Marlon Hylton, head coach of Jamaica’s young Reggae Girlz, praised his team’s discipline, tactical awareness, and belief after their 1-0 win over Honduras, as they booked a spot in the next round of the 2026 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers.

The lone goal of the game came from Elizabeth Miller, who headed home in the 44th minute from a well-taken corner kick from Shennell Walters. Jamaica played the majority of the second half with 10 players as Ricquanna Richards was shown a red card in the 57th minute.

The match was played at the Stadion Guillermo Prospero Trinidad in Oranjestad, Aruba, on Monday.

“It feels very good to see the team advance. It’s a proud moment for the players and staff and a reward for the hard work and commitment shown throughout the campaign. The players stayed organised and trusted the game plan even under pressure,” Hylton told the Jamaica Observer.

While there are areas for improvement, particularly in front of goal, Hylton said that the Reggae Girlz are riding high on confidence and momentum. Next up, they’ll be looking to take their campaign to the next level and make Jamaican footballing history.

“I’m pleased with the performance, especially our defensive organisation and mentality. Going forward, we must be more clinical in front of goal. I will continue to say this and improve our decision-making in key moments,” he stated.

Hylton said that the Reggae Girlz employed a compact mid-block strategy, staying tight in central areas and targeting Honduras with balls over the top.

“The players executed it with great discipline and communication. As a staff we watched their previous games and saw where we could hurt them with balls over the top and the girls executed as practice. The mindset was calm and focused. The players handled the pressure very well and showed maturity beyond their years,” Hylton explained.

Hylton said that the team’s focus now is recovery, reflection, and preparation for the next round of qualifiers next month.

“We will review, reset, and start planning for the next round. This win gives the group confidence and belief, but we remain grounded and focused on continuous improvement. Our goal is to compete at a high level, represent Jamaica with pride, and give ourselves the best chance to progress further and qualify for our first World Cup at the youth level (Women),” Hylton ended.

— Ruddy Allen

Jamaica’s Khyra Grant (left) and Honduras player Valentina Chavarria vie for the ball during the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Qualifiers Group D match at Guillermo Prospero Trinidad stadium in Oranjestad, Aruba, on Monday. (Photo: Concacaf)

HYLTON… I’m pleased with the performance, especially our defensive organisation and mentality (Photo: JFF)