KHADIJA “Bunny” Shaw, Manchester City’s star forward and Jamaica’s record-breaking goalscorer, won’t be part of the Reggae Girlz squad when they face the number one-ranked United States in an international friendly in St Louis, Missouri, on June 3.

The Reggae Girlz are looking forward to the challenge, recognising its importance in their preparation for qualifiers in October for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Head Coach Hubert Busby says Shaw’s absence presents an opportunity for younger players to step up and showcase their skills.

“With regards to Bunny, we have to deal with what’s best for her,” he said. “Even with her not being able to finish off with the last six games of this season, she ended up winning the Golden Boot. You could see how valuable she is to Manchester City and definitely how valuable she is to us.

“Who else is going to step up in her absence? You can’t replace her but [we should] be able to fill that void by allowing us to kind of continue the way we wanted to play, do some different things while kind of staying in our philosophy in what we want to do using that player in that position.”

The Reggae Girlz will also miss key players Rebecca Spencer and Drew Spence. Busby acknowledged the impact of their absence but emphasised the potential benefits for other players.

“Obviously, Becky will be a huge miss as she is still dealing with an injury. And we hope to have her back for the England game but, again, we don’t want to risk these players who are coming off a long season,” he said. “So, the likes of her and Drew [are going to present the team] with a little extended absence as well.

“These are our veteran players in the squad whom we really rely on heavily. With them not being there it [,however,]provides the opportunity for other players to definitely step up and show what they can do — and the best part about it is that they are put in an environment to see how they cope with the trials and tribulations of playing the best teams in the world.

“But the good thing is that by the end of the year we shouldn’t fear anybody, because we have truly had one of the toughest fixtures of any women’s team in our region.”

The team is looking to gain experience and develop resilience in high-stakes matches, and Busby emphasised the purpose of this game and the subsequent friendly against England.

“Well, everyone wants to win every single match, and that’s what we are here for with the senior women’s national team,” he said. “But really, these games are for us to experience and try things.”

Despite the challenges Busby remains optimistic about the team’s growth and development.

“We have our strengths, we have our deficiencies, we have to be able to utilise these games… It is always about progression,” he said.

JAMAICA SQUAD:

Goalkeepers – Liya Brooks, Sydney Schneider, Serena Mensah

Defenders – Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Naya Cardoza, Vyan Sampson, Allyson Swaby

Midfielders – Nyema Ingleton, Solai Washington, Amelia Van Zanten, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Atlanta Primus, Deneisha Blackwood

Forwards – Kayla McKenna, Renna Blades, Shania Hayles, Shaneil Buckley, Kameron Simmonds, Kalyssa Van Zanten, Jody Brown