MIAMI, United States — Reggae Girlz head coach Merron Gordon lamented the defensive lapse which led to Jamaica conceding a goal and ultimately going down 0-1 to Trinidad & Tobago in the Women’s Caribbean Cup final on Tuesday.

An unmarked Mariah Shade scored the winner in the eighth minute of a competitive encounter, in front of several hundred vociferous spectators at the venue.

“This is international football where you are playing against quality teams and defensively I think we made one tactical mistake. In a game, a team may get a look-in on goal and that doesn’t mean your defensive line has been breached,” Gordon said, as members of the delegation headed back to Jamaica.

The Girlz coach was largely pleased with how his team responded to being a goal down, peppering the hosts in the latter stages of the game, though without any success in the scoring department.

“We got more clear-cut chances, but Trinidad scored. We pushed them back for about 30 minutes in the second half, but didn’t capitalise on our chances,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Also of significance, was that the Jamaicans — after weathering an early onslaught from the hosts — were able to string together a few series of incisive passes, despite the patchy surface, a far cry from the almost-pristine field at the Ato Boldon Stadium that the visitors used during the group stage.

In the meantime, Haiti, runners-up to Jamaica in Group A, finished third at the tournament after spanking fellow French-speaking outfit Martinique 5-1.

Martinique were second to T&T in Group B.

All four teams have already secured places to the CONCACAF Championship to be held in the United States in October.

The coach said some of the disappointment from the loss to T&T is offset by the fact that Jamaica have progressed to the CONCACAF round of World Cup qualifying. “I’m happy for the Girlz because we are in the CONCACAF round and that was our main task. We are Jamaicans, we are a proud nation and you know we wanted to be the number one team in the Caribbean, but that’s how it is.”

Teams: Trinidad & Tobago — Kimika Forbes, Maylee Johnson, Mariah Shade (Shenelle Henry 75th), Rhea Belgrave, Arin King, Tasha St Louis, Janine Francois (Dernelle Mascall 70th), Lauryn Hutchinson, Karyn Forbes, Patrice Superville (Taylor Mims 81st), Kennya Cordner

Subs not used: Tinesha Palmer, Afiyah Matthias, Annalis Cummings

Booked: None

Jamaica — Nicole McClure, Alicia Wilson, Sherona Forrester, Sashana Campbell, Monique Pryce, Nicole Campbell-Green, Jodi-Ann McGregor, Christina Murray (Venicia Reid 70th), Kenesha Reid (Shaneka Gordon 57th), Shakira Duncan (Mitsy Facey 78th), Donna-Kay Henry.

Subs not used: Olivia Reid, Yolanda Hamilton, Trudian Mills, Khedine Salmon, Myjnairii Perkins, Alexa Allen

Booked: None

Referee: Irazema Aguilera (Cuba)

Assistant Referees: Nereyda Martinez (Cuba), Kimberly Moreira (Costa Rica)

Fourth Official: Sabina Charles-Kirton (LCA)

Match Commissary: Gwendolyn Salmon (Antigua & Barbuda)