HEAD coach of Jamaica’s Under-20 women’s team, Vin Blaine, said he was largely satisfied with the rendition of the Young Reggae Girlz in the recent CFU World Cup qualifying finals, but warned there’s still a lot of work to be done as they move to the next level.

“We are going to need practice… too often we go into a tournament and our first game becomes our practice game, but we have to find a way to improve on that,” Blaine told the Sunday Observer.

He said that he needs to get his pool of players — overseas and local-based — together to ensure that the team gells in time for the CONCACAF Finals set for Panama from March 1 to 11.

“We don’t have much time and the overseas-based girls have not played together enough… we need practice games and camps to get the team playing as a unit and to play against teams that are better than us to see where we are,” Blaine said.

Jamaica booked their spot as the third qualifying team from the Caribbean for the CONCACAF play-offs following the recent CFU tournament in the Dominican Republic.

Having lost their opening Zone E CFU match 1-0 to Haiti, Jamaica rallied to beat The Cayman Islands, 2-0, and the hosts, 4-0, to revive their flagging campaign.

In the end their fate was decided by results in Zone F played in Cuba which saw them progressing to the CONCACAF round as the best runner-up team from across the zones with six points.

Only the winners of each group — Haiti from Zone E and Cuba from Zone F — gained automatic passage into the next stage.

Haiti topped Jamaica’s group with maximum nine points, while Cuba advanced from the other group with a mere five points.

“In the Haiti game we were a little bit disappointed, as we got caught flat-footed in that game… it was the first game and the first the girls were playing as a team and I think that Haiti came at us very physical and managed to control the game in the first half,” Blaine noted.

“In the second half we came out much better, but we didn’t have much luck as a dubious penalty was given against us, and while we got two, the ref didn’t give back one. With a little luck I thought we could have won that game,” Blaine said in reflecting on a match that tossed Jamaica’s campaign in a tailspin.

But as the tournament went on, the Girlz found their rhythm, though they weren’t always on cue as they were woeful in front of goal.

“In the second game the team gelled a little better though we missed a few chances to make the scoreline a little bigger, but 2-0 in a game like this (Cayman) would be okay.

“In the third game (against Dominican Republic) you could see the girls moving the ball around a little better…

“In the first half I thought we showed them too much respect, but in the second half we put the ball down and started to move it around and we were winning the ball in very key positions,” said Blaine as he summed up the Young Girlz’s three games.

Still, Blaine expressed disappointment that the Girlz did not advance to the CONCACAF stage as group winners.

“I was a little disappointed as we came here to top the group and to ensure that we go through to the CONCACAF round… if we had probably played Haiti in the second game, we would have taken them.

“I still think we are a better team than Haiti, not that they are a bad team, but I think that we are better overall,” said the man with overarching responsibility for the women’s programme as technical co-ordinator.

Kimberly Spence, a sophomore at Alabama’s Auburn University where she is pursuing a medical degree, was the pick of the Girlz with her intelligent play as a striker and left-back. Her two goals were testimony to her inspirational contribution and it has not gone unnoticed.

“Kimberly Spence was a revelation for me… what I see from her now is what we want in a team like this and it inspired the girls. She brought a certain amount of energy and intelligence to the play and it showed as she scored in two games…

“In her first game for the team against Haiti she was a little doubtful of what she must do… she in particular impressed me the most,” said Blaine.

Also outstanding for Jamaica was Carla Daniels, whose pace, skill and industry in defence provided spark. Also, there notable offerings from USA-based Marlo Sweatman; Shenika Williams, who scored two goals coming off the bench; captain Trudi Carter, who scored one goal, but who missed many opportunities to multiply her lot; and Canada-based goalkeeper Taylor Grant who was a trooper in guiding her team from the back with her vociferous urgings.

Other members of the squad to the Dominican Republic are Kedisha Cardoza, Sasalee Cooper, Khedine Salmon, Renee Freeman, Sharika Ingram, Lotoya Duhaney, Adriana Johnson, Khadija Shaw, Nicole Broderick, Toriana Patterson, Shanyce Shaw and Melissa Bryan.

Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba will now join the USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and hosts Panama for the eight-nation CONCACAF championship, with the three top finishers to gain places to the FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup to be played in Japan in the summer.

The draw for the CONCACAF tournament is due to take place in Miami today.