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• Long overdue: Busby, Shaw celebrate winning homecoming as Girlz outclass Banyana Banyana

  Reggae Girlz Head coach Hubert Busby and captain Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw spoke glowingly about the team’s emphatic display in their opening friendly international against South Africa as they highlighted the 3-0 win as a special homecoming for the core World Cup group, who last played in Jamaica over a year ago.

  Shaw led the charge with a brace, and Siobhan Wilson scored a stunning opener in the performance that offered a blend of triumph and promise at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Friday.

  With the win marking their first victory since the Fifa Women’s World Cup group stages last year, an elated Busby called it “long overdue” as he also praised the crowd’s support. The second game is scheduled for Monday at the same venue.

  “First, it was a great result, long overdue; and secondly, we’re just absolutely thrilled to have the people and the fans supporting us. We’re blessed to have one of the best strikers [Shaw] in the world playing in a Jamaica jersey, and it is great to have her back,” Busby said at a post-game press conference.

  The match saw Jamaica dominate the proceedings, as Shaw struck in the 55th and 83rd minutes after Wilson’s opener in the 43rd. Despite the commanding scoreline, Busby emphasized that the focus was on executing a complete team performance.

  

  Reggae Girlz Head coach Hubert Busby (left) in discussion with assistant Deon Burton.

  “We’re here to win football matches, but really it’s about the performance. We talked about completing a 90-minute performance, and I was really pleased. I think for us, the connector was making sure that we're keeping the ball moving and supplying the balls to our forward, but also making sure that we're dictating the tempo,” Busby shared.

  “We haven't done a good enough job at keeping clean sheets recently, and that has been a foundation for our success last year, so that’s also a really positive aspect to take from this game,” he noted.

  The coach also heaped praise on 19-year-old goalkeeper Liya Brooks, who made her debut and impressed with a composed display.

  “She looked like a veteran, flawless, as if she'd played 20 games. It speaks to the depth of the programme we’re building. So, I am really happy for her and the team as a whole because we really defended well and kept the shape,” Busby shared.

  With the Reggae Girlz looking ahead to the qualification cycle for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, Busby stressed the importance of building depth and nurturing young talent as his team still has room for growth.

  

  “Look, everyone who's eligible to play for Jamaica is under consideration. I think it's not just about bringing players in; it's about improving the ones we have as well, creating a culture of excellence, and ensuring that it's a competitive environment. So we’re always looking for players who can add value to the group,” said Busby.

  “So it is about making additions to improve it if need be. We had about six teenagers in the group coming in to this game as well, so really pleased to have those players and see how they kind of matriculate to the system as well,” he added.

  For Shaw, the match was not just a victory but a personal milestone. After a difficult recovery from injury, she returned in style, showcasing the poise and sharpness that have made her one of the world’s premier forwards.

  “Yeah, long 14 months away, but it’s good to get back in the rhythm, reconnect with the coaching staff and players, and I am just happy to get the result,” she said.

  “It’s always good to put the jersey back on; the past months were difficult with my injury, but I worked on myself mentally and physically to ensure I was fully fit to return. Back home, in front of my people and family, it’s an amazing feeling,” Shaw declared.

  

  The Manchester City striker’s determination to keep improving was evident, even as she celebrated her brace.

  “I missed a chance just before I scored the second goal. Even though I’m scoring, I think I can go even higher with what I’m capable of so I always look for ways to improve,” she said as she pointed out that environment plays a crucial role in her success.

  “The environment makes or breaks you. The support around me, both at the club and national levels, helps me flourish. I just have to keep improving and growing, on and off the field,” Shaw ended.

• Alfred named AW International Female Athlete of the Year

  The accolades keep coming for Saint Lucia’s queen of sprinting, Julien Alfred with the announcement on Friday that she has been voted as the Athletics Weekly (AW) International Female Athlete of the Year for 2024.

  Over an elite field including Belgium’s Nafi Thiam, The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, Faith Kipyegon, and Beatrice Chebet, the USA’s Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the 23-year-old Ciceron native won the vote of the fans of one of the world’s premier Athletics publications.

  The University of Texas graduate started the year with 60m gold at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and went on to win Olympic 100m gold and 200m silver in Paris in August as well as the Wanda Diamond League 100m crown.

  Since her season ended in September, she has been recognised by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) for her exploits in Paris.

  Alfred is also a finalist for the World Athletics Track Athlete of the Year, along with McLaughlin-Levrone. The Track Athlete of the Year will be announced at the World Athletics Gala next month. 

• Reggae Girlz blank tame South Africa 3-0 in opening friendly

  Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz registered their first win in over a year with a comfortable 3-0 beating of South Africa's Banyana Banyana in the first of two international friendlies at the Montego Bay Sports Complex on Friday.

  Talismanic captain Khadija "Bunny" Shaw led her team with a brace in the 55th and 83rd minutes, while Siobhan Wilson, making a triumphant return from a lengthy injury layoff, marked her comeback with a stunning opener in the 43rd minute.

  While it wasn't the most polished performance, the win was a special homecoming for the core players of the World Cup group, who last played in Jamaica in September 2023. It was also their first win since they defeated Panama in the group stages at last year’s World Cup.

  The game began with both teams struggling to find rhythm. The first real chance for Jamaica came in the eighth minute when Deneisha Blackwood delivered a perfectly weighted cross into the box, but Atlanta Primus arrived late and couldn’t connect on an attempted header.

  South Africa, though lively in patches, struggled to create clear-cut chances. In fact, they saw very little possession throughout as the Girlz controlled the tempo of the game and went close in the 28th, but Shaw’s effort was deflected out.

  The resulting corner provided the breakthrough for the Reggae Girlz in spectacular fashion as Wilson, brimming with determination, delivered a sensational goal straight from a corner flag. The ball curled wickedly past a bewildered Andile Dlamini in the South African goal, igniting the home crowd.

  They should have doubled their lead moments later when Jade Bailey's perfectly lofted ball sent Shaw one-on-one with Dlamini. The Manchester City striker rounded the goalkeeper but was left frustrated as her effort clattered off the upright.

  With the score unchanged at the break, the Girlz gradually upped the tempo on the resumption and almost pushed further ahead two minutes in when Shaw laid off a back heel for Primus, who was let down by her first touch and allowed Dlamini to collect.

  South Africa tried to play their game and had their best opportunity at goal in the 53rd minute when Linda Motlhalo's shot from the top of the 18-yard box was parried by 19-year-old Liya Brooks, making her senior debut in goal for Jamaica.

  The Girlz regained control of the game and inevitably doubled the lead when Shaw, always a threat, combined brilliantly with Jody Brown in the 55th minute. Brown broke down the right and squared the ball to Shaw, who slotted home from close range.

  Despite the comfortable scoreline, Jamaica occasionally lacked sharpness in the final third, as Shaw had a chance to seal her hat-trick in the 57th minute but fired the right-footed effort over the bar. 

  However, Shaw made amends in the latter stages of the game when Konya Plummer’s incisive through ball found her on the break. The towering striker turned her marker and buried a composed left-footed finish to put the game beyond doubt seven minutes from time.