JAMAICA will take on Paraguay in the ninth-place play-off this morning at 10:45 in the 7th Women’s Junior Pan Am Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico, after beating Brazil 2-1 yesterday.

Trudy-Ann Knight and Chakira Airey scored penalty corners in the 13th and 34th minutes for Jamaica to enter the break 2-0.

Camila De Aguiar scored the lone goal for the Brazilians in the 40th minute, allowing the Dr Michelle Holt-guided team to register their second win from six games in the championship.

Jamaica already defeated Paraguay 2-0 in the preliminary round on September 14, when Knight and Nicholson hit the woodwork in the 50th and 70th minutes.

Meanwhile, Chile, defending champions USA, Argentina and Canada have underlined their status as the top four women’s teams in the competition. The Chileans, however, are the favourites to take the title as they boast the top three scorers in the championship in Manuela Urroz, 10 goals; Josefina Khamis, seven goals; and Fernanda Flores, six goals.

Women’s tournament director Margaret Johnson has kept a well-run ship, pouncing on anything affecting the smooth running of the competition of which the Demi Nicholson-led Under-21 girls got a taste.

Last week, they received an official warning after the tournament bus departed late for matches.

In a letter to the Jamaica women’s team manager Carol Hibbert, she said:

“In the tournament briefing meeting, transportation was discussed and it is imperative that everyone is on time for their scheduled pick-up and departure times. As a reminder, there are only limited buses for the 24 teams. It is very important that all teams adhere to their schedules. The consequences of your actions affect the entire transportation schedule,” the tournament director added.

“From now on,” she pointed out, “the bus will leave as scheduled. If your team is not on the bus, it will be your responsibility to find your own way to the field. Please make sure to review the tournament regulations 12.1 and 12.2a for the consequences if you are late for your match,” she stated.

“If this happens again, I will be forced to take further disciplinary action against you and your team,” she warned.

In the 10th Men’s Junior Pan Am Championship, Jamaica will tackle Uruguay in a top-of-the-table Pool G clash today at 2:45 pm, with the winner battling for seventh place.

Uruguay already defeated Venezuela 4-1 and Guatemala 6-0 in the group, while the Kemar Mitchell-led Jamaica defeated Guatemala, again, 6-1 on Wednesday.

Should Jamaica win, they will likely play Brazil, and if they lose, the Aubyn Ferguson-coached unit could meet Barbados in the ninth-place play-off.

Defending champions Argentina and Canada have declared themselves title contenders in the men’s championship, with the Argentines having the top scorer in Gonzalo Peillat, 13 goals, with Jamaica’s Mitchell in second place with 11 goals