While relishing the historic feat of being the first Jamaican to score at a Fifa Women’s World Cup, Havana Solaun is hoping the achievement will bring more attention to the Reggae Girlz programme.

Solaun’s historic goal came in the 49th minute of the Reggae Girlz’s final Group C game against Australia at Stade Des Alpes in Grenoble on Tuesday.

Though the goal came in a losing 4-1 scoreline to the Matildas, it represented the Reggae Girlz’s best performance and capped off what could only be described as a successful debut campaign for the first Caribbean team at the global showpiece.

The goal sparked wild celebrations both on and off the field as the many Jamaicans, who made up the over 17,000 fans inside the stadium, could hardly contain their emotions.

Australian star Sam Kerr scored all four goals for her team with strikes in the 11th, 42nd, 69th and 83rd minutes.

The Girlz may have ended the tournament at the foot of the group without a point, but Solaun is optimistic that their performance will add momentum to the programme which rose from the ashes like a phoenix to etch its name in the annals of Jamaica’s and the globe’s football history.

Jamaica also lost 0-3 and 0-5 to Brazil and Italy respectively.

“Its a little bitter-sweet, obviously its not the result we wanted, but I think its always an honour to score for your country, and that goes without saying. But at the same time, I know we are still a young team and I am really excited about what the future has for us.

“I hope it (the goal) is a step forward, a step in getting people to believe in us and to see us and to acknowledge that we can accomplish things and we are moving in the right direction,” Solaun reasoned.

“I think the biggest thing about our team is that we don’t get to train together that often and I think even with these three games we got better every game. So I think moving forward its just about getting that time together and learn how to play together,” she added.

The 26-year-old midfielder from Norwegian top-flight club Klepp IL was featuring in only her sixth game for the Reggae Girlz and to score her first goal on such a momentous occasion has certainly left her dumbstruck.

Only a few minutes after entering the pitch as a 46th-minute substitute, Solaun, who was born in Hong Kong to a Jamaican mother and Cuban father, was played through by a perfectly-weighted pass from Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, but while bearing down on Australia’s goalkeeper Lydia Williams, her mind virtually went blank.

“At that point there was no thoughts I saw a play on the screen after I scored and that was like the first time I saw it, I felt it when it happened but seeing it made it feel more real.

“I think when you are in the moment it’s not so much about thinking, its a place you have been before, but its just about execution,” exlained Solaun, who represented the United States at the Under-17 and Under-23 levels before committing to the senior Reggae Girlz team following their historic qualification.

“I think we kind of went out there as a team with a mindset of we have got nothing to lose, but like I said, it wasn’t the result we wanted and as a team I have so much belief that we can do so many greater things, so we just wanted to go out and leave it all on the field,” she ended.

The senior Reggae Girlz will next be in action at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, from July 26 to August 11.

— Sherdon Cowan