MONTERREY, Mexico — Following their crushing defeat to the Americans, Jamaica’s Head Coach Lorne Donaldson pointed out that World Cup qualification is still in their own hands.

The Reggae Girlz lost 0-5 to the United States of America (USA) and consequently slipped from second to third spot in Group A of the Concacaf Women’s Championship.

Champions USA booked their World Cup berth by their win over Jamaica and sit atop with six maximum points from two matches. Haiti, who thrashed Mexico 3-0, moved into second spot on three points — just ahead of Jamaica on goal difference. Mexico are at the bottom without a point.

“It’s a one-game tournament and we just have to go after it,” Donaldson said.

“We have three points [and] we have to control our own destiny,” he added.

The top teams in the group will advance to the semi-final, and by extension the 2023 Fifa World Cup finals set to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

But there is still hope for the third-place team to make the World Cup via the Inter-Confederation play-offs set for February 2023.

Ten teams from across the world will be in that tournament, split into three groups, with the group winners all qualifying for the World Cup.

But Jamaica will be hoping to finish in the top two here in Mexico — and Haiti now stand in their way.

“Coming into the tournament I have always said Haiti will have a big part to play in this tournament because they have been to the last Under-17 World Cup, they have been to the last Under-20 World Cup, so people don’t understand what kind of players Haiti have. They have a bunch of players playing in France,” Donaldson pointed out.

“The fitness and discipline of Haiti are what impress me. It’s a group that has been playing together for a long time. They are well organised [so] we have to try to execute. We have to play one of our best games. We have to play football to beat Haiti,” he noted.

“They [Jamaica’s players] know what is at stake and, as I said, if we had come into this thing and ask the players [their desire regarding] this situation that is presented to us right now, they would say, ‘Let’s take it and go.’ The best team on that day will prevail,” Donaldson opined.

— Howard Walker