U-20 Girlz cruise after defeating Haiti, face St Kitts today
With their mission already accomplished, Jamaica’s Under-20 Reggae Girlz can now catch their breaths and could possibly go into relax mode when they take on hosts St Kitts and Nevis in their final Caribbean Football Union (CFU)-qualifying contest today.
The Jamaicans, who on Friday confirmed their spot in next year’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship following a 1-0 win over arch-rivals Haiti, will meet the hosts in the feature contest at 7:30 pm (6:30 pm Jamaica time) at the Warner Park Sporting Complex in Basseterre.
Nevillgail Able got the all-important strike which lifted the young Reggae Girlz to their second win from as many games, as they move to the top of the four-team standings with maximum six points.
Haiti remain in second position on three points, same as the Dominican Republic, who got by the hosts 4-0 in Friday’s feature contest, and both will be hunting the second qualifying spot when they meet in a decisive clash at 5:00 pm.
The Jamaicans are now on course to face powerhouse USA and Mexico, along with Central-Americans Nicaragua in Group B of the CONCACAF Championships to be hosted in Trinidad and Tobago in January.
The runner-up team will contest Group A with Trinidad & Tobago, Costa Rica and Canada.
The top-three teams of the tournament will qualify for the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in France.
Meanwhile, Jamaica head coach Lorne Donaldson was abuzz about the effort of his team despite being plagued by injuries prior to the start of the campaign.
“The Haitians played a good game, but we stuck to our game plan and we got a good goal, but we also lost our two best midfield players in (Giselle) Washington and (Alyssa) Julien and that caused us a lot of problem, especially in the second half. but with that said, we also had a couple of easy chances to put the game away,” Donaldson told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.
Approximately four or five changes are expected in the starting 11 with midfielders Alyssa Julien, Giselle Washington and Tarania Clarke provisionally being named on the rest list.
As such, Canadian Ebony Clarke, who has been rested since the start of the campaign, could now come in for a brief showing and could link up with Sherice Clarke and Tateyana Pitter in the midfield.
Goaltender Yazmeen Jamieson could also take up duties from Sydney Schneider, with the defensive line of Captain Emily Caza, Nevillgail Able, Jadyn Matthews and Erin Mikalsen expected to remain unchanged.
Jody Brown could also get the nod up front to replace Olufolasade Adamolekun, Marlee Fray or Shayla Smart in the attacking line.
— Sherdon Cowan
