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.