Reggae Girlz head coach Lorne Donaldson believes the team will have to play its best game against Haiti if it is to secure one of the automatic spots to the FIFA women’s World Cup from the Concacaf W Championship.

Locked on three points each after two games, the Caribbean teams are set for a winner-take-all showdown on Monday, which will see the victor secure a spot at the global football showpiece event next year.

The stakes of the game will be even higher for the Reggae Girlz who must win to advance as they will head into the encounter trailing but goal difference.  By most metrics, the Haitian team has had a more impressive tournament to date.
The team began with a strong showing against the United States, who defeated them 3-0, a score that based on the run of play slightly flattered the Americans.  The USA went on to defeat the Jamaicans 5-0.  In their second match, the Haitians went on to devastate hosts Mexico 3-0.  The Jamaicans had only defeated the Mexicans 1-0, albeit missing several other presentable opportunities to score.  The Haitians unit has so shown a high level of fitness, skill, and extraordinary organization. It is a challenge Donaldson believes the team can meet.

“Coming into the tournament I always said Haiti would have a big part to play in this tournament.  They have been to the last U-17 championship, and they have been to the last U-20 championship.  So, people don’t understand the type of players Haiti has, they all play in France,” Donaldson said.

 “Their fitness is what most impresses me, their discipline, they have been playing together as a group for a long time.  They are well organized.  We have to go in now and try to execute.  We have to play one of our best games and we have to play football to win,” he added.

“If coming into the tournament, myself, the players if you had offered us this situation to be in, we would have taken it.”