Jamaica’s national women’s soccer team, known as the Reggae Girlz, is determined to bounce back from their recent 1-2 loss to Panama as they prepare to face Guatemala in Group B of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers.
The match is scheduled to take place on Sunday at Kingston’s National Stadium, with kick-off set for 5:00 pm (Jamaica time).
In their previous outing, the under-strength Jamaican team displayed great determination but ultimately succumbed to a 1-2 defeat against Panama on foreign soil. This result currently places Jamaica at the bottom of the three-team points table in Group B. The group standings show Panama leading with six points from three games, followed by Guatemala with three points from two games, while Jamaica has yet to secure a point from a single game.
Panama’s journey in this competition has been eventful, defeating Guatemala 3-0 in Guatemala before suffering a 2-3 loss to the same opponents at home during the September window. The final round of fixtures, featuring Jamaica against Panama and Guatemala, is scheduled for November 29 and December 3, respectively.
6 teams already qualified for W Gold Cup
It’s worth noting that the United States and Canada have already secured their spots in the Women’s Gold Cup through victories in the CONCACAF Women’s Championship and the CONCACAF Olympic Games Play-in, respectively. Additionally, the top four teams from the 2022 Copa America Femenina—Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Paraguay—have also secured berths in the Gold Cup.
League A, where these qualifiers take place, is divided into three three-team groups. The group winners will automatically earn tickets to the Women’s Gold Cup, while the runners-up will enter the play-offs. These play-offs will feature matchups with the winners of three four-team groups from League B, with the play-off victors securing additional spots in the Women’s Gold Cup.
Despite their opening defeat, Jamaica remains in contention for Gold Cup qualification. A victory in the upcoming match against Guatemala could significantly bolster their chances.
Xavier Gilbert, the interim head coach appointed after the non-renewal of Lorne Donaldson’s contract, is optimistic about his team’s prospects. He acknowledged the challenge ahead and mentioned, “I think the ladies can bounce back, but it is going to be a tough encounter similar to what we experienced against Panama. I think the ladies are in a much better place after getting the first game out of the way, and we managed to get an extra session in with everybody, so that was good.”
Stronger squad
The Jamaican team returned to their home country on Thursday and conducted practice sessions on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Gilbert emphasized the importance of nullifying Guatemala’s strengths, highlighting their offensive capabilities and penchant for long-range shots.
To bolster their squad, Jamaica has added veteran midfielder Marlo Sweatman and Shaniel Buckley, the latter being called up from the team participating in the Pan American Games in Chile. Marlo Sweatman, a 28-year-old World Cup veteran currently playing in Hungary, is expected to bring experience to the midfield alongside team captain Chinyelu Asher.
Sweatman expressed her excitement about joining the team, stating, “I’m very happy to be here. I have been playing attacking midfield and scoring a lot of goals, and I feel like I am in good form.”
In their previous match against Panama, right-winger Ricshya Walker scored Jamaica’s only goal and is expected to be a significant threat in the upcoming game, along with Buckley and Mikayla Dayes.
On the other side, Guatemala will look to Ana Martinez for inspiration. She had a brace in their victory over Panama, while Maria Monterroso scored the other goal. Leslie Ramirez also posed a challenge for Panama with numerous shots on target, while goalkeeper Alexia Estrada made an impressive 12 saves and five clearances over the two legs.
