Real Mona FC Head Coach Neo Oxford says his young team is determined to create history as they seek to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL) for the first time.

Real Mona take on Cavalier FC today at 3:30 pm at Constant Spring Field in the final match week of the league season, with the final semi-final berth still up for grabs after defending champions Frazsiers Whip, Los Perfectos and Arnett Gardens already secured qualification.

After nine games, Real Mona are third in Zone A on 14 points, one behind last season’s finalists Cavalier. It means only a win will do for Oxford’s team as they look to make the last four for the first time in their history.

Oxford is confident that they can get the job done, having endured many obstacles throughout the season.

“It’s learning from [situations] throughout the season — how the girls have matured with each game that they have played, how the girls have seen their own growth with each game that they have played. That has given them the confidence to see where they are now,” he said.

“Despite how short the season has been, our season has been very long. We’ve been playing four games a week, if you include schoolgirl football and the Premier League, and they have personally seen where they started to where they are now.”

Real Mona have never made the semi-final of the JWPL with their best run coming in 2019 when they made the quarter-finals.

With the squad boasting an average age of 17 and consisting of players from Merl Grove High and Reinas Academy, Oxford says the opportunity to create history is highly motivating for the team.

“These girls are aware of what it will mean to win. You can only be the first ones to do something and all of them have that in mind. And despite the age that they are, they’re still mature enough to see what they have to play for and I think they are ready,” he said.

However, one of Real Mona’s three losses this season was against Cavalier last month. Cavalier haven’t been one of the best attacking teams this season with just nine goals from their nine games but they have the third best defensive record, conceding just seven times.

With only a point needed, head coach David Laylor is hopeful his team can get over the line.

“We have a couple injuries in our team so we’re trying to work on that. The women’s team doesn’t have a lot of depth in terms of quality so we’re really just trying to see how bet we can field a good 11.

“Our plan is really to counter-attack. So the confidence now is that at least we have one of our players that was injured before that is now back up and running again so we are counting on that aspect.”

— Daniel Blake