Encouraging performance from young Girlz, says assistant coach
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Jamaica’s Women’s Under-17 Assistant Coach Xavier Gilbert lauded the team for its hard-fought 2-2 result against the hosts Puerto Rico in its Group A opener which he described as part of the learning curve.
Goals from Tarania Clarke and overseas-based Marlee Fray earned the young Reggae Girlz a point against the hosts, who got their goals from Angela Diaz.
Cuba are the early leaders on three points after a 1-0 winover Bermuda.
The Jamaicans, with five new overseas-based players who were representing the team for the first time, started out flat against a bustling Puerto Rican unit, but later picked up their tempo.
“It was not our best performance; we got the early goal and hoped that it would have settled the girls and the tempo of the game. Nevertheless, we came under a little bit of pressure from the Puerto Ricans and I don’t think the girls handled the defence as best as we could have.
“But credit to them; I think they did well. There was a little bit of nerves from these young ladies — a lot of them debutantes, and they are young, they will learn and it’s a part of their learning curve,” Gilbert told the Jamaica Observer.
After coming under some pressure and the attack line not packing any real punches, Head Coach Lorne Donaldson and Gilbert introduced the speedy duo of Rena Gordon and Jody Brown into the attack, which changed the shape of the Jamaicans attack significantly.
“In the second half we did a lot better. We made some adjustments [as] we weren’t playing to our strength in terms of passing the ball to foot and moving into space; we weren’t doing that as much as we should have. But we controlled the entire second half, created quite a number of opportunities, and unfortunately we didn’t get the winner,” Gilbert noted.
And despite the team failing to capitalise on a number of match-winning chances, Gilbert was pleased with the point, especially in front of a moderate but noisy home crowd.
“It is the first time the team is playing together, and coming into a tough game and earn[ing] a point is fair. We should have won the game, we created quite a number of chances, but we made some poor decisions and faulty finishing as well led to us not winning the game,” he said.
But with the game now under their belt, Gilbert is confident that with a little bit more work and gelling time the Girlz will be more competitive going forward.
Teams: Puerto Rico — Maria Guerrero, Yomaries Santiago, Maria Sotomayor, Cristina Torres (Genesis Sierra 24th), Josephine Cotto (Saraira Cabrera 69th), Samantha Moran, Nathaly Villalobos, Angela Diaz, Gabriella Nevinger (Alynson Nunez 54th), Alondra Nieves, Veronica Garcia
Booked: None
Subs not used: Andrea Bergollo, Nicole Hernandez, Maria Colon, Dayana Sasso, Thalia Perez, Gabriela Solis
Jamaica — Oneilia Yearde, Rachel Walters, Shanhaine Nelson (Rena Gordon 42nd), Sherice Clarke (Jody Brown 55th) Tarania Clarke, Giselle Washington, Erin Mikalsen, Khadian Wright-Brown, Marlee Fray, Kendaya Jackson (Peta-Gay Dixon 62nd), Emily Caza
Booked: Wright-Brown (16th)
Subs not used: Nerisa Distant, Lyana Steele, Monique Perrier, Lacey-Ann Murray
Referee: Crystal Sobers (TRI)
Assistant Referees: Shannon Gibson (BAR); Yajaira Astacio (DOM)
Fourth official: Cecile Hinds
Match Commissary: Gwendolyn Salmon (ATG)
— Sherdon Cowan