NATIONAL senior women’s Head Coach Lorne Donaldson says the Reggae Girlz will have their work cut out for them when they compete in the group stages of Fifa’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next summer.

The Reggae Girlz have been drawn in Group F in which they will face former world champions Brazil, along with France, and the winners of the play-off between Chinese Taipei and Papua New Guinea.

The Reggae Girlz play France on July 23 at Sydney Football Stadium in Australia, then meet either Chinese Taipei, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea in Perth, Australia, on July 29. The Girlz will finish the group stage against Brazil in Melbourne, Australia, on August 2.

Panama are also involoved in the 10-nation play-off tournament to decide the three final spots but it’s unlikely that Jamaica will meet the Central Americans if they are successful as teams from the same confederation cannot meet in the group stage of the competition.

Haiti and Panama are the countries from Concacaf trying to steal a spot through the intercontinental play-off tournament route.

Along with Jamaica, champions USA, Canada and Costa Rica booked their spots directly to Australia/New Zealand 2023 as Concacaf teams.

Meanwhile Jamaica’s Coach Donaldson, who was in attendance at Saturday’s draw in Auckland, New Zealand, said the group is a very tough one but he is confident the Reggae Girlz will give a good account of themselves at the championships.

“[My] first impression is just excitement — and anticipation is a heck of a thing when you have to wait that long — but the draw itself is a draw with some exciting teams that play some actual good football and so we have to come out and try to match them,” opined Donaldson.

The draw puts Jamaica and Brazil on another collision course after both met in the Girlz’ historic qualification to the France 2019 edition. The South Americans won that contest 3-0.

“This is a totally different Brazil side; it is a younger team, with a different coach. My condolence to the [family of the] old coach [Oswaldo Alvarez], who passed away,” expressed Donaldson.

“But [Pia Mariane Sundhage] is a very good coach; obviously we have our work cut out as they are a young, fast and skilful Brazilian team so we will have to be ready,” Donaldson said.

The Reggae Girlz are scheduled to host South America side Paraguay in two friendly internationals on November 10 and 13, with the first game to be played at Catherine Hall Stadium in Montego Bay while the second game will be played at the National Stadium in Kingston.

Donaldson shared that both matches will be of added significance as they form a very important part of their preparation for the World Cup, especially now that they have drawn against Brazil in the group stages of the competition.

“I think it has been important from day one because it is one of those games that we looked at,” he said.

“I keep saying that we will face a South American team in the draw and I figured it was going to be Brazil…so playing Paraguay gives us a little bit of that kind of style so it is an important practice game,” Donaldson stated.

Rudolph Speid, chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Technical Committee, said the group is a tough one for the the Reggae Girlz but he is very upbeat that they will produce an excellent showing at the tournament.

“It is a very difficult draw for us because this is probably one of [the] zones of death right now as far as we are concerned, but we have to be hopeful,” said Speid.

“We have to prepare the Girlz as best as we can and go there and give a good account of ourselves. The games are not played as yet and as long as the games are not played, we have a chance of advancing and so we just need to go there with a positive mind and execute the game plan on the day,” he added.

The Fifa Women’s World Cup tournament will begin on July 20 at Eden Park in Auckland, with hosts New Zealand facing Norway.