AS expected, Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz wrapped up top honours in the first phase of World Cup qualifiers after getting by the Dominican Republic 5-1 in a lively final Group C contest encounter at Sabina Park on Tuesday.

All four players on the attacking front — led by prolific Captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw — got on the scoresheet to secure all three points for the Girlz. They ended on maximum 12 points with 24 goals and two against.

Shaw, who entered this final contest on seven goals, added another two to her tally. Her strikes in the 79th and 90+3 minutes also pushed her past the half-century mark in her overall count for the country.

Rising star Jody Brown (15th minute), Trudi Carter (40th), and Tiffany Cameron (60th) got the other goals. Kathrynn Gonzalez (24th) had briefly equalised for the Dominican Republic in the first half.

By virtue of topping the group, the Girlz joined top-ranked United States and Canada, as well as Mexico, Haiti, Panama, Costa Rica, and Trinidad and Tobago in the Concacaf Women’s Championships scheduled for July 4-18 in Mexico.

The Girlz were slightly slow into their attacking rhythm, but when they eventually got going, they took what seemed a fairly disciplined Dominican Republic defence to task.

They found the go-ahead goal when good vision and a delightful release from goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer initiated a brisk counter, with Brown and Carter coming face to face with two defenders.

Carter got a crucial pass off to Brown, who dismissed her marker and fired past Odaliana Gomez, whose touch was not enough to keep out the young striker’s effort.

A lapse in concentration by the Girlz allowed the visitors to pull level as Gonzalez found time and space to release a stinging right-footed shot from long range, which eluded custodian Rebecca Spencer.

Two minutes later, Shaw followed suit with a well-struck right-footed drive from outside the 18-yard box, but the effort was well saved by Gomez diving full stretch to her left.

After a period of erratic play, in which they lost a number of battles in the middle of the park, the Girlz launched another surge in the 38th minute when Shaw’s delicate pass sent Cameron in behind defenders, but Gomez did well to deny her.

The Jamaicans inevitably got their noses back in front when Shaw stood firm in possession, picking out Cameron, who later found Carter and, though slightly crowded, the back-to-form striker made no mistakes from inside the 18-yard box.

They should have pushed further ahead in the 42nd as Shaw again released Brown in behind defenders, but her shot was charged down by Gomez, who left her line well to ensure the score remained 2-1 at the break.

Picking up where they left off, Shaw should have got on the scoresheet a minute into the resumption, but again found the advancing Gomez hard to beat.

She was again presented a grand opportunity to push the Jamaicans further ahead after getting on the end of a pass from Cameron, but took too long to sort her footing and was dispossessed by a recovering defender.

However, the skipper redeemed herself on the hour mark when she went on the break and played a pass across goal for Cameron, arriving at the far post to finish with aplomb.

After numerous half chances on the break, the imposing Shaw eventually found the back of the net when she drove a right-footer past Gomez from a Cameron assist.

And Shaw fittingly capped off the workmanlike performance when she expertly headed substitute Paige Bailey-Gayle’s weighted corner past Gomez, who was well beaten in time added.

Teams:

Jamaica — Rebecca Spencer, Chantelle Swaby (Courtney Douglas 76th), Allyson Swaby, Sashana Campbell, Tiernny Wiltshire, Chinyelu Asher (Kalyssa Van Zanten 85th), Marlo Sweatman (Vyan Sampson 85th), Trudi Carter (Kayla McCoy 73rd), Jody Brown, Tiffany Cameron (Paige Bailey-Gayle 85th), Khadija Shaw

Subs not used: Sydney Schneider, Yazmeen Jamieson, Mikayla Dayes, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Mireya Grey

Booked: None

Dominican Republic — Odaliana Gomez, Giovanna Dionicio, Nadia Colon, Winibian Peralta, Jazlyn Oviedo, Vanessa Kara, Alyssa Oviedo (Daphne Heyaime 58th), Lucia Marte (Winifer Santa 82nd), Kathrynn Gonzalez (Jazlyn Moya 82nd), Gabriela Cuevas, Brianne Reed

Subs not used: Mirda Minyety, Lynette Urena, Gabriela Marte, Keisla Gill, Paola Then, Meagan Harbison, Johanna Santelis

Booked: None

Referee: Tatiana Guzman (NCA)

Assistant referees: Lidia Ayala (SLV); Melissa Snedden (CAN)

Fourth official: Marian Leon (SLV)

Match Commissary: Damona Taylor (TCI)