Though the scoreboard painted a grim picture in back-to-back losses to Mexico, Reggae Girlz Assistant Coach Deon Burton is focusing on growth, resilience, and the crucial takeaways that may ultimately shape the team’s future.
Facing a technically superior Mexican squad, the Jamaican women’s national team was outplayed in both fixtures of their international friendly series, but Burton refuses to allow the defeats to define the tour.
Dominated, but not defeated in spirit
Mexico wasted no time asserting their authority. In the first clash at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium, Jamaica fell behind early, conceding three goals in rapid succession. Alexia Delgado (23′), Christina Burkenroad (32′), and Rebeca Bernal (37′) all found the net before halftime, effectively sealing a 3-0 victory for the hosts.
Four days later at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium, Mexico delivered another clinical performance, putting away four goals in just 25 minutes. Lizbeth Ovalle (8′), Alice Soto (11′, 24′), and Scarlett Camberos (18′) carved through Jamaica’s defense with ease, leaving the Girlz chasing shadows.
But while the matches were lopsided in terms of possession and chances, Burton saw a silver lining—especially in the team’s fightback during the second half of the final match.
‘A positive to take forward’
“It was good how we ended because obviously the overall tour wasn’t a success, but it finished on a positive,” said Burton in a post-game interview. “We had lots of territory in the second half of the second game where we pressured and we pressured from the front and we caused Mexico a lot of problems. Just a little bit more quality at the end and we maybe would have got a lot of goals, so that’s the positive to take forward.”
Burton commended the team’s second-half surge—an aggressive and coordinated press that disrupted Mexico’s rhythm and hinted at what the Girlz are capable of when firing on all cylinders.
Glimpses of grit and growth
He praised the mental strength shown after a disheartening first half, saying, “The Girlz showed character in the second half after another bad start to the game and they could have gone under and they could have just not done what they did in the second half, and so credit to them for showing character and a bit of fight at the end.”
Despite the encouraging second-half display, Burton didn’t shy away from pointing out inconsistencies in the team’s overall performance—particularly in their intensity levels.
“We said it from the first game, the intensity wasn’t there again, I don’t know why,” he admitted. “I can’t put my finger on it but, like I said, the second half of the second game was a different story and I think we should have really got something out of the second half because they deserved it.”
He emphasized that fast starts are critical, adding, “That’s what we want from them. We said if you can start like that in games and take it to half-time on a more level playing field, then the second half, if we carried on how we did, we would have maybe got some joy.”
Individual wins amid team struggles
Though the collective results were disappointing, Burton acknowledged progress at the individual level. “There are a few players we’ve definitely spoken to and marked down on certain areas where they were in a different position in the first game to the second game and a much better performance and outcome from their own individual side,” he noted.
This growth mindset underlines Burton’s commitment to developing players not just for today, but for the long haul.
Eyes on the future
Looking ahead, Burton hopes the Reggae Girlz can carry the energy and intent from that second-half push into future camps and competitions.
“Hopefully when we come to camp again we start on the same foot and start with a better purpose,” he said, emphasizing the need to build on the momentum sparked in the latter stages of the tour.
Though the scoreboard didn’t favor Jamaica, the tour provided hard lessons, valuable insights, and glimpses of the team’s potential when fully engaged—a foundation Burton believes they can build upon.
