Reggae meets Soca in CFU Women’s U20 Championship final
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago will meet in the final of the 2013 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Under-20 Championship today at the Anthony Spaulding Sport Complex.
This follows contrasting semi-final victories against Cuba and the Dominican Republic, respectively, at the same venue on Friday.
Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago will play the feature game at 6:00 pm, while Cuba and the Dominican Republic will feature earlier in the third-place play-off at 4:00 pm.
In the feature game to book their final spot Jamaica showed marked improvement from the sluggish display they gave in their quarter-final match against the Dominican Republic to hammer Cuba 5-1. Kayla Gray led the scoring with a three-timer in a match that was one-sided throughout and it was only a blip on the part of goalkeeper Taylor Grant that Cuba managed to save face with a goal from Yoanna Calderon Gonzanez.
Coach Xavia Gilbert was very pleased with how the team performed going into the final against Trinidad and Tobago. “We have a few areas to work on, but it was a good and reassuring performance. Scoring five goals against a quality team is very encouraging going into a final,” Gilbert said.
After taking a little time to settle Khadija Shaw put Jamaica ahead in minute 18, and 10 minutes later Gray registered the first of her three goals to go to the break leading 2-0.
Cuba’s approach looked a bit more determined on the resumption, but it was the host who went further ahead in minute 64 following a close-range strike from Oshay Lawes. Three goals up Jamaica were in no hurry and momentarily dropped their tempo. The momentary lapse opened a gifted passage for the nippy goalscoring forward Gonzanez to barge in and surprise the Jamaica goalkeeper Chris-Ann Chambers with her speed and quick thinking to kick the ball into the open goal before the ‘keeper could kick the ball out of harm’s way.
This was Cuba’s best and only chance for scoring and they made good use of it. The Jamaicans were full of goals and Gray scored her second 12 minutes from time, but she was not yet done and sealed Jamaica’s victory with a fifth and her third in time added, 91st minute.
Earlier, Trinidad and Tobago beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 on an 81st minute goal by Khadisha Debesette after the teams were locked at 1-1 from the first half with strikes from Patrice Campbell for Trinidad and Tobago and Yaqueisi Alexandra Nunez Soriano.
