Jamaica’s Senior Reggae Girlz will look to finally stamp their authority on Group C of the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign when they take on the Cayman Islands in the penultimate round Saturday.
The game is slated for 4:00 pm (Jamaica time) at the Truman Bodden Stadium in George Town, Cayman Islands.
The Jamaicans, who qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, are currently lying in second place in the five-team Group C behind Dominican Republic, whom they host at Sabina Park next Tuesday at 6:00 pm (Jamaica time).
The Dominican Republic edged Bermuda 1-0 at home on Friday to extend their lead atop Group C with maximum nine points from three games, with 14 goals scored and none conceded. Jamaica are next with six points from two wins, with 10 goals scored and one conceded.
Bermuda are next with three points from as many games, with the Cayman Islands next, also on three points, and Grenada rooted at the foot of the table without a point.
The Reggae Girlz will be looking to at least join the Dominican Republic’s goal difference of 14 by hitting today’s opponents with at least five unanswered goals.
Should they achieve six clear goals then the Vin Blaine-coached team would only require a draw next Tuesday to secure qualification to the final phase where all six group winners will join the US and Canada, the two seeded teams from the region who received byes to the final phase.
Though hitting Bermuda 4-0 and Grenada 6-1 in their two games, the Girlz have looked well below their best, a situation highlighted by the Dominican Republic’s superior goal difference after three games.
In addition to Friday’s 1-0 win over Bermuda, the Dominican Republic also smashed Grenada 9-0 and the Cayman Islands 4-0.
Blaine and his group were encamped for a few days in Jamaica before travelling to George Town for today’s encounter. It is hoped that the additional time spent together would have provided the opportunity for the team to gel more and be more fluid as a team on the pitch.
The Reggae Girlz squad for Saturday’s game is as follows: Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Yazmeen Jamieson, Chantelle Swaby, Courtney Douglas, Vayn Sampson, Chinyelu Asher, Kayla McCoy, Khadija Shaw, Sashana Campbell, Allyson Swaby, Tiernny Wittshire, Mikayla Dayes, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Trudi Carter, Tiffany Cameron, Jody Brown, Paige Bailey Gayle, Drew Spence, Marlo Sweatman, Mireya Grey, Kalyssa Vanzanten.
The management team is comprised of Everton Tomlinson, head of delegation; Vinimore Blaine, head coach; Everton Edwards, Toni Cowan, Kevin McGreskin, assistant coaches; Clive Wedderburn, goalkeeper coach; Harry Nelson, strength and conditioning coach; Jason Henry, physical trainer; Crystal Walters, team manager; Dr Gillian Lawrence, team doctor; Devin Lawson, masseur; Saundria Codling, physiotherapist; Ronald Watson, equipment manager.
