Underdogs Jamaica resume the hunt for the 2024 Olympic Games glory when they welcome reigning champions Canada to Kingston’s National Stadium for the first game of their two-game Playoff series on Friday.
Kick-off is slated for 8:00 pm (EST) with the return leg at the sold-out BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, set for next Tuesday at 7:00 pm (EST).
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The winner on aggregate over the two games goes to the Olympic Games next year in Paris, France, but if it is tied the team with more away goals advances.
If the two teams are still tied, 30 minutes of extra time will be played next Tuesday, followed by a penalty shootout if necessary.
Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz are deserving underdogs in this contest, having lost all nine previous encounters against the North Americans, scoring just once, while conceding 60 times, including a 3-0 thumping in the CONCACAF W Championship semi-finals in Mexico in July 2022.
Canada went on to lose the final 0-1 to the USA, who claimed the lone direct berth.
A three-time medallist at the Olympic Games, including gold at the Japan edition in 2021, Canada would have thought the result a mere formality a year ago, but now it appears a high stakes affair.
Jamaica, Canada heading in opposite directions
This year has not been a good one for them, and though boasting better pedigree, the two teams appear to be heading in opposite directions.
While the Reggae Girlz have excelled at the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals in New Zealand and Australia, having qualified for the Round of 16 for the first time after finishing second in the group stage to France. On that historic run they drew with South American champions Brazil and condemned them to an early elimination.
Jamaica conceded just once in the tournament, after 0-0 results against FIFA number five-ranked France and number eight-ranked Brazil, and a 1-0 win against Panama.
The Lorne Donaldson-coached team then lost 0-1 to Colombia in the knockout round. The Jamaicans have since risen to number 37 ranked in the world.
More on Reggae Girlz at the Women’s World Cup
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On the other hand Canada endured an early departure from Down Under after dismal performances.
They drew with Nigeria 0-0, defeated the Republic of Ireland 2-1 and needing only a draw to advance to the Round of 16, they succumbed 0-4.
In seven matches thus far in 2023, Canada has won just twice, drawn once and lost four times, scoring a paltry five goals while shipping in 12.
Donaldson wary of wounded Canada
They have slipped from seventh place to 10th on the FIFA World Ranking and have been forced into some soul searching.
For Donaldson, who has declared all his players available for Friday’s contest, the performances of the teams at the global showpiece event is now history and will have little bearing on the first leg.
“We can’t watch the results of Canada because they are the defending champions and there is a reason why they won because Canada are always in the top four, five or six [teams] in the world, so going to a World Cup and not performing well actually bodes well for them because they have some players like a Lawrence [Ashley] and a Fleming [Jessie] and a few players who weren’t at the World Cup and they are starters and big time players for Canada. They will come and they will give a good account of themselves,” Donaldson told the media during the Reggae Girlz final training session on Thursday.
The players assembled in Jamaica on Monday but encountered difficulties which delayed their first training session and ruffled a few feathers on the camp. But they appear to be making the best of the situation.
Now the head coach wants a full house inside the match venue on Friday, especially with news filtering through that the BMO Field in Toronto is already sold out.
“What we need to ask Jamaica, are we a lover of football or are we a football country? And I think we love football and love to talk about it. When was the last time we see a football game or anything sold out at the Stadium [National] except Champs?
“We love sports but I mean I used to play schoolboy football and I watched Jamaica [Reggae Boyz] play the other day and I played in the Stadium for KC and we had twice the amount of crowd back in the days, so again the population has changed and again I don’t know if we are priced out of it [some of the people] and I don’t worry about that, I rather get people in the stadium at a low price and full it and we come and have some enjoyment.”
Canada’s head coach expects to face a stronger Jamaican team
Canada’s Head Coach Bev Priestman has admitted that there has been a lot of soul-searching in the team’s post-World Cup reflections.
And she envisions a tough game against a different Jamaica than the one her charges dismissed 3-0 over a year ago.
“We’re motivated because obviously we want to put the wrong right and motivated because we know how dear the Olympic Games are to this group’s heart.
“Post-World Cup, I’ve had some really, really good individual conversations with every single player. We had a player reset meeting,” she told the media, adding that “one million per cent” of that was regarding the psychological aspect.
“This is not the same Jamaica we faced last year or prior years. We have to respect what they did during the World Cup.
“I expect a difficult game.”
While Jamaica has retained all the core group of those who went to the World Cup, Canada has called up 19 of the 23.
The key figures remain 40-year-old captain Christine Sinclair, as well as Lawrence, Fleming and Kadeisha Buchanan, the latter trio from Chelsea in England.
Jamaica looking to Ballon d’Or finalist ‘Bunny’ Shaw to come good
There are also some key players who are returning to the side after being forced out of the World Cup through injuries.
On the other hand, Jamaica’s captain Khadija Shaw, who underwhelmed at her second consecutive World Cup, has to lead by example if the Reggae Girlz are to pull off a surprise result.
Shaw is the reigning CONCACAF Women’s Player of the Year and nominee for the 2022-23 English League Player of the Year and a finalist for the prestigious Ballon d’Or.
And while playing solid defence at the World Cup, thanks to sisters Chantelle and Allyson Swaby, as well as Deneisha Blackwood, plus goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer, the Girlz were impotent in attack, as evidenced by their lone strike in four games.
Truth be told, they never created too many chances and for this tie against a team with the quality to bounce back in no uncertain manner, especially at home next Tuesday, Donaldosn and his technical staff will have to strike the right balance and try to take an advantage to the cooler climes of Toronto.
The US, France, Brazil and Colombia have already qualified for the Olympics and the winner of this tie will join two Asian and European teams, an Oceania team and two teams from Africa to make up the 12 which will participate.
The Jamaica team will be selected from: Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Liya Brooks, Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiernny Wiltshire, Tiffany Cameron, Vyan Sampson, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Khadija Shaw, Jody Brown, Solai Washington, Kameron Simmonds, Trudi Carter, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Cheyna Matthews, Olufolasade Adamolekun, Kayla McKenna, Sashana Campbell.
Canada’s team will be selected from: (Goalkeepers) Sabrina D’Angelo, Lysianne Proulx, Kailen Sheridan; (Defenders) Kadeisha Buchanan, Gabrielle Carle, Sydney Collins, Vanessa Gilles, Ashley Lawrence, Bianca St-Georges, Jade Rose, Shelina Zadorsky; (Midfielders) Marie-Yasmine Alidou D’Anjou, Simi Awujo, Jessie Fleming, Julia Grosso, Quinn (formerly Rebecca, a transgender and non-binary); (Midfielder-Forward) Olivia Smith; (Forwards) Annabelle Chukwu, Jordyn Huitema, Cloe Lacasse, Adriana Leon, Nichelle Prince, Christine Sinclair, Evelyne Viens.
