PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Jamaica Women’s Under-20 assistant coach Hubert Busby said the desire to protect top spot in Group B forced the coaching staff to shelve plans to substitute senior players late in their 2-2 result against Trinidad & Tobago.

The draw ensured the Jamaica, guided by Head Coach Hue Menzies, won Group B with seven points, while Trinidad & Tobago ended second with five points. As a result, the Young Reggae Girlz were set to take on Group A runners-up Puerto Rico in yesterday afternoon’s Caribbean Football Union Women’s Under-20 semi-final at the Stade Sylvio Cator.

Trinidad were scheduled to clash with hosts Haiti in the feature game of the day.

Some could argue that the Jamaica coaching staff paid for that gamble when the talismanic Khadija Shaw hobbled off after the final whistle with a right knee injury, though only two of the three possible substitutions were exhausted. The 18-year-old midfielder did not recover sufficiently to make the starting team for the Puerto Rico encounter, but sat on the substitutes’ bench with her right leg heavily bandaged.

“Football is a game of momentum. Our thought process was to do that (rest players) a bit more, but when they (Trinidad & Tobago) got the momentum with the second goal, the idea was to not lose the match,” Busby told the Jamaica Observer.

“The number one objective was to win the group to go into the knockout round as group winners because psychologically it gives you confidence. So we felt we had to keep (senior) players in to help us see out the game. We wanted to make those subs, but the flow of the game didn’t allow it because momentum had shifted,” the assistant coach added.

Shaw, who has scored four goals in the tournament, has been receiving treatment from team physiotherapist Ronnet Scarlet. Yesterday morning, Scarlet was observed working on Shaw’s knee as other players had penalty-kick practice.

Scarlet told the Jamaica Observer that the player “should be ready for the game on Friday”. The physio added that the pain and swelling have been significantly reduced.

The wide attacker Deneisha Blackwood filled in for Shaw in midfield. The speedy Rena Gordon, who has generally come off the bench late in games, stepped into Blackwood’s position. Central defender Konya Plummer took captain’s armband.

One change was already forced on the Jamaicans with central defender Tarania Clarke out on suspension due to picking up yellow cards in two games during the group stage.

Carlletia Savizon, the regular starting midfielder, was summoned to play in the heart of defence. Rasha Roberts, who missed the last game due to an ankle ailment, recovered and was inserted into midfield.

Should Jamaica defeat Puerto Rico, they will advance to the final and automatically qualify for the CONCACAF Round in Honduras in December. If they lose, they will contest the third-place play-off, with the winner progressing to the CONCACAF stage.