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• Reggae Girlz suffer 3-0 defeat to France in international friendly

  Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz fell 3-0 to powerhouse France in an international friendly contest that demonstrated their tenacity as much as it did the defensive lapses at the Stade Auguste-Bonal on Friday.

  Facing a French team ranked 10th in the world, the Reggae Girlz showed early cohesion and confidence that hinted at the prospect of another brave performance similar to when they held the same opponents to goalless stalemate at last year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.

  But as the game wore on, France’s unrelenting pressure found cracks in Jamaica’s defence, resulting in two costly errors in the first half that set the tone for a challenging evening.

  Clara Mateo (22nd), captain Wendie Renard (39th) and Sandy Baltimore (48th) got on the scoresheet for France, who in all honesty, could have won by a much wider margin.

  Despite the result, Reggae Girlz Head coach Hubert Busby emphasized the value of facing elite teams like France.

  “Coming up against a really good French team in a really competitive environment was always going to be tough, but I thought overall, as the game went on, the team got better. Again, I think these are the games that we want to play and we have to just keep on building on what we want to do as we head into the next window,” Busby said in a post-game interview.

  “When you bring in new players into the group, you can see that they are a little bit disjointed, so the more that we can continue to be together and keep building as a group, the better we'll be. So as of right now, we kind of turn the page and get ready for the next window in Jamaica when we host South Africa. And then we look to build on the, the principles that we've laid this week and look to correct some of the things that we didn't do as well in tonight's match,” he added.

  The Girlz showed no signs of being intimidated in the opening minutes, as they moved the ball effectively and kept France’s backline engaged at times.

  But as France settled and pressed deeper into Jamaica’s territory, the Girlz’s defence began to struggle under the mounting pressure. The French breakthrough came when Chantelle Swaby attempted to clear, but the ball went astray and into the path of Mateo, who swiftly fired past Rebecca Spencer in goal for Jamaica.

  France continued to apply pressure and consistently found gaps in Jamaica’s defence as they created numerous chances which required Spencer to be on her toes. On one of those occasions, the Tottenham Hotspur goaltender got down well in time to parry an effort from Kenza Dali.

  However, minutes later Renard eluded Allyson Swaby and Vyan Sampson deep in Jamaica’s 18-yard box and used the full length of her lanky figure to soar high head home Mateo’s weighted corner kick to put France 2-0 up at the break.

  Busby, seeing the need for adjustments, made tactical changes in the second half, particularly in the middle of the park, with hopes of getting in behind France’s high defensive line.

  Still, the Girlz struggled to contain the French attackers and another defensive mishap saw them fall further behind. This, as Baltimore rifled a left-footer past Spencer after Delphine Cascarino’s cross eluded Tiffany Cameron, who attempted to head clear.

  Though three goals down, the Girlz tried to play their game and Jody Brown skipped a defender on a break in the 63rd minute, but her shot was charged down by a second defender.

  Five minutes later Kayla McKenna had a grand opportunity to pull one back for the Girlz, but her first touch to get around France’s goalkeeper Constance Picaud in a one-on-one situation was too heavy and the opportunity went begging.

  France thought they had another when Renard again headed home from close range, but the goal was called back by VAR for an offside in the build up play.

• Ja's Cavalier, Dom Rep's Moca play out goalless stalemate in first-leg of Concacaf Caribbean Cup semis tie

  It is as you were between Jamaica's Cavalier FC and Dominican Republic's Moca FC in their Concacaf Caribbean Cup semi-final tie, after they played out a scoreless stalemate in first leg action at Estadio Moca 85 on Thursday.

  The result means that both teams will still have all to play for in next Wednesday's second leg at the National Stadium to secure a spot in the final and, by extension, in next year's Concacaf Champions Cup.

  Cavalier was the more dominant outfit throughout, as they bossed possession and created the best of chances to break the deadlock. Jerome McLeary got the first look at goal in the 26th minute, but he dragged his effort just wide of the target.

  Dwayne 'Busy' Atkinson proved his usual menacing self and also went close in the 31st, but Moca's custodian Miguel Baez proved equal to the task.

  Moca tried to play their game and had their best effort on goal courtesy of Clifford Thomas, whose 51st minute shot from just outside the 18-yard box did little to bother Vino Barclett in goal for Cavalier.

  In the 55th minute, Atkinson worked his way into the danger area and pulled the trigger from close range, but Báez again came up big to deny him.

  The nippy former Kingston College standout again showed his class to open space for a 65th-minute effort but put too much force behind his attempt, which sailed over the crossbar.

  With Moca's defence struggling to contain him, Atkinson again found himself in a sweet spot with Baez at his mercy. However, it was not to be, as his strike from deep inside the box veered just wide of the right upright on the stroke of full time.

• SVREL chairman calls for urgent reforms in stewarding after Heroes’ Day disruption at Caymanas Park

  Following an internal investigation by Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), significant gaps in training have been identified, leading to stewarding practices at Caymanas Park falling short of international standards. As a result, SVREL Executive Chairman Solomon Sharpe has called for urgent intervention from the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to address these issues and ensure the future integrity of horse racing in Jamaica.

  The investigation was prompted after the Heroes’ Day race meet at Caymanas Park was abandoned on Monday, October 21, 2024. A group of punters reacted violently to the stewards’ decision in Race 2, leading to the event’s cancellation for safety reasons. Sharpe stressed that the current state of officiating is not up to par for a racing jurisdiction aspiring to world-class status.

  “Our internal investigation has identified significant training gaps that have resulted in local stewarding practices falling short of international standards,” Sharpe said. He explained that while SVREL provides the facilities for racing, the stewards' oversight falls under the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), a government-appointed body. Sharpe believes this disparity between local and international standards must be addressed immediately.

  In his statement, Sharpe emphasized that improving stewarding standards is critical for the growth of horse racing in Jamaica. He called for the implementation of mandatory certification programs for stewards, ensuring that they are properly trained to handle the complexities of modern racing. He also advocated for regular assessments and retraining of officials to maintain a high level of competence and consistency in their decision-making.

  Sharpe further stressed the need for clear accountability frameworks to be established, so that all decisions made by stewards are transparent and based on consistent, well-defined criteria. This, he believes, would help avoid situations like the one on Heroes’ Day, where the lack of clarity led to confusion and frustration among punters. Moreover, Sharpe called for the introduction of an independent appeals mechanism that would allow for the review of stewarding decisions, ensuring fairness and trust in the system.

  Sharpe explained that these reforms are essential to creating a level playing field and restoring confidence in the integrity of horse racing at Caymanas Park. He expressed frustration that despite previous discussions with the JRC about the need for improved officiating, little progress has been made.

  The incident on Heroes’ Day, which caused significant financial losses estimated at over JMD$70 million, underscored the importance of addressing these issues urgently. While Sharpe acknowledged the passion of racing fans, he firmly condemned the violent behaviour that followed the stewards' decision, stating that it endangered lives and tarnished the reputation of the sport. "While we value our patrons' enthusiasm, any expression of discontent must remain within acceptable bounds of sporting behaviour,” he asserted.

  Sharpe also expressed disappointment with the lack of response from industry stakeholders following the incident. He pointed out that many who are typically vocal about SVREL’s operations have remained silent on this serious breach of sporting conduct. He called on all stakeholders to take equal responsibility for the sport’s integrity and to advocate for improvements in officiating and the overall management of races.

  “The growth and sustainability of horse racing in Jamaica require more than just infrastructure investment and promotional efforts,” Sharpe said. “It demands the consistent application of international best practices across all aspects of racing.”

  SVREL remains committed to modernizing Caymanas Park and advancing Jamaican horse racing. However, Sharpe made it clear that this vision can only be achieved through collective responsibility, with all stakeholders playing an active role in improving the industry’s standards and holding each other accountable.

  “The time has come for all stakeholders to demonstrate their commitment to the industry's growth not merely through words, but through actions, consistent engagement, and a willingness to address difficult issues head-on,” Sharpe concluded.