U-17 Reggae Girlz head coach sees positives despite latest defeat
DESPITE falling short against Costa Rica in the 2026 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Women’s Championship Final Round on Thursday, Jamaica’s head coach Marlon Hylton says the young Reggae Girlz showed promising signs.
The young Reggae Girlz, who suffered a 0-9 loss to Mexico on Tuesday at the Costa Rica Federation Field #2 in Alajuela, were beaten by a single goal by the host nation at the Costa Rica Federation Field #1 in Alajuela.
Hylton praised his team’s organisation, saying they executed their game plan well for large periods.
“Going into the match, the mindset was to stay disciplined, compact, and frustrate Costa Rica, and we thought the players executed that well for large periods,” Hylton told the Jamaica Observer.
“Conceding just before half-time was a tough moment but the team showed resilience and stayed organised in the second half,” he added.
Looking ahead, the Jamaica head coach emphasised the need for improvement in the final third.
“For the upcoming game the focus is on improving our efficiency in the final third and maintaining concentration in key moments. We’ll continue to build on our defensive structure while working on converting the chances we create,” Hylton stated.
He said the tournament so far has been a valuable learning experience for the players and coaching staff, providing exposure to a higher level of competition. He is also encouraged by the progress made so far and expects the team to continue improving and finish strongly.
“This tournament has already been a valuable learning experience for both players and coaching staff. We are gaining exposure to a higher level of competition — and that will benefit their development moving forward,” he said.
Hylton concluded on a positive note, saying he’s encouraged by the progress made from the first game to now.
“Overall, I’m encouraged by the progress from the first game to now. The expectation is for us to continue improving and finish the tournament strongly,” he ended.
The young Reggae Girlz are to play their final Group C against Panama on Sunday at the Costa Rica Federation Field #2. Kick-off time is set for 4:00 pm.
