JA secure first win in Jr Pan Am Champs
CAPTAIN Demi Nicholson and Trudy-Ann Knight spurred Jamaica to their first victory yesterday in the 7th Women’s Junior Pan Am Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Knight scored a penalty corner in the 50th minute and Nicholson cracked in a field goal 20 minutes later for Jamaica Under-21 girls to beat Paraguay 2-0 in a Pool B match.
Jamaica have moved into fourth place with three points in this group, after Chile and defending champions United States, who have both won all their three matches so far to lead with nine points.
Trinidad & Tobago are in third place also with three points, losing two and winning one, but with a goal difference of -6 compared to Jamaica’s -11.
The Dr Michelle Holt-guided girls will go for their second win this morning at 9:00 when they face Venezuela, which have also won one of their three games and sporting a goal difference of -18.
However, they will have to put their best forward against the South Americans, who defeated T&T 3-2.
Jamaica lost their two previous matches 3-0 and 10-0 to T&T and title-contenders Chile, respectively.
After the end of day four Thursday, Chile have the three leading scorers in the Women’s Junior Pan Am with Manuela Urroz (six), Josefina Khamis (five), and Maria Jose MacKenna (five).
In Pool A, Uruguay lead with seven points after two wins and a draw, ahead of Argentina, who won both their matches with six points.
Meanwhile, in the 10th Men’s Junior Pan Am Championship, also being held in Guadalajara, Mexico, the Kemar Mitchell-skippered young Jamaicans will shoot for their first win this afternoon at 4:00 when they tackle Brazil in a Pool A encounter.
Earlier this week, the Aubyn Ferguson-coached lads suffered heavy defeats to T&T and defending champions Argentina who won 8-1 and 8-0, respectively.
Brazil, however, which lost 0-5 to T&T and defeated Guyana 7-1 will be led by Matheus Borgias and Fabian Rickenbach, both scoring two goals each.
Unbeaten Argentina and T&T lead Pool A with six points, Canada head Pool B with nine points, having won all three matches, and the undefeated United States top Pool C with six points.
