Cucho Hernandez is certain the top players from across MLS and Liga MX will give everything to win when they face off in Wednesday's All-Star Game at his club home in Columbus.
Lower.com Field – home to MLS Cup holders the Columbus Crew – will play host to the 28th edition of the MLS All-Star Game, with a team comprised of Mexican football's finest the opponents.
This will be the third edition of the All-Star Game to use the inter-league format.
The MLS All-Stars beat their Liga MX counterparts on penalties in 2021, then triumphed 2-1 in a repeat fixture in 2022 with Carlos Vela and Raul Ruidiaz scoring.
Though Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will miss Wednesday's game due to injury, Hernandez is expecting a high-quality contest and is relishing the chance to play alongside those he is used to facing.
"Nobody holds back," he said. "Even when it's a game of ping pong, you want to win. That's how we are as players.
"We were born competitors and it'll definitely be an intense game that both teams want to win.
"What I really like is meeting new people. Sometimes you see this level of players on television and say, 'What a player!' or 'What a golazo!'
"Then he's here beside you and you can chat with him. It's a really nice experience."
Hernandez, who was selected by his club boss and All-Stars coach Wilfried Nancy, could be partnered in attack by Denis Bouanga, who won the 2023 MLS Golden Boot and has 16 goals in the competition already this term.
The forward, though, insists his priority is always team success, saying: "I try to be as decisive as possible for the team with the players around me, to bring something each day.
"That all speaks to the collective, I'm not being decisive and making my team win so I can be named MVP or get the Golden Boot."
Club America coach Andre Jardine will lead the Liga MX All-Stars after capturing both titles on offer in 2023-24 – the Apertura and the Clausura.
Like Hernandez, Jardine – who has selected a squad containing the likes of Salomon Rondon, Andre-Pierre Gignac and Sergio Canales – will take the game seriously.
"We won't be able to do much tactically, because we will hardly have training, but there is great quality with these players and we want to win," he said.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
MLS All-Stars – Luciano Acosta
As the reigning MLS MVP and the captain of the All-Star side, FC Cincinnati talisman Acosta should take centre-stage, particularly with compatriot Messi ruled out.
Acosta's 82 chances created in MLS this year are more than any other player in the competition, while his 26 goal involvements (11 goals, 15 assists) are also the most in the league.
Liga MX All-Stars – Salomon Rondon
Rondon has already proven his worth on US soil this year, firing Venezuela to the Copa America quarter-finals, where they were edged out on penalties by Canada.
Only Golden Boot winner Lautaro Martinez (five) bettered his tally of three goals at the tournament, with those efforts coming from chances worth 2.44 expected goals (xG). The target man also ranked joint-eighth for chances created with eight, recording one assist.
MATCH PREDICTION: MLS ALL-STARS WIN
Victories have been hard to come by for the MLS All-Stars in recent years, though the calibre of opposition has certainly played into that.
Indeed, since beating Bayern Munich and Tottenham in back-to-back editions of the game in 2014 and 2015, the MLS All-Stars have only triumphed on two of seven occasions.
However, their conquerors through that spell have been Arsenal (twice), Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
Their two victories both came versus teams made up of Liga MX's finest, and given the level of attacking talent found in Nancy's squad, not to mention the experience of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, they go in as favourites.
Dan Ryan has never been shy about his admiration for Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard and so it comes as no surprise that the West Coach Fever head coach believes the towering goal shooter is the best to ever grace that position in netball history.
Fowler-Nembhard celebrated her 35th birthday by putting on yet another shooting masterclass in the Fever’s Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League minor semi-final victory over Sunshine Coast Lightning at the RAC Arena in Perth on Sunday.
The five-time league MVP scored 67 goals from 69 attempts—the two missed chances being late Super Shot attempts—as the Fever downed the Sunshine Coast Lightning 72-62 to book a preliminary final date with Melbourne Vixens.
On the back of that performance, Fowler-Nembhard extended her lead atop the Nissan Net Points (1704.5) standings as well as the goals scored ladder, shooting her 880 goals with 96% accuracy.
For Ryan, the Perth-based franchise could not have asked for a better first-choice goal shooter.
“She’s the greatest goal shooter our game has ever seen,” Ryan declared.
“Because she has such high standards every single weekend, everyone has such incredibly high standards for her. We’re so grateful that she’s in our team, and we have a real priority to ensure we get the best out of Jhaniele, with who sits in front of her,” he added.
Beyond her scoring abilities, Ryan also praised Fowler-Nembhard’s leadership skills, which he pointed out often come to the fore when her compatriot and goal attack Shanice Beckford has an off-game.
“She’s been an incredible leader. The way she’s leading that front line, she’s happy to take a 2v1 if she needs to, and she’s backing in Shanice when she needs to. We’re seeing mum mode from Jhaniele out there, and we absolutely love it,” Ryan noted.
Shanice Beckford
Fowler-Nembhard’s perfect first half performance kept the Fever in touch with the Lightning, 16-18 at the end of the first quarter, before the 2022 champions put the foot down in the second half to keep their premiership hopes alive.
They outscored the Lightning 36-27 after the main break, had nine gains—eight of which they converted to goals—and five defensive rebounds to put an end to the Lightning’s season.
The performance was much to the delight of Ryan, who believes the manner in which his team upped their tempo in the second half augurs well going into their next encounter.
“We’ve been tracking really nicely over the last month and playing some great netball. We knew we were in a good spot heading into Sunday’s game, and we really wanted to make sure we found an extra gear,” Ryan reasoned.
“The first half was a real grind and a real challenge, and we were certainly under the pump. I am really proud of the girls for the way they stuck at their jobs, and when the moments popped up in that second half, we took them. To win by ten in a do-or-die semi-final is an amazing result.” he shared.
The Fever’s renewed form in winning their last four encounters, comes at the right time, following a mid-season wobble that saw them slip from the top of the standings into third place at the end of regular season play.
Those off colour mid-season games, Ryan said, have served as motivation for his side, which is now aiming to possibly carry their rich vein of form all the way to the grand final against reigning champions Adelaide Thunderbirds.
But first, West Coast Fever will have to get past the Vixens on their return to John Cain Arena this Saturday.
“Our team has been on a really important journey across the season, and we always connect back to the mid part of the season where we went win-loss-win-loss for a while,” Ryan stated.
“The learnings we were getting out of those moments were invaluable, and we’ve got great confidence now in these pressure games. We’re really grateful for another opportunity to play netball under finals pressure; we know we’re in great form and we’re going to be really hard to beat at our best,” he ended.
Despite a slightly improved performance, Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz suffered another defeat and is now all but out of contention at the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship, as Costa Rica and United States seem set to secure the top two Group A spots to the quarterfinals in Mexico.
In fact, United States, who registered a 4-0 win over Cuba, are already through to the knockout stages as they lead the group on six points, while Costa Rica’s 3-0 win over Jamaica propelled them into second place on four points. Cuba sits third on a point, while the young Reggae Boyz, are yet to get on the board.
The young Reggae Boyz, looked much better than they did in a 0-9 trouncing to United States, but their misery continued on Monday at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Celaya.
This, as they lost Makai Bond Welch to a straight red card in the 71st minute, while goalkeeper Joshua Grant, who ended the match with five saves, was consistently called upon to keep them in the game.
Grant made consecutive stops in the 19th to deny Esteban Cruz and Jose Pablo Aguero on the rebound. He also came up big to deny Walter Ramirez in the 30th minute and Alberth Barahona in the 45+3.
Jamaica got their efforts from Makai Bond Welch, who was denied by Costa Rica’s goalkeeper Berny Rojas in the 45+5, while captain Adrian Reid Jr’s shot from a distance went just wide as the score remained goalless at the break.
However, Costa Rica eventually broke the deadlock from the penalty spot as Claudio Montero converted in the 50th.
Andy Rojas doubled Costa Rica’s lead in the 67th with a laser-sharp effort from just outside the 18-yard box, which gave Grant no chance at a save.
After Makai Bond Welch was given marching orders, the Central Americans capitalised on the numerical advantage, as Andy Rojas completed his brace and the victory in the 83rd, when he fired home from Ramirez’s cross.
In the feature contest, Ethan Kohler opened the scoring for United States in the 15th, before Zavier Gozo added another in the 26th.
Taha Habroune put the three-time champions further ahead in the 58th, with Marcos Zambrano capping the win in the 90+1.
Despite the loss, Cuba still stands a chance of progressing should things play out in their favour in the final fixtures on Thursday.
This, as Jamaica will have to blank the Spanish-speaking Caribbean team by a wide scoreline to stand a slim chance of possibly securing one of the two best third-place spots up for grabs.
Meanwhile, a wide margin of victory for Cuba over their Caribbean neighbours could see them secure one of those two third-place slots or even second position, provided United States hammer Costa Rica in the top-of-the-table clash.
As Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum enters into the second year of its partnership with the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), it launched new-look jerseys at the Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Festival.
The patrons of the festival, held at the Catherine’s Hall Sports Complex on July 18, 2023, experienced a fashion show showcasing six of the 14 team’s jerseys.
The fashion show unveiled the new kits for JPL 2024 season winner Cavalier FC, and the runner-up Mount Pleasant Football Academy. Also highlighted were the jerseys for Harbour View FC, Portmore United FC and Arnett Gardens FC and Montego Bay United FC (MBUFC).
On hand to see the show were executives of MBUFC, who lead the only top-tier professional football club from Jamaica’s western region, including Coach Rodolfo Zapata, General Manager Sumil Reid and Director Anthony Cameron.
“These jerseys are another manifestation of the Wray Rum partnership with the JPL, said Kerry-Ann Bryan, brand manager of Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum. “Our patrons at the Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Festival were the first to see and appreciate this next layer of support.
“Wray & Nephew has been a storied sponsor of football in Jamaica. We offer over $300 million in support across the Jamaica Football Federation national men’s and women’s programmes as well as to the JPL and Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA),” Bryan explained after the jerseys were revealed.
The kits were produced in partnership with Admiral and brandish bold colours, unique patterns, and details that represent each club, its surrounding community and showcases each Football Club’s history. The 14 JPL teams will utilise the home and away vibrant kit designs for 2024/25 season.
Having launched the kits, Rum Fest eventgoers had the opportunity to get first dibs on their jersey pick from the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum football-themed festival booth.
The JPL and Admiral collection can also be purchased online via the Admiral website, or at the Locker Room Sports location in Kingston.
Lionel Messi will miss the annual MLS All-Star game in Columbus on Wednesday due to his ongoing ankle injury, MLS has confirmed.
The Argentina captain sustained the injury during his nation's Copa America final victory over Colombia on July 14.
Messi subsequently left the pitch in tears, and watched from the dugout as substitute Lautaro Martinez struck an extra-time winner in Miami.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was expected to be part of the annual clash between an MLS XI and Liga MX XI.
However, he was listed as unavailable on the MLS website along with fellow Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez, though their team-mates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets are both included.
The likes of Hugo Lloris, Christian Benteke and Federico Bernadeschi also feature in the MLS roster, while Andre-Pierre Gignac and Salomon Rondon will feature for the Liga MX All-Stars.
Barbados have been crowned champions of the 2024 CWI Rising Stars Men’s 2-Day Championship after a draw with defending champions Jamaica in the final at Arnos Vale Playing Field from Saturday-Sunday.
Barbados batted first on Saturday after being put in by the Jamaicans and made 200-9 declared off 62.4 overs in their first innings.
Raneico Smith led the way with 50 off 57 balls including seven fours and a six batting at number nine after the Jamaicans had Barbados reeling at 79-5 in the 26th over at one point.
Captain Nathan Sealy also provided some important runs with 29 against 3-61 off 19 overs from Tamarie Redwood and identical figures of 2-39 off 10 overs, each, from Jevone Wynter and Michael Clarke.
Jamaica, in their reply, reached 72-2 off 24 overs at stumps on day one, trailing by 128 runs with Steven Wedderburn and Matthew Morgan at the crease on 39* and 28*, respectively.
The first over of day two saw Wedderburn fall without adding to his overnight score and that signaled the beginning of the end for the Jamaicans.
The wickets of Morgan (33), Trevaun Williams (2) and captain Brian Barnes (16) followed soon after as they eventually reached 127-8 off 43 overs before declaring to try and force a result out of the game.
Off-spinner Saurav Worrell was the pick of the Barbadian bowlers with 3-24 from his 10 overs while Jatario Prescod also took three wickets.
Barbados then batted smartly in their second innings, eventually reaching 172-2 in 57 overs before proceedings drew to a close with them as champions.
Openers Kyle Jordan and Joshua Morris made 62 and 52, respectively.
Full Scores:
Barbados U-19s 200-9 declared off 62.4 overs (Raneico Smith 50, Nathan Sealy 29, Tamarie Redwood 3-61, Michael Clarke 2-39, Jevone Wynter 2-39) & 172-2 off 57 overs (Kyle Jordan 62, Joshua Morris 52, Joshua Dorne 29*, Zion Brathwaite 22*)
Jamaica U-19s 128-8 declared off 43 overs (Steven Wedderburn 39, Matthew Morgan 33, Saurav Worrell 3-24, Jatario Prescod 3-51, Raneico Smith 2-16)
Teams will now turn their attention to the CWI Rising Stars Men's 50-Over Championships starting on Tuesday.
Defending champions Jamaica will face Guyana at Arnos Vale. The Leeward Islands will face Trinidad & Tobago at Sion Hill while Barbados takes on the Windward Islands at Park Hill.
Jamaica Under-20 Reggae Boyz captain Adrian Reid Jr says the team will have to quickly learn from their mistakes ahead of their second game in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship against Costa Rica on Monday.
The young Jamaicans opened up their campaign with a disappointing 0-9 loss to the USA at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Celaya, Mexico on Friday.
“We didn’t get the result we wanted, obviously. It was a disappointing result. We didn’t show our quality or enough character,” Reid said in an interview with JFF Live on Sunday.
The Cavalier SC defender, who recently got called up to the Senior Reggae Boyz squad for the first time for a World Cup Qualifying fixture against the Dominican Republic last month, says hos team will have to put Friday’s performance behind them ahead of Monday’s game.
“We just have to put that game behind us and learn from our mistakes. We go back to the drawing board and go back to training, see where we went wrong and try to fix our mistakes,” he said.
Despite the heavy loss, Reid Jr seemed encouraged by the mood in the camp, noting how everyone was taking responsibility.
“After the game, you could see everyone taking responsibility, owning up to everything that was done. Everyone was coming together to try to find solutions so it’s been a good mood in the camp,” he said.
Jamaica are competing alongside the USA, Cuba and Costa Rica in Group A of the 12-team tournament.
Cuba and Costa Rica played out a 1-1 draw at the same venue on Friday to sit second and third in the group.
The top two teams from all three groups will advance to quarterfinals alongside the two best third-place teams.
The winners of those quarterfinals will all qualify for the 2025 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
Jamaican netball star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard showcased her immense talent and composure, scoring an astonishing 67 goals in the Suncorp Super Netball preliminary final on Sunday. Fowler-Nembhard's brilliance guided the Fever to a hard-fought 72-62 victory over the Sunshine Coast Lightning. They will now face off against the Melbourne Vixens for a chance to face defending champion Adelaide Thunderbirds in the grand final.
In a match marked by dramatic momentum shifts, the Fever had to dig deep to withstand the Lightning's persistent challenges. It wasn't until late in the third quarter that the Fever managed to establish a decisive lead, ultimately securing their place in the next round.
The game began with the Lightning in control, as the connections between Steph Fretwell, Liz Watson, and Leesa Mi Mi effortlessly cut through the Fever’s defense. In response, the Fever introduced the speed of Kelsey Browne to their midcourt, but the Lightning's fluid play maintained a three-point advantage until a crucial super shot from Shanice Beckford leveled the score and electrified the crowd.
Fever shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard then took center stage, dominating her matchup against Courtney Bruce and forcing Lightning coach Belinda Reynolds to make tactical adjustments. Despite these changes, Fowler-Nembhard remained unstoppable, finishing with an incredible 67 goals from 69 attempts and earning MVP honors for her performance.
The match's intensity took its toll on the Lightning, who had been regarded as pre-season premiership favorites due to their impressive recruiting. Although Watson led all players with 58 feeds, Fretwell struggled with accuracy, which dropped to just 61 percent. The Fever capitalized on this, converting 81 percent of their center passes and 40 percent of their missed goals, compared to the Lightning's dismal nine percent conversion rate.
Despite the defeat, the Lightning's four young rookies gained valuable experience and are expected to be formidable competitors next season. The Fever, meanwhile, will head east for next weekend’s preliminary final against the wounded Vixens, who suffered a stunning 25-point defeat to the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Saturday.
The Fever's consistency in Super Netball has seen them reach the finals in six of the last seven years, but they have struggled to convert these opportunities into championships, having won the premiership only once in 2022. However, with three wins in their last four matches and the Vixens losing three in the same period, the Fever will approach the preliminary final with confidence.
If they can secure a victory against the Vixens, the Fever will face off in the grand final against the Adelaide Thunderbirds, who handed them a comprehensive 18-point defeat the last time they met. With Fowler-Nembhard in top form, the Fever are poised to make a serious bid for the championship.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) Ad hoc panel has extended the deadline to Monday, July 22, 2024, to deliver a decision on the dispute between Jamaica's hammer thrower Nayoka Clunis and the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA). The decision follows a hearing held on Saturday, where key legal representatives presented their arguments.
Dr. Emir Crowne and Sayeed Bernard represented Clunis, while Ben Cisneros appeared for the JAAA, Ian Wilkinson (KC) for the Jamaica Olympic Association, Catherine Pitre for World Athletics, and Antonio Rigozzi for the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Clunis, who secured her spot for the Paris Olympics with a national record throw of 71.93m in May, was initially selected by the JAAA to represent Jamaica in the hammer throw. However, an administrative oversight led to her name not being submitted to World Athletics, jeopardizing her Olympic participation. In response, Clunis sought a ruling from the CAS Ad hoc Division to ensure her inclusion in the hammer throw competition.
The panel of arbitrators, led by Honourable Annabelle Bennett QC, SC of Australia as President, along with Ms. Carline Dupeyron of France and Ms. Kristen Thorness Oly of the USA, initially aimed to announce their decision on Sunday, July 21. However, the complexity of the case necessitated an extension to Monday.
Clunis' appeal highlights the urgency of the situation, particularly given the lack of timely communication from the JAAA. After receiving no response from the JAAA by a specified deadline, Clunis instructed her legal team to escalate the matter to CAS. The JAAA was subsequently given until 11 a.m. on Friday, July 19, to file materials, a deadline they reportedly did not meet.
FC Cincinnati head coach Dominic Kinnear remains optimistic about their chances of topping the table despite suffering a third consecutive defeat.
Cincinnati lost 3-1 to the New York Red Bulls in MLS on Saturday, after two goals from Lewis Morgan on either side of Kyle Duncan's strike.
Corey Baird scored a consolation for the visitors but could not inspire a comeback as they slipped five points behind Eastern Conference leaders Inter Miami, who beat Chicago Fire 2-1.
Cincinnati have not won since a 6-1 thrashing of the Herons at the start of July, losing the following three by an aggregate score of 7-2, but Kinnear is unbothered by the team's recent form.
"I think this is our second road loss of the year, which is remarkable, so I think we know who we have, but we have a lot of players missing," Kinnear said.
"It's difficult to go three games in a week with players missing. We've shown in 25 games in the league that we're one of the better teams in the league, and we will not step back from that."
Columbus Crew are just five points behind Cincinnati, with two games in hand over them heading into the Leagues Cup break.
Pat Noonan's side are still targeting a top-spot finish despite their recent slump, and Kinnear believes this defeat will serve them well if they end up having to play on the road in the playoffs.
"This could be a preview of a playoff game," he said. "We've played these guys in the playoffs before, so you've got to be battle-tested to want to beat these guys, which we've done in the past, but also be battle-tested to win on the road in the playoffs.
"We are hoping to finish top of our conference to get that home playoff game, but sometimes that may not happen, and you have to come out on the road."
Los Angeles FC kept rivals LA Galaxy within touching distance as they got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
Denis Bouanga scored in both halves, either side of Mateusz Bogusz's strike, to earn a resounding win at Lumen Field.
The hosts got off to a terrible start as Nouhou Tolo was penalised for a handball during a scramble in the box, with a spot-kick being awarded to LAFC.
Bouanga made no mistake from 12 yards, giving Stefan Frei no chance as he rifled a powerful effort high down the middle.
LAFC doubled their lead 10 minutes later, with Seattle failing to clear their lines following a free-kick before Bogusz volleyed brilliantly across goal.
Despite a flurry of chances in the second half, the Sounders failed to test their opponents and were caught on the break when Bouanga neatly turned two defenders before beating Frei for power.
He could have had a hat-trick late on as he got one-on-one with Frei, but the goalkeeper stood his ground, saving brilliantly to deny him.
Seattle finally found their fight in the dying moments, with Hugo Lloris called into three huge saves to keep his clean sheet and ensure LAFC go into the Leagues Cup break just two points behind the Galaxy in the Western Conference with two games in hand.
Data Debrief: Bouanga closing in
Bouanga's second goal of the match was his 16th this season, the most of any LAFC player. It also moves him just one behind Real Salt Lake's Chicho Arango in the race for the Golden Boot.
At the other end of the pitch, Lloris' impressive late show saw him earn a ninth clean sheet of the season in 24 games. No team has had more shutouts in MLS this campaign than LAFC.
Jordi Alba scored the winner for Inter Miami in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Fire as they moved five points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Matias Rojas had given the Herons an early lead before being pegged back by Rafael Czichos, but Alba's winner ensured Miami made it back-to-back wins.
FC Cincinnati's third defeat in a row, a 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls, means Miami now have some breathing space at the summit of the table.
The hosts were still without Lionel Messi, who watched on from the sidelines with an ankle injury, but made a quick start without their talisman.
Robert Taylor's bursting run opened up the space in behind Chicago for him to pull it back into the middle, and Rojas fired his shot across goal to pick out the bottom-right corner.
Moments later, Hugo Cuypers almost pegged them back when he benefitted from Drake Callendar's spill, but the goalkeeper recovered well to deny him.
Julian Gressel then fired a brilliant chance wide, not realising he had more time, but almost made up for it on the stroke of half-time, only to fire a powerful shot against the crossbar.
The Fire improved after the break and got their reward in the 73rd minute, with Czichos pushing out from defence before nestling a shot into the bottom-left corner.
Their joy was short-lived though, as just two minutes later, Alba made the most of a mix-up at the back and slotted into an empty net to seal the three points.
Data Debrief: Miami on target once more
Miami have scored in each of their last 11 games in MLS, their longest streak this season. In fact, they have only failed to score in two of their 25 matches in the league so far.
Alba's last strike here ensured they ended a four-match winless streak against the Fire (drawing one, losing three), having failed to beat them since August 2021.
In every tournament, there is always that one individual that sticks out among their peers. Not in a negative way, like the proverbial sore thumb, but because of their skillful plays and standout performances.
Jamaica's Roxanna McLean is one such individual who excelled among her peers, as her name echoed with every game in which she served as a defensive pillar at the recently-concluded Americas Netball World Youth Cup qualifiers in Guadeloupe.
Not only did the 20-year-old defender and captain lead Jamaica to victory in the Under-21 tournament, but she also earned the prestigious titles of Best Defender and Player of the Tournament, which solidified her status as a rising star in netball.
While the accolades were a testament to her hard work, dedication, and the impact she had throughout the tournament, McLean attributed the success to her coaches—Phyllis Thompson and Nicole Aiken-Pinnock—and teammates.
“I’m incredibly honoured to receive these awards, which are just a testament to our hard work. Every time I go out there on court, I ensure to stay disciplined but hungry to get as many tips, gains, or intercepts as possible,” a beaming McLean told SportsMax.TV.
“But these awards are not just mine; they belong to the entire team because it has been a challenging journey, but with the support of my teammates and coaches, we achieved something special,” she added.
That special something for McLean, who had a stint with the senior Sunshine Girls against England Roses last year, is the fact that they entered the tournament with high hopes and a determination to secure their place in next year’s Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar, and they achieved it.
Guided by strategic gameplay and team cohesion, the young Sunshine Girls navigated the qualifiers with poise and precision as they went unbeaten throughout, with crucial 40-33 and 54-29 victories coming against Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados in the semi-final and final, a feat that McLean believes underscored their dominance in the region.
“Qualifying for the World Youth Cup is a big accomplishment for all of us. We worked incredibly hard going into tournament, which basically prepared us mentally and physically for the challenges that we faced from teams like Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. We now have the opportunity to represent our country on the world stage, which is an even bigger honour,” McLean, who found her passion for netball at Denbigh High school, shared.
Still, the bubbly player, who possesses an exceptional ability to read the game, knows all too well that the young Sunshine Girls’ defensive strategy and attacking plays were not all that polished. As such, McLean’s focus is already on continuous improvement with hopes of achieving greater feats.
In fact, though her personal accolades are motivation, the Moneague College student declared that the ultimate goal remains the success of her team.
“One of my biggest goals right now is to really hone my skills. There is a lot of room for improvement in my game and a lot more for me to learn, so that is my main focus going forward, as I always want to be at my best to make my coaches teammates and country proud,” McLean stated.
“So, I will definitely be putting in a lot of hard work, both individually and with the team, at our training sessions. Because we have a lot of work to do before Gibraltar, so we will continue to train hard and develop our game, and we have two of the best coaches with us to see to that. So I’m excited for what’s to come,” she ended.
It was like lambs to the slaughter as Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz started the Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship with a dismal performance and were mauled 9-0 by United States at the Miguel Aleman Valdez Stadium in Mexico on Friday.
The Jamaicans, who would have entered the tournament confident of a good performance, did little to show that they will be competitive in the tournament, which serves as a qualifier for next year’s Under-20 World Cup in Chile.
With the win, reigning champions United States took pole position on three points, ahead of Cuba and Costa Rica, who played out a 1-1 stalemate in the curtain-raiser of the Group A double-header.
Jamaica’s young Reggae Boyz had no response to the onslaught of three-time champions United States, who, in a frantic start, raced to a 4-0 lead inside 21 minutes.
In fact, Jamaica’s lone effort on target was from an ambitious 25th-minute freekick from captain Adrian Reid Jr, driven along the wet surface from well over 30 yards out.
David Vazquez grabbed an early brace in the 2nd and 3rd minutes, as he opened the scoring with an easy finish from deep inside the box, and he later drove home a left-footer in similar fashion.
Pedro Soma struck with a left-footed strike of his own in the 16th to extend United States lead, and he too completed a brace in the 20th with another left-footed hit inside the box.
Not even a slew of early substitutions by Jamaica’s head coach, Jerome Waite, could stop the carnage, as Cruz Medina capitalised on their sloppy defending to finish off a loose ball and put United States 5-0 up at the break.
As the evening rains continued to drizzle, the one-way traffic continued on the resumption when Marcos Zambrano struck in the 54th as United States maintained their offensive efficiency.
Ruben Ramos scored in the 67th to make it seven, before Nimfasha Berchimas added another in the 77th.
Nikolas Tsakiris then capped the win with a close range effort in the 90+1 minute.
Earlier, Samuel Rodriguez’s eight-minute penalty put Cuba in front, but the Spanish-speaking Caribbean island couldn’t maintain the lead, as Esteban Cruz (52nd) earned Costa Rica a share of the spoils.
It was a contest that could have gone either way, but for excellent glove work by Cuba’s Yurdy Hodelin and his Costa Rican counterpart Berny Rojas, as both teams had their fair share of chances.
After Leonardo Alfaro’s 23rd minute strike for Costa Rica came back off the crossbar, Hodelin kept out Andy Rojas’ 30th-minute penalty kick.
Costa Rica’s custodian, Berny Rojas, came up big twice to deny Aniel Casanova and Cristian Mendoza in quick succession.
Action in Group A will resume on Monday with the young Reggae Boyz to lock horns with Costa Rica, while Cuba will face the United States in the feature contest at the same venue.
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