MONTEGO BAY, St James — Having shown off their defensive prowess in the ongoing Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the Reggae Girlz are hoping to display their offensive capabilities in their two-game Olympic play-off against Canada next month.

Deneisha Blackwood, an important member of the Jamaican team that conceded one goal in four games in the World Cup, says they are confident going into the games set to be played in September.

“We showed the world what we can do, we can defend. And I think this is the opportunity to show the world what we can do offensively, and I think I’m just excited to to prove to the world what Jamaica can do,” she told journalists following her belated arrival in Jamaica on Friday, after Jamaica were eliminated from the World Cup when they lost 0-1 to Colombia in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

Blackwood, a free agent who recently competed in the French second division, was one of the senior players on the team, playing in back-to-back World Cups.

She said the Jamaican team proved to the world they were not in Australia/New Zealand to make up numbers despite being drawn in a group with France and Brazil, two teams ranked in the top 10 in the world.

“Literally we lost every game [in 2019 in France] but sometimes I don’t think it’s where you are but what you make of it… I think going out there and…my teammates have my back, I was confident in everything I do on the field and I think it just paid off,” said Blackwood who was named Player of the Game in Jamaica’s 0-0 draw against France in their opening Group F game.

The dynamic full back, who is fiercely protective of her defensive teammates, said: “I mean, honestly, for the last year we’ve taken a lot of [stuff], especially the back line you know, because we can see there’s so many goals. But I think the mentality of our backline is just different, and I think we just take some accountability and work out what we needed to work on and… we executed.”

After “just being happy to qualify in 2019” Blackwood said they had to perform this year.

“Our mindset is just… continue to grow mentally, physically as a player and as a team. I think… the mindset of everybody is… to continue growing — and that’s just what we’re going to do leading up to next world Cup,” she said.

Despite not having enough international games to assist in their preparation, Blackwood told the Jamaica Observer they were not going to be denied. “I think the girls knew that, and we were all on the same page in terms of mentality. We knew that we were gonna all go to the World Cup and play and, I think, just for us as girls to just have that mentality and… the coach backing us, I think that just paid off in our favour.”

Blackwood said the team mentality was forged through the difficult times they endured leading up to the World Cup, “Especially because of the struggles we had gone through, it builds character — and I think it just makes us want to strive for more and prove to people that they need to believe in us,” she ended.