world champion, but head coach Vinimore “Vin” Blaine is approaching the game positively.

Said Blaine: “We have to be very cautious in the beginning, but not overly cautious, so we can see what they have to offer and as the game progresses, if we see where we can take them, we’ll do that.”

He added: “The key to the game is when we lose the ball how quickly we get back. We have to get behind the ball very quickly and when our chances come to attack we have to do that in a positive way.”

The USA, with two players from their world championship team in Sydney Leroux and Christine Nairn, should start overwhelming favourites, especially since there are eight players from their Under-17 team which lost to North Korea in the final of the FIFA World Cup in 2008.

But assistant coach Tom Stone is not taking anything for granted and is not taking the Jamaicans lightly.

“For the Under-20s it is the beginning of the biggest tournament and qualifying is a huge thing. Every country here will take great pride and we will go after it like we always do,” said Stone, who said he was coached by Jamaican Lorne Davis.

He added: “Just knowing from their 17s and 20s in the last two years, they will be very competitive, very athletic and we are looking forward to a good match.

“If the Jamaican players are very skilful like what their culture promotes, it will make it very difficult. We are different in our styles and we expect it to be a very difficult match,” he declared.

Jamaica had a fairly light workout yesterday morning at the Cejusa field, some 25 minutes away from the Holiday Inn Hotel and coach Blaine emphasised attack.

“We went over some attacking plays, that’s my area of concern… defensively, we can manage. We want them to understand how to break down the USA defence, which is very disciplined,” said Blaine.

Jamaica, who will be using the 4-4-2 formation, will be captained by Sashana Campbell and should have Sashagaye Spence in goal, having got the nod ahead of US-based Leigh Ann Jaggon.

Shanise Foster should start at right-back, with another US-based player, Lia Blake, and Canadian-based Zovel Hyre, as centre halves. Tasheka Small gets the nod at left-back.

In midfield, captain Campbell should be joined by the hard-tackling Nicole Campbell, the skillful Monigue Pryce and Shereen Clarke.

Canadian-based Cathryn Rogers and Lennon schoolgirl Semone Honeygan should start up front.

But the Jamaicans will have their hands full in containing Leroux, who won the Golden Ball award for being the most valuable player at the last FIFA World Cup in Chile in 2008. She also won the Golden Shoe award with five goals.

If Jamaica can contain Leroux, they will have a good chance of pulling off an upset, but the US was never a one-dimensional team and will as usual turn in an efficient display.

A win would be great for Jamaica, but their best bet is to get at least a point, or if defeated, keep it tight as goal difference could be an important factor in the battle for the second spot between Mexico and Trinidad & Tobago.