Xavier Gilbert, head coach of Jamaica’s Under-17 girls football team, has said that his team has one aim and that is to top Group E in the first round of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) qualifiers against St Kitts and Nevis and hosts nation St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The team departed the island last night for the tournament. They travelled through Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago and will arrive in St Vincent and Grenadines later tonight.

Jamaica begin competition on Friday against St Kitts and Nevis, with the final qualifying game on Sunday against hosts St Vincent and the Grenadines. St Kitts and Nevis and the hosts will get things started today at the Victoria Park.

Although not knowing much about their opponents, Gilbert said that he is confident the Young Reggae Girlz can come away with two wins.

“I don’t know much about St Kitts and Nevis and St Vincent and the Grenadines, but both teams are going to play on Wednesday (today) and I am going to watch them. We definitely can top the group and move to the next round.

“Looking at the players they had at the youth 15 level and the Under-17 level they had before, I think that we have a good enough squad to overpower the St Kitts and St Vincent teams,” Gilbert told the Jamaica Observer.

In preparation for the qualifiers, the Young Reggae Girlz had two practice matches against Portmore United Under-13 boys, winning 4-3, and drawing 3-3 with GC Foster. Both matches were played at The University of the West Indies (UWI) last Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

Gilbert said that the matches provided an opportunity to assess the progress of his players and they responded well.

“The performances in both matches were good. It gave us the opportunity to look at some of our players and to assess their progress after which we had two training sessions that were geared around what we think we need to execute well going into the tournament.

“And right now the feeling in the camp is really good. From where they have started to where they are now, I am very much happy and pleased with progress the girls have made over the few months,” said Gilbert.

The winner from the five groups will advance to the final round of qualification, which will be played in two groups (A and B) in Haiti from October 16-22.

Teams finishing first in the two groups automatically qualify for the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship. The runner-up teams of the groups will be in a play-off to determine the third-place team to qualify for the 2018 CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship.

Squad: Giselle Washington, Chantae Blackwood, Jaden Roberts, Gabrielle Scarlett, Sydoney Clarke, Monique Perrier, Jody Brown, Shereece Young, Tacia Austin, Shaquilla Forbes, Rochell Gray, Shania Harris, Nevillegail Able, Kersha Thomas, Christina Salmon, Suen Gregory, Moesha McLaughlin, Kelly Nunes, Chelisa Schloss and Davia Richards.

Delgation: Dalton Wint (head of delegation), Xavier Gilbert (head coach), Toni Cowan (assistant coach), Jean Nelson (team manager), Gillian Lawrence (team doctor), Ashauna Davis (physiotherapist) and Omar Folkes (equipment manager).