Reggae Girlz assistant coach Andrew Price says that Panama, by all indications, will be taking the friendly international game against his team very seriously.

To support his position, he points to the fact that the Panamanians have assembled their “best possible” team, clearly a move to settle an old score with Jamaica.

For those who missed it, Panama was the country Jamaica defeated 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out in the third-place match of the Concacaf Women’s Championship in Texas last October, to qualify for the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Both teams had finished regulation and extra time locked 2-2 in an epic match, marked by Jamaica’s perfect efforts from the 12-yard spot and their goalkeeper Nicole McClure making two brilliant saves.

The Panamanians have clearly been hurting since that day, and while they can only watch the June 7-July 7 World Cup on television in picturesque France, they will be out for revenge come Sunday, May 19, inside National Stadium.

That match is scheduled to kick-off at 6:00 pm.

The Central Americans agreed to the friendly international with their nemesis, which will serve as the official send-off as the Girlz head for France.

“I believe Panama will be coming with revenge on their minds and our technical staff is happy when we looked at the list of players, which includes the entire starting team that played in the Concacaf championship third-place play-off match… we know that they are coming here to prove a point, and we are happy that we are getting a competitive game at this time as we prepare for the World Cup, with just over a month away,” Price told the Jamaica Observer recently.

“We are happy that they are sending a very competitive team and we want to continue to show our dominance over them and we want to go out there and play a good game and entertain our Jamaican public before we leave for France,” he added.

Price promised a good rendition from the Girlz as nothing less will suffice in an atmosphere that should be celebratory rather than melancholic.

“It should be a very good game and highly competitive, but we will be prepared for them. We are going to go out there and just display what we are capable of and look at it as a step in our journey to the road to France,” he said.

Price, who is an assistant to Head Coach Hue Menzies, urges the Jamaican people to come out in “your droves and your numbers” to cheer on the Girlz and to join in a send-off party fitting for a bevy of dream chasers.

“We are going to put on a show for you and we want you to come out to make the Girlz have a good feeling before they leave Jamaica as they go on their trek to the World Cup.

“We are going on a momentous pilgrimage to the highest female World Cup competition and we need a proper send-off and we need your support. At this time, I would like to thank everybody who has assisted us along the way and what better way to show your support than coming out in your numbers to support your Girlz,” he said.

After the local one-week camp and match against Panama, the Jamaicans will depart the island on Monday, May 20, on their zig-zagging path to France.

“We will go to Miami and we will hold another one-week camp where we will play a game against the Miami Surge football team. After that we will have a send -off that’s been coordinated by the Council General of Miami and the Reggae Girlz Foundation.

“We will then depart to the UK, where we will play Scotland at Hampden Park stadium in Edinburgh (May 28). From there we will depart for our training camp in France. Yes, we have a very hectic programme, but it’s one that we have sat down and worked out where there will be enough rest and recovery for the players and we want to have them ready and sharp for the start of the World Cup in June,” Price outlined.

The Girlz will open their historic participation at the World Cup on June 9 against Brazil, and follow that up with other Group C games against Italy (June 14) and Australia (June 19).

Meanwhile, Price says fitness coach Will Hitzelberger has been monitoring the Girlz in their various playing jurisdictions to ensure that their fitness and general conditioning are maintained at the optimum.

“Our fitness staff led by Will Hitzelberger is in touch with all the Girlz and their various clubs to get a constant update as to where the girls are in their training regime, to ensure that they are fully fit.

“Some of them have not completed their seasons, while some of have graduation with their colleges, including (Khadija) ‘Bunny’ Shaw. We are keeping tabs on all of them through programmes that have been sent to their various clubs and college coaches,” Price said.

While most of these players will be available for the Jamaican camp, Price shared that the final group that will make the trip to France should all be in Miami.

“The majority of them should be here for the Panama camp, but definitely in Miami everybody will be assembled because by that time all the clubs would have finished their season and they would have been released by the clubs. We will definitely assemble all the players who will be travelling to France as part of the 23 in Miami,” Price concluded.

— Sean Williams