Reggae Girl Khadija "Bunny" Shaw delivered a historic performance on Friday, scoring a hat-trick that led Manchester City Women to a dominant 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur Women in the Barclays Women's Super League (WSL). Shaw's incredible feat helped City extend their lead at the top of the table, reaching 19 points, four clear of Chelsea, who have played two games fewer.
Shaw, who has now scored seven goals in the league this season, wasted no time asserting her dominance, scoring just moments after kick-off. Bursting through on goal, she slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving City an immediate 1-0 lead. In the 15th minute, Shaw struck again, towering over defenders to head home a looping cross from Lauren Hemp. Tottenham’s goalkeeper and fellow Jamaican, Rebecca Spencer, got a hand to it, but Shaw's powerful header proved unstoppable.
City continued to apply pressure, and in the 66th minute, Jill Roord added to the scoreline. After evading a challenge, Hemp found Roord in the box, who shifted the ball onto her left foot and fired it into the roof of the net, making it 3-0. Just a minute later, Shaw completed her hat-trick. Hemp, instrumental throughout, drove down the byline and delivered a precise cross into the box, where Shaw was perfectly positioned to knock it home.
Shaw's hat-trick set new records in the WSL. She became the first player to record three hat-tricks against the same team and broke her teammate Vivianne Miedema’s record with her sixth career hat-trick in the league.
Facing her fellow Reggae Girlz teammates Drew Spence and Rebecca Spencer, Shaw showed why she is one of the most prolific strikers in the league, continuing to propel Manchester City to the top of the WSL standings with her record-breaking performance.
Hubert Busby Junior has been reappointed as Head Coach of the Jamaica Senior National Women’s Team, the Jamaica Football Federation announced in a statement on Friday.
This is Busby's second stint with the team, having held the position from 2020 to 2021.
He was removed from the position when the JFF requested FIFA to investigate unsavory media reports originating in Europe. FIFA subsequently cleared Busby.
“The Jamaica Football Federation is pleased to announce that after careful consideration and due process, our technical committee has recommended the immediate reappointment of Hubert Busby as head coach of the Senior Women's National Team,” the JFF said in Friday’s release.
“Based on his vast experience and knowledge of the squad, we think he is the perfect individual to take the team through the next stage of its development,” it continued.
Xavier Gilbert, who was acting in the role of Head Coach since October 2023, will revert to his previous role as assistant coach.
Busby's first task will be to take charge of the 23-member squad which will play two international friendlies against Brazil on June 1 and June 4 in Brazil.
Eighteen members of the group for the two games were members of Jamaica’s history-making 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, while former Liverpool midfielder Jade Bailey makes a return to the team which is missing prolific striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw and Kalyssa 'Kiki' Van Zanten due to injuries.
The squad is set to depart for South America on May 26.
Squad: Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Jade Bailey, Denesha Blackwood, Kayla McKenna, Allyson Swaby, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Vyan Sampson, Peyton McNamara, Page Bailey-Gayle, Trudy Carter, Kameron Simmonds, Tiffany Cameron, Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Niya Cardoza, Liya Brooks, Amelia Van Zaten, Jody Brown, Israela Groves, Davia Richards, Lauren Reid
The race for Jamaica's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for 2023 has officially begun, with the announcement of the nominees on Wednesday. The 63rd RJR Sports Foundation Women and Men Athletes of the Year will see a fierce competition among some of the nation's top athletic talents, with World Athletics Championships gold medallists Shericka Jackson, Danielle Williams, and Antonio Watson among the standout contenders.
The nominees for the People's Choice Award include Jackson's impressive 200m victory, Williams' triumph in the 100m hurdles, and Watson's groundbreaking performance at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The anticipation for these accolades is high, considering the outstanding achievements of these athletes on the global stage.
The winners of the prestigious awards will be unveiled during a ceremony scheduled for January 19, 2024. Jackson, who is considered a heavy favorite to secure the award she shared with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2022, showcased another stellar season, adding a silver medal in the 100m at the World Championships in Budapest. Her exceptional form was highlighted by securing the Diamond League 100m and 200m titles in Eugene, Oregon.
Williams, too, enjoyed a remarkable year, surprising many by claiming victory in the 100m hurdles in Budapest, where she outperformed formidable rivals such as Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Kendra Harrison, and Tobi Amusan.
The competition for the Women Athlete of the Year is intensified with the inclusion of World Championship bronze medallists Rushell Clayton and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, along with Suncorp Super Netball League standout Jhaniele Fowler.
Antonio Watson, the trailblazing Jamaican sprinter, leads the nominations for the Men Athlete of the Year. Watson made history as the first Jamaican man in 40 years to clinch the gold medal in the World Championships 400m.
The list of male nominees also features World Championships 110m hurdles silver medalist and Diamond League champion Hansle Parchment, along with standout long jumpers Wayne Pinnock, Tajay Gayle, the silver and bronze medalists from Budapest as well as Pan American 400m hurdles champion Jaheel Hyde, and motorsports star Fraser McConnell.
The People's Choice Award nominations encompass memorable moments, including Shamar Nicholson's equalizing goal in the recent CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final match against Canada and Drew Spence's incredible free kick against Canada in their Olympic qualifier.
The selection panel, chaired by Mike Fennell, boasts a distinguished lineup including retired media practitioner Courtney Sergeant, Olympian Deon Hemmings-McCatty, President of Jamaica’s Inter-Secondary School Sports Association Keith Wellington, and Michael Hall, former chairman of the Sports Foundation and League Operations Manager of the Caribbean Premier League.
Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz battled bravely, but were unable to deny Canada, who registered a 2-1 scoreline in second-leg action of the Concacaf Olympic Qualifying playoff, on their return home at a sold-out BMO Field in Toronto, on Tuesday.
Unlike the first leg at Jamaica’s National Stadium where they were easy 2-0 winners, Canada, the reigning Olympic champions, came from behind on this occasion, to wrap up a 4-1 aggregate win and join United States as the confederation’s representatives in next year’s Paris Games.
Cloe Lacasse (39th) and substitute Jordyn Huitema (50th), did the damage for Bev Priestman’s side, after Drew Spence’s 33rd-minute strike offered Lorne Donaldson and his Reggae Girlz a glimmer of hope.
While Canada, by virtue of the win, also confirmed the second automatic spot in the Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup, the Jamaicans will have to quickly regain their confidence for meetings with Panama and Guatemala next month, which represents their opportunity to secure Gold Cup qualification.
Tuesday’s task for was always expected to be a difficult one for the Reggae Girlz, as Canada, playing at home for the first time in over a year, were brimming with confidence on the back of a two-goal advantage from the first leg.
Though Donaldson ringed in the changes, five to be exact, with talismanic striker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw and Jody Brown, out with injuries, it meant little to the Canadians, who went about business in a no-nonsense manner.
They required only two minutes to fire the first warning shot, as Adriana Leon unleashed from just outside the 18-yard box, but the effort was swallowed up by Rebecca Spencer, who produced another workmanlike performance in goal for Jamaica.
As Canada continued to show enterprise and mounted early pressure, the Reggae Girlz held their own defensively, as they ensured the opponent’s hunt for goals turned out fruitless at that point.
In fact, the Jamaicans were not without hope on the attacking front, and it was one of their occasional push forward that resulted in the opening goal.
Atlanta Primus’s initial effort from a distance was handled at the top of the arc by a defender and it was left for Spence to step up and convert a delightful free kick beating Kailen Sheridan diving full stretch to her right.
Canada launched a series of attacks in their probe for the equalizer and almost pulled level in the 35th, as a corner kick taken by Leon was headed on by Deneisha Blackwood. Fortunately for the Jamaican left-back, the crossbar was in the way.
The host again went close when Ashley Lawrence drove a stinging right-footer from a distance that Spencer tipped unto the crossbar and Primus, who dropped back to assist with defending, forced the ball out for a corner.
Leon served up a perfectly weighted delivery from the resulting corner and Lacasse rose above her markers to head home from close range to make it 1-1 heading into the break.
Though the Reggae Girlz were chasing the game, the manner in which they came out on the resumption said otherwise.
As such, their hopes of mounting a comeback were dented five minutes in, when Blackwood’s unforced error, allowed Lawrence to float a cross in for unmarked substitute Huitema to nod home.
Canada should have added another in the 62nd as another defensive error by captain Allyson Swaby, allowed another substitute, Christine Sinclair through on goal, but the legendary striker failed to add to her 190-goal tally, as her effort went straight at Spencer.
In the 72nd, Sinclair again found space in the 18-yard box for a right-footer that went just wide of the left upright.
The Girlz tried to play their game but were unable to cause any real problems in the attacking third. Instead, it was Canada, who asserted authority in the latter stages, and it took another big save from Spencer, who left her line well, to deny 19-year-old substitute Olivia Smith in time added.
Jamaica’s historic run at the Fifa Women’s World Cup, came to an end, as they conceded their first goal of the tournament which proved their undoing in a 0-1 loss to Colombia on Tuesday.
The Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, in Australia, where the Reggae Girlz etched their names in the annals of global sporting history, when they denied the mighty Brazil in a goalless draw last week, has ironically become the place of their own farewell, courtesy of captain Catalina Usme’s decisive strike in the 51st minute.
Though it was their most underwhelming performance of the tournament, in which they also held France to a goalless stalemate and defeated Panama 1-0, the Reggae Girlz had much to take heart from, as their run on this second-consecutive appearance, described by many as a fairytale, was nothing short of remarkable.
By virtue of merely making the Round of 16, the 43rd-ranked Jamaicans became the first Caribbean nation –male or female – to play in the knockout stages of the World Cup, since Cuba’s feat in 1938.
Still, for Head coach Lorne Donaldson, that meant very little to ease the disappointment. Instead, his focus was more on how they can capitalise on the successes of this tournament to not only sustain, but more importantly, build the programme going forward.
“It was a decent game, but Colombia played better so they deserve the win. We played hard and it has been a good run for us…nobody likes to lose but Colombia threw the knockout punch. We knew if we gave up a goal, we had to score goals and we didn’t do that.
“So like I said, it was an amazing run, an amazing feat and I am happy for the Girlz that they got here but give Colombia credit,” Donaldson said in a post-game interview.
“I don’t care about history; I just want us to build on what we just did. We can be better, so let us just build on this,” he added.
Captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw echoed similar sentiments.
“We didn’t perform as well as we should have so we will just have to come together as a group, not just individually, but as a group and look at what we did wrong so we can perfect it going forward. This run means a lot though and it shows that if you believe and you work hard, then anything is possible,” said Shaw.
“We came out, we held our own and we played hard, but its football, you win some and you lose some. We just have to lift our heads high be proud of ourselves, as you can see the gap is closing between the small islands and the bigger countries so this just goes to show that women’s football is growing and we have to keep moving forward and keep pushing it and hopefully we can get it as far as possible,” she stated.
After playing out a goalless first half where chances were at a premium, in front of a massive crowd of over 27,000 dominated by Colombians, it was only fitting that the South Americans gave them something to cheer about, and that they did.
With only six minutes on the clock after the resumption, a delightful long ball from Ana Guzman to switch the point of attack, deceived Jamaica’s left-back Deneisha Blackwood, who stepped too early and was beaten by the flight leaving Usme unmarked at the far post.
While Blackwood gradually recovered to apply some semblance of pressure, the 33-year-old Usme, was cool, calm, collected and steered a left-footer past Rebecca Spencer, who was beaten for the first time this tournament.
That goal was the wakeup call the Jamaicans needed to inject some tempo into their attacking thrust and they could have immediately pulled level from a set play.
This, as Blackwood’s weighted free kick found Jody Brown at the far post, but the diminutive forward slammed her header at the base of the upright.
The introduction of Tiffany Cameron added some impetus to Jamaica’s attack, which was well off colour, as they struggled to complete passes and create anything too meaningful to worry the Colombians.
In fact, their next best effort came in the 82nd minute when Cameron’s weighted cross from the right, fell nicely for Spence, whose header just went wide of the right upright.
Donaldson signalled his intentions to go for broke with the introduction of 19-year-old World Cup debutant Kameron Simmonds and the experience Cheyna Matthews in attack, but the move proved fruitless.
Instead, it was Colombia that almost had another when a dangerous cross from Usme, dipped well enough for Leicy Santos, who applied a timely diving header that had Spencer beaten, but couldn’t beat the left upright, five minutes from time.
The Jamaicans will next turn their focus to the upcoming Olympic qualifying playoff fixtures against Canada in September.
Teams: Jamaica –Rebecca Spencer, Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiernny Wiltshire (Cheyna Matthews 83rd), Drew Spence, Vyan Sampson (Peyton McNamara 79th), Jody Brown (Kameron Simmonds 83rd), Trudi Carter (Tiffany Cameron 67th), Kalyssa Van Zanten (Atlanta Primus 46th), Khadija Shaw
Subs not used: Sydney Schneider, Liya Brooks, Havana Solaun, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Solai Washington, Konya Plummer, Kayla McKenna
Booked: C Swaby (41st), Spence (45+1)
Colombia –Catalina Perez, Daniela Arias, Diana Ospina, Lorena Bedoya, Mayra Ramirez, Leicy Santos (Daniela Montoya 87th), Catalina Usme (Marcela Restrepo 90+2), Ana Guzman, Carolina Arias, Linda Caicedo, Jorelyn Carabali
Subs not used: Sandra Sepulveda, Natalia Giraldo, Camila Reyes, , Angela Baron, Lady Andrade, Monica Ramos, Ivonne Chacon, Daniela Caracas, Elexa Bahr
Booked: D Arias (70th)
Referee: Kate Jacewicz (AUS)
Assistant referees: Kyoungmin Kim (KOR); Joanna Charaktis (AUS)
Fourth official: Marta Huerta (ESP)
Jamaica’s historic run at the Fifa Women’s World Cup, came to an end, as they conceded their first goal of the tournament which proved their undoing in a 0-1 loss to Colombia on Tuesday.
The Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, in Australia, where the Reggae Girlz etched their names in the annals of global sporting history, when they denied the mighty Brazil in a goalless draw last week, has ironically become the place of their own farewell, courtesy of captain Catalina Usme’s decisive strike in the 51st minute.
Though it was their most underwhelming performance of the tournament, in which they also held France to a goalless stalemate and defeated Panama 1-0, the Reggae Girlz had much to take heart from, as their run on this second-consecutive appearance, described by many as a fairytale, was nothing short of remarkable.
By virtue of merely making the Round of 16, the 43rd-ranked Jamaicans became the first Caribbean nation –male or female – to play in the knockout stages of the World Cup, since Cuba’s feat in 1938.
Still, for Head coach Lorne Donaldson, that meant very little to ease the disappointment. Instead, his focus was more on how they can capitalise on the successes of this tournament to not only sustain, but more importantly, build the programme going forward.
“It was a decent game, but Colombia played better so they deserve the win. We played hard and it has been a good run for us…nobody likes to lose but Colombia threw the knockout punch. We knew if we gave up a goal, we had to score goals and we didn’t do that.
“So like I said, it was an amazing run, an amazing feat and I am happy for the Girlz that they got here but give Colombia credit,” Donaldson said in a post-game interview.
“I don’t care about history; I just want us to build on what we just did. We can be better, so let us just build on this,” he added.
Captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw echoed similar sentiments.
“We didn’t perform as well as we should have so we will just have to come together as a group, not just individually, but as a group and look at what we did wrong so we can perfect it going forward. This run means a lot though and it shows that if you believe and you work hard, then anything is possible,” said Shaw.
“We came out, we held our own and we played hard, but its football, you win some and you lose some. We just have to lift our heads high be proud of ourselves, as you can see the gap is closing between the small islands and the bigger countries so this just goes to show that women’s football is growing and we have to keep moving forward and keep pushing it and hopefully we can get it as far as possible,” she stated.
After playing out a goalless first half where chances were at a minimum, in front of a massive crowd of over 27,000 dominated by Colombians, it was only fitting that the South Americans gave them something to cheer about, and that they did.
With only six minutes on the clock after the resumption, a delightful long ball from Ana Guzman to switch the point of attack, deceived Jamaica’s left-back Deneisha Blackwood, who stepped too early and was beaten by the flight leaving Usme on marked at the far post.
While Blackwood gradually recovered to apply some semblance of pressure, the 33-year-old Usme, was cool, calm, collected and steered a left-footer past Rebecca Spencer, who was beaten for the first time this tournament.
That goal was the wakeup call the Jamaicans needed to inject some tempo into their attacking thrust and they could have immediately pulled level from a set play.
This, as Blackwood’s weighted free kick found Jody Brown at the far post, but the diminutive forward slammed her header at the base of the upright.
The introduction of Tiffany Cameron added some impetus to Jamaica’s attack, which was well off colour, as they struggled to complete passes and create anything too meaningful to worry the Colombians.
In fact, their next best effort came in the 82nd minute when Cameron’s weighted cross from the right, fell nicely for Spence, whose header just went wide of the right upright.
Donaldson signalled his intentions to go for broke with the introduction of 19-year-old World Cup debutant Kameron Simmonds and the experience Cheyna Matthews in attack, but the move proved fruitless.
Instead, it was Colombia that almost had another when a dangerous cross from Usme, dipped well enough for Leicy Santos, who applied a timely diving header that had Spencer beaten, but couldn’t beat the left upright five minutes from time.
The Jamaicans will next turn their focus to the upcoming Olympic qualifying playoff fixtures against Canada in September.
Teams: Jamaica –Rebecca Spencer, Allyson Swaby, Chantelle Swaby, Deneisha Blackwood, Tiernny Wiltshire (Cheyna Matthews 83rd), Drew Spence, Vyan Sampson (Peyton McNamara 79th), Jody Brown (Kameron Simmonds 83rd), Trudi Carter (Tiffany Cameron 67th), Kalyssa Van Zanten (Atlanta Primus 46th), Khadija Shaw
Subs not used: Sydney Schneider, Liya Brooks, Havana Solaun, Paige Bailey-Gayle, Solai Washington, Konya Plummer, Kayla McKenna
Booked: C Swaby (41st), Spence (45+1)
Colombia –Catalina Perez, Daniela Arias, Diana Ospina, Lorena Bedoya, Mayra Ramirez, Leicy Santos (Daniela Montoya 87th), Catalina Usme (Marcela Restrepo 90+2), Ana Guzman, Carolina Arias, Linda Caicedo, Jorelyn Carabali
Subs not used: Sandra Sepulveda, Natalia Giraldo, Camila Reyes, , Angela Baron, Lady Andrade, Monica Ramos, Ivonne Chacon, Daniela Caracas, Elexa Bahr
Booked: D Arias (70th)
Referee: Kate Jacewicz (AUS)
Assistant referees: Kyoungmin Kim (KOR); Joanna Charaktis (AUS)
Fourth official: Marta Huerta (ESP)
If you ask Head coach Lorne Donaldson about Jamaica’s women’s football legacy, he will tell you that it started from their campaign to the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup in France, when they initially demonstrated utter resilience to accomplish the historic feat.
Then, the Reggae Girlz programme, through the unwavering commitment of women’s football ambassador Cedella Marley, as well as the Bob Marley and Reggae Girlz Foundations, experienced what could only be described as a rebirth from the ashes, after it was discarded and literally forgotten about by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).
Since then, the players and coaching staff –much like Marley –adopted the mentality to always focus on the task at hand, despite the financial shortfalls and other proverbial brick walls faced along the way.
So though much has been said about their recent exploits, Donaldson declared that what the world is once again witnessing is the remarkable grit of the Reggae Girlz outfit, as the players are no longer intimidated by obstacles, particularly those that come in the form of competition.
“When we got to that World Cup in 2019, I was the assistant and Hue Menzies, big praises to him, we worked together that squad, but we weren’t planning on going to the World Cup. Cedella Marley was brave in calling us up and having us help out because the football in Jamaica had diminished and we put it together and miraculously we got to the World Cup,” Donaldson shared.
“Now we think we can take it further. So, the legacy started from there, but we still have a long way to go to achieve what countries like Brazil and others have achieved, so for now we are just trying to grow,” he added.
Donaldson’s views follow the Girlz momentous run at the ongoing showpiece being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, as they are on the cusp of bringing a dream to fruition and, by extension, rewriting their names in the annals of Jamaica’s sporting history.
To do that, the 43rd-ranked Reggae Girlz require only a point off number eight-ranked Brazil in their decisive Group F encounter at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Wednesday.
Kickoff is 5:00am Jamaica time.
The Girlz, who secured an historic point of top-ranked France in a goalless stalemate, followed that up with their first ever World Cup win by virtue of a 1-0 scoreline over Panama, to currently sit second on four points.
Leaders France are also on four points, but with a slightly better goal difference, which matters little, as they are overwhelmingly favoured to snare all three points off Panama.
Pia Sundhage's Brazil side is third on three points and must beat Donaldson’s side, if they are to progress from the group stage for a seventh-consecutive Women's World Cup.
Though on paper the Brazilians are heavily favoured to achieve their objective, the Reggae Girlz have proven that they are not to be underestimated and they possess the willpower to once again shock the world of women’s football.
And Donaldson agrees that the Jamaicans faith are in their own hands.
"Brazil is a powerhouse and I think we relish the challenge, all along we knew we were coming in as underdogs, even throughout the qualifiers we were underdogs. So, it's nothing new to us, we have to just be ready to come out and try to match them as best as we can,” Donaldson said.
“I said it before that we have grown from the qualification phase in Mexico because we really haven't had a lot of games after that and like I said, the players are resilient, they have worked hard and I know they would want to stay (in Australia) a bit longer, so we are going to come out and give it our best,” he noted.
While Brazil suffered defeat to France, Donaldson is under no illusions that they will approach tomorrow’s game with the same tactics, especially with Reggae Girlz talismanic captain Khadija “Bunny” Shaw set to return from a red card suspension.
Shaw, along with Cheyna Matthews is expected to rejoin Jody Brown up in attack, while Donaldson and his assistants could stick with Drew Spence, Vyan Sampson and Atlanta Primus, in midfield.
At the back, Rebecca Spencer should again be shadowed by Swaby sisters, Allyson and Chantelle, flanked by Deneisha Blackwood on the left, while Tiernny Wiltshire could reclaim her staring spot at right back.
“I'm sure Brazil will make the adjustments from what happened in that France game, obviously we will try to limit some stuff and just use what we think we are capable of doing,” Donaldson shared.
“There are nerves but we just have to go in and enjoy it, we don’t have anything to lose, we just have to go out enjoy ourselves and play. A player like “Bunny” Shaw is going to pose problem for anybody, we are happy to have her back and obviously we can use her in areas that we didn't against Panama and try to be effective, but everybody has to do their job,” he ended.
After months of preparation and anticipation, Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz wait to wet their feet at a second-consecutive Fifa Women’s World Cup, is now over.
They kick off their Group F campaign hopeful of getting their first ever point on the board at the global showpiece, but doing so against an experienced France squad that is well versed in the challenges that the World Cup presents, will by no means be easy.
France obviously enters Sunday’s contest scheduled for 5:00 am Jamaica time, at Sydney Football Stadium as strong favourites with Les Bleues currently fifth in the Fifa rankings, while Lorne Donaldson’s Reggae Girlz sit at number 43.
However, Donaldson would readily tell you that rankings mean very little and while they proudly wear the underdog tag, they are not to be taken lightly.
“We have been training for this match for the last few weeks, obviously France is one of the top five teams in the world, they have been to a few World Cups, and I think they are one of the favourites right now. But our preparation has been good throughout, so hopefully we can come out, put up a good fight and show the world what we can do,” Donaldson said in a pre-game press conference.
“I don’t want to give much away in terms of our tactics, we are going to just come out and adjust to what they are doing and just put up a fight and just figure things out as we go along,” he added.
Though Hervé Renard's French side have picked up six wins from their last eight outings, including wins over Norway, Denmark and Ireland earlier this month, the Reggae Girlz have highlighted their ability to turn up when it matters most.
It is that unpredictability along with the presence of prolific striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw that Donaldson believes will spark some semblance of fear in the opponents.
“I think anytime you get into this (big game) situation there is always pressure. We can say we don’t have nothing to lose, but we still want to play well and make our country proud, and the players feel the same way that they want to get something out of the game. So, I don’t know if France has more pressure than us but there is pressure both ways,” Donaldson opined.
“The French team has a new coach they haven’t played a lot of game under the new coach so we can’t look back at the old France team, some of the players are the same and there are new players and they have played more games than us recently. So, we have to study those games to see how we approach the game. It’s a new enthused and energetic French team, different mentality and different style of play,” he noted.
Though he is yet to confirm his starting team, it is likely that Donaldson and his assistants could lean towards a 4-3-3 formation, which would see Tottenham Hotspurs’ Rebecca Spencer in goal, shadowed by Swaby sisters Chantelle and Allyson in the heart of defence, flanked by Tiernny Wiltshire on the right and Deneisha Blackwood on the left.
Havana Solaun, Drew Spence and Atlanta Primus, could marshal the midfield, while Shaw could possibly be joined by Jody Brown and Cheyna Matthews in the three-pronged attack.
Meanwhile, the England-born Primus, who will be among a number of players making their World Cup debut, pointed out that the team is raring to go.
“We are very much here to play and our primary focus is the game tomorrow against France. I am super excited, we have been working hard to prepare as much as we can for this, so our attention and focus is very much on that,” she said.
“Obviously Bunny is the top striker from last year and she is coming off an incredible season in the WSL, so I think she will enter the tournament with great confidence and for us as a team it is great to have her on our side because it’s a matter of scoring goals to win games so hopefully, she can sparkle,” Primus added.
After France, the Girlz will engage Panama on July 29 and Brazil on August 2.
Jamaica's Reggae Girlz takes the spotlight in our Fifa Women's World Cup build-up feature today. The Jamaicans will be making a second-consecutive appearance at the global showpiece set to get under way on July 20 and end August 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
Goalkeepers
Name: Rebecca Spencer
Date of Birth: 22 February 1991
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Profile: Born in England, Spencer had a nomadic start to her career before settling at her current employers, Tottenham Hotspur. Capped by England at Under-19 and Under-20 levels, she also received a call-up to the senior England squad in 2016 but was an unused substitute against Estonia. She qualified for Jamaica through her father and made her debut in June 2021, wasting little time in establishing herself as the Reggae Girlz No 1. She was instrumental in Jamaica’s second-consecutive World Cup qualification, showing off her goalkeeping skills with much gusto, particularly at the Concacaf Women’s Championship in Mexico. Now set to make her first World Cup appearance, Spencer has no qualms in admitting that she is at a ripe age in her career, which is why she is intent on making the most of this opportunity. "I want to have the best competition of my life,” she says. “I'm 32, so I'm not getting any younger. But you know, nothing really phases me in any situation. I have a lot of experience playing in England, so I hope I can bring that to the World Cup.”
Name: Sydney Schneider
Date of Birth: 31 August 1999
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Sparta Prague
Profile: Born in the United States in a multicultural family, Schneider could have represented her home country or Germany, the birthplace of her biological father. Instead, she opted to represent her maternal grandparents’ homeland, Jamaica. After impressing as a youth player, Schneider became first choice at senior level and pulled off some key saves on the way to their historic World Cup qualification in 2019. At that World tournament in France, Schneider, standing close to 1.82m tall aged 19, was again prominent and pulled off a stunning penalty save in their opening game against Brazil, though they inevitably lost 3-0. Now older and wiser, Schneider is ready to perform at her second World Cup but it is unlikely that she will be first choice with Spencer now in the squad.
Name: Liya Brooks
Date of Birth: 17 May 2005
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Washington State University
At only 18, Liya Brooks caught the attention of Lorne Donaldson and his assistants during the tour of South Korea in September last year. The US-born player, who earned her Jamaica stripes through her mother, showed incredible ability at the Under-17 and Under-20 tournaments and it was little surprise that she quickly made the step up to the senior squad. Brooks is aware that she is merely the understudy to Spencer and Schneider and, as such, is aiming to learn as much as she can from her first World Cup. “Becky and Syd are amazing players, they inspire and push me to be better, so I just want what is best for the team,” she says. “Yes, I will fight for a spot in the starting team, but if that doesn’t happen then that is OK – I just want to make the most of the experience,” she told Sportsmax.tv.
Defenders
Name: Allyson Swaby
Date of Birth: 3 October 1996
Position: Central defence
Club: Angel City FC
Born in Connecticut to Jamaican parents, she has been a rock in defence since making her debut in 2018. Instrumental in the team’s qualification for the 2019 World Cup in France where she shared the pitch with her sister Chantelle. Swaby shows a preference for direct, vertical football, getting the ball forwards quickly. She is a skilled defender in aerial duels and can often be tasked with man-marking by her team, owing to her athleticism and strength. It is those attributes that have earned her a move to Roma, where she played for three seasons, helping the club to their first major title when they beat Milan in the Coppa Italia final. She then returned to the US to represent Angel City FC, but was loaned out to Paris St-Germain for six months. Expect her experience to be on display in Australia and New Zealand.
Name: Chantelle Swaby
Date of Birth: 6 August 1998
Position: Central defence
Club: FC Fleury 91
Like her sister, Allyson, Chantelle came into the Jamaica setup in 2018 and has been a prominent figure for the Reggae Girlz since then. She initially joined as a midfielder but her versatility has allowed her to shine in other positions, particularly defence. In fact, it was at the 2019 World Cup in France that her true potential came to the fore when she was asked to play a holding midfield role and did so to great acclaim. Since then, she has been utilised as a centre-back, right-back and left-back. Chantelle, who currently plays in France for FC Fleury 91, after stints with Sky Blue FC and Rangers – where she scored four goals in seven appearances – will be a reliable asset for Jamaica in her second World Cup with her older sister by her side.
Name: Konya Plummer
Date of Birth: 2 August 1997
Club: Unattached
Position: Centre-back
Born and raised in St Mary, Jamaica, before she went overseas for university, Plummer represented her nation at all levels – Under-15, Under-17, Under-20 and now the senior team, which she has captained on numerous occasions, including at the 2019 World Cup. She played every minute of that tournament and even produced a few stunning solo runs. Apart from her aggression, Plummer’s speed is also a key asset, which is why the head coach, Lorne Donaldson, was sweating about her fitness on return from maternity leave. A lot of emphasis was placed on Plummer’s readiness, as she only resumed training late last year after giving birth to her son. “I think it is important for young girls and people around the world, but most importantly Jamaica, to see that you can have a family and still come back and play,” she says. Through hard work and stubborn determination, she erased all doubts about her fitness and hit competitive mode at the right time to return in defence.
Name: Vyan Sampson
Date of Birth: 2 July 1996
Position: Central defence/midfield
Club: Hearts
Born in London but with Jamaican heritage, she played as a youth at Charlton and Arsenal and later represented England at Under-17 and Under-19 levels. She continued her senior career at Arsenal, West Ham and London City Lionesses, before joining up with Jamaica following their World Cup qualification in 2019. Since then, Sampson, a calming influence at the back and as a holding midfielder, has made Scotland her home, where she plays for Hearts. Now in a happy place for both club and country, she can’t wait to make her World Cup debut. “This is probably the first time in my career that both club and country have matched up so well and taken care of me rather than just seeing me as a commodity,” she says. “I feel fully supported. We [Jamaica] are a small nation, but we don't fear anyone.”
Name: Tiernny Wiltshire
Date of Birth: 8 May 1998
Position: Right-back
Club: Unattached
Another player who can hold down multiple positions if required to do so. This US-born player initially joined the Reggae Girlz as an attacker in 2019 for the Olympic qualifiers and has played for Maccabi Emek Hefer in Israel, Finland’s Kuopio Palloseura and Houston Dash, as a forward. With Jamaica, however, she has excelled as a right-back and has made it her comfort zone heading into her first World Cup.
Name: Tiffany Cameron
Date of Birth: 16 October 1991
Position: Right-back
Club: Real Betis
One the most experienced players in the squad, the Canadian-born defender has represented clubs in her home country, the United States, Israel, Germany, Sweden and now Hungary. Cameron is a natural leader and despite being an attacker for most of her career, she embraced change and showed her versatility when it mattered most to secure her spot as a full-back in the World Cup squad. Cameron has enjoyed a fine season at FC Gyor, scoring 14 goals and making 10 assists. She dabbles in the music industry and has already released a few singles, including the Reggae Girlz’ official anthem at the 2019 World Cup. “'Our Time is Now' in France was so fun," she told fifa.com. "I had such a good time doing that, and my teammates loved it – a couple of them even got a bit teary-eyed. It all started when I was in school. I would write some rhymes back then and, believe me, they were terrible! I loved Missy Elliott, 50 Cent, Eminem, but Missy especially – the swagger she has is amazing.”
Name: Deneisha Blackwood
Date of Birth: 7 March 1997
Position: Left-back
Club: GPSO 92 Issy
A homegrown player who left Jamaica for university and has since blossomed on the international stage. Blackwood has been a feature in the senior team since her debut in 2018. She may be short in stature but what she lacks in height, Blackwood more than makes up for with her skills and determination. Quick, slippery and a hard worker with heart, she gives her all for the team. “I just want to support my teammates whether I'm on or off the field,” she says. “That has always been my biggest thing being a part of this Reggae Girlz setup, the way we play with and for each other – that is the most important thing."
Name: Sashana Campbell (Alternate player)
Date of Birth: 2 March 1991
Position: Left-back
Club: Medyk Konin
Nicknamed “Pete”, Campbell picked up an injury at the Concacaf Women's Championship in Mexico but reported fit and healthy for the recent camp and made the cut as an emergency alternative to play anywhere in defence if needed. A homegrown player with quality and experience that the head coach, Lorne Donaldson, really values. "She is a very versatile player, who can give us quality in any position between defence and attack,” he says.
Midfielders
Name: Peyton McNamara
Date of Birth: 22 February 2002
Position: Holding midfielder
Club: Ohio State
A US-born player, who first represented Jamaica at the Under-20 level and later transitioned to the senior setup, where she commanded the coaching staff’s attention in the buildup to the World Cup. She is among Concacaf’s budding young talents and the next generation of players expected to lead Jamaica’s charge, so the debut experience on the world stage will do her well.
Name: Havana Solaun
Date of Birth: 23 February 1993
Position: Central midfield
Club: Houston Dash
Born in Hong Kong to an Afro-Cuban father and a Jamaican mother, Solaun was originally eligible to play for the national teams of Hong Kong, the United States, Cuba or Jamaica. Though she represented the US at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels Solaun stuck with Jamaica after making her debut against Chile in 2019 and secured a spot in the squad for France 2019, where she scored Jamaica's first-ever goal in a Women's World Cup after coming on as a second-half substitute against Australia. A nippy attacker who loves to dribble, Solaun’s career has taken her around the world – she has played for clubs in the US, Norway, France and Cyprus and recently signed a two-year contract with Houston Dash. Fun fact: her first name is a tribute to her paternal grandparents’ birthplace and football was at one point her second choice. She was a talented tennis player and considered that as her preferred career before switching back to football.
Name: Drew Spence
Date of Birth: 23 October 1992
Position: Central midfield
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Profile: Born in London, Spence is one of Jamaica’s most decorated players at club level. She was Chelsea’s longest-serving player, scoring 50 goals in 238 appearances between 2008 and 2022, a glittering period in which she won five WSL titles and four Women’s FA Cups before switching to Tottenham. Spence had a brief stint with England in 2015 but switched allegiance to Jamaica in 2021 and was instrumental in qualification for the World Cup. She is another player who is willing to adapt in whatever position Lorne Donaldson requires of her, but her knowledge, passion, vision and the fact that she is a calming influence makes her perfectly suited to midfield. “I’m very composed on the ball and I can break up play in midfield,” she told TottenhamHotspur.com. “I can score a few goals as well!”
Name: Atlanta Primus
Date of Birth: 21 April 1997
Position: Attacking midfielder
Club: London City Lionesses
Another player born in England who was integral in the qualification process. Primus, the daughter of former Reading and Portsmouth player Linvoy Primus, represented England at youth level before making her Jamaica debut in a friendly against Costa Rica in December 2021. She is a strong and fast midfielder, who is comfortable in possession and doesn’t mind showing her skills in one-on-one situations. “A big motivation for me is my family,” she says. “They support me and have sacrificed a lot – I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Name: Solai Washington
Date of Birth: 1 July 2005
Position: Central midfield
Club: Concorde Fire/Chamblee High
At 17, the US-born midfielder is the youngest member of the squad and is certainly one of the up-and-coming players to look out for at the World Cup. Still in high school going into her senior year, Washington first joined the setup at a camp in Florida earlier this year and hasn’t looked back since. She possesses great ability and works hard on and off the ball in a manner that belies her age. Heading to a first World Cup for her is a mixed bag of emotions as her older sister, Giselle, who was also a part of the pool for selection, was left out of the final 23. "My sister is disappointed because she loves Jamaica and the Reggae Girlz,” she says. “But she is also extremely excited for me and has been one of my biggest supporters throughout my journey.
Name: Trudi Carter
Date of Birth: 18 November 1994
Position: Attacking midfielder
Club: Unattached
Born and raised in the tough Southern St Andrew neighbourhood of Arnett Gardens in Kingston, Carter knew her talent could change her family's fortunes. “Sometimes my grandmother was sleeping and [gun] shots were flying through the window," she said in an interview when she was first called up to the Jamaica squad. "That was my motivation to take my family out of this community and football was the avenue to do that.” She represented Jamaica at Under-17 and Under-20 levels, before heading to the United States for university where her focus was firmly set on gaining a professional contract. Her nippy footwork and confidence on the ball drew the attention of Roma, where she spent one season before injuries derailed her progress. She fought long and hard to regain some semblance of form for the 2019 World Cup in France, but never really performed to her true potential until 2021. That was when she joined FC Gintra in Lithuania, scoring 17 goals in 16 appearances and she brought that form into the qualifiers where she scored five goals to help secure World Cup qualification.
Forwards
Name: Khadija Shaw
Date of Birth: 31 January 1997
Position: Centre-forward
Club: Manchester City
Jamaica’s most outstanding homegrown player, Shaw’s entire career has not only been dedicated to raising the bar where personal goals are concerned, but also about helping others achieve their goals. In 2018, when she was named The Guardian's Footballer of the Year, Shaw vowed to do everything in her power — both on and off the field — to inspire others, and to date she has done so with alacrity. Shaw's story is one of inspiration and her successes are a testament to her strong character. She lost four brothers – three to Jamaica's high rate of crime and violence and another to a vehicular accident – yet she has been a model of resilience and exemplary conduct throughout her glittering career. “I know they’re watching over me,” she told the Guardian. “When I accomplish something I’m always happy, but I’m thinking I wanted them to see this.”. Shaw is making waves at both club and national level. She recently won the Concacaf Women’s Player of the Year award and was named WSL Player of the Month twice last season. Her versatility is a game-changer. She can wreak havoc on the wing or dominate as a forward. She has already cemented her name in the record books as Jamaica's all-time leading goalscorer across both men's and women's football with 55 goals at time of publication.
Name: Jody Brown
Date of Birth: 16 April 2022
Position: Winger
Club: Florida State University
After Shaw, Brown is the next most prolific homegrown player. She represented Jamaica at every level and made her senior team debut in 2018 at just 16. That same year she emerged as a prominent figure in the senior team and won the best young player award at the Concacaf Women’s championships, scoring four goals on the way to World Cup qualification in 2019. She is, undoubtedly, an influential forward, who, at 21, has a lot more scope for growth and improvement which is what makes her such a dangerous prospect. Brown is shy by nature but when she is on the ball, her true personality shines through. She is fast, confident and difficult to catch, especially in one-on-one situations, from which most of her 12 senior goals in 18 appearances, have come. She backs herself as the Reggae Girlz’ best dancer. “[If there was a dance-off] I would be the winner,” she says.
Name: Paige Bailey-Gayle
Date of Birth: 12 November 2001
Position: Winger
Club: Crystal Palace
Another London-born player who featured for England at the youth level before joining Jamaica’s senior setup. A skillful forward who joined Crystal Palace in 2022, Bailey-Gayle is set to become the club's first-ever female player to feature at a Women’s World Cup. The initial switch to Jamaica required a lot of thought, she said, but now she is relishing every moment of it. “It is a massive honour for me and my family … I feel it was the right decision,” she says. “Qualifying for the Women’s World Cup is another massive honour. I never thought I’d become a full international, and now I am, it's the greatest feeling in the world.” She has already earned seven caps at the time of writing and is consistently putting in the work to score her first goal for Jamaica.
Name: Kameron Simmonds
Date of Birth: 12 June 2003
Position: Centre-forward
Club: University of Tennessee
The third person in her family to represent Jamaica, following in the footsteps of her father, Gregory, and grandfather, Patrick. The US-born forward was first invited to the senior team in September 2022 before the friendly against South Korea and has since become a staple in the team. Simmonds scored her first international goal against Czech Republic at the 2023 Cup of Nations tournament in Australia. Interestingly, Simmonds’ international career almost didn’t happen. She was a gymnast until she fractured an elbow at the age of 11. She switched to football the next year and started training with her father, a former striker who played professionally for over a decade and still holds the record for goals scored at Howard University. “The love that we have for the game and each other, it's just so amazing that I get to continue that legacy within the family,” she says. “It’s something we can bond over and talk about. It's just an incredible honour.”
Name: Cheyna Matthews
Date of Birth: 10 November 1993
Position: Centre-forward
Club: Chicago Red Stars
This will be the second World Cup for the US-born striker, who received her first call-up just months after she had given birth to her first son, Josiah, in 2019. Matthews, who is married to NFL tight end, Jordan, has had a similar path to selection for this World Cup – having recently returned to action after giving birth to her third son – and again impressed the coaching staff to secure her place in the squad. A prolific goalscorer, who started her career with Washington Spirit and then Racing Louisville, Matthews often shares the main striker’s role with Shaw and the two even combined during a 2-0 friendly win against Sheffield United recently, with Matthews scoring from her teammate’s cross. Despite strong competition for positions in the first team, Matthews’ quality is such that she is expected to play a significant role in Jamaica’s three group games.
Name: Kalyssa Van Zanten
Date of Birth: 25 August 2001
Position: Winger
Club: University of Notre Dame
Born in the United States to a father of Dutch descent and a Jamaican mother, Van Zanten is another precocious youngster who represents the next generation of Reggae Girlz. She played for the US at youth level but made her Jamaica senior team debut during last year’s World Cup qualifiers, where she figured prominently and impressed with her skill and quality on the ball.
A pacy forward, who plays on the right wing, Van Zanten scored the solitary goal in Jamaica’s 1-0 win over Costa Rica in their third-place game at the Concacaf Women’s Championships in Mexico. “I told her before she went on that she had a goal in her,” said head coach Lorne Donaldson. “If these [young] players have confidence, they will produce.” Much is expected of her.
Name: Kayla McKenna
Date of Birth: 3 September 1996
Position: Centre-forward
Club: Villarreal CF
The granddaughter of former Jamaican politician Pearnel Charles, McKenna, formerly known as McCoy before marriage, made her debut for Jamaica in 2019 and successfully made the France World Cup squad. However, she picked up a knee injury shortly after and was later replaced by Mireya Grey. McKenna has had tremendous success with Rangers since signing in 2021. She has scored 11 goals in 21 appearances at the time of writing and when fully fit, she will be a force to reckon with in Jamaica’s team. McKenna has also showed versatility, as she was asked to play a holding midfield role by previous coach Vin Blaine during the qualifiers, and she did so to good effect. The head coach Lorne Donaldson clearly knows her worth: “She is one of those players who brings value to the attack as a point player so we know she will do well."
Despite another decent display, Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz suffered their third straight defeat in the FFA Nations Cup going down 3-0 to hosts Australia on Wednesday at the Newcastle International Sports Centre.
The victory for Australia meant that Australia would win the trophy in the four-team tournament that also involved Spain and the Czech Republic.
Goals from Katrina Gorry, Alex Chidiac and Caitlin Foord settled the matter for Australia against the Caribbean team that played well enough but for the second of three matches, failed to find the net.
The Reggae Girlz started well with Jody Brown, Spence and Kayla McCoy-McKenna posing threats that Australia managed to thwart. In defence, especially in the first quarter of the match, Jamaica were organized, repelling Australia’s attacks with aplomb.
Australia, however, broke the deadlock in the 28th minute with a 25m rocket from Gorry that flew past Rebecca Spencer in the Jamaica goal.
Growing in confidence, the hosts took a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.
Australia would double their lead in the 56th minute after a brilliant build up that saw Gorry take the ball to the byline before pulling it back to Chidiac who beats two defenders and power the ball into the roof of the net from five metres.
Australia sealed the issue in the 69th when Foord and Sam Kerr execute a 1-2 pass at the edge of the box around Jamaica’s defence after which Foord curled one from 20m past Spencer.
Jody Brown was denied a consolation three minutes from time when goalkeeper Arnold parried her shot from just inside the box around the upright.
Jamaica's Reggae Girlz lost 2-1 to Paraguay at the Kingston’s National Stadium on Sunday in what was the second of two international friendlies. The Reggae Girlz won the first encounter against their South American opponents in Montego Bay on Thursday, November 10.
First-half goals from Celsa Sandaoval and Ramona Martinez in the 16th and 35th minutes, respectively gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at half-time before Khadijah ‘Bunny’ Shaw pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 61st minute.
Glaring errors by the Jamaica’s gifted the Paraguayans their two goals against a wasteful Jamaican team that missed several opportunities to score.
Deneisha Blackwood’s errant back pass was seized upon by Sandaoval, who beat an advancing Rebecca Spencer in the Jamaican goal before shooting into the bottom right hand corner.
The second 19 minutes later resulted in a poor pass from Havana Solaun, which gave the Paraguayan forwards to spread the ball wide before a cross found Martinez free inside the box to smash home from close range.
Head Coach Lorne Donaldson said he was not surprised by the slow start. He said he saw it coming given that the girls were not sharp during their warm-ups and it showed in the opening 20 minutes of the game.
He explained, however, that the match was not all about trying to win as there were several players that the coaching staff wanted to take a look at before finalizing the squad for the World Cup still nine months away.
“Our camp is a little bit different from Paraguay. We are still looking at stuff. We are still looking at players, so obviously we want to win but it is not going to be at all cost for this camp because we have to give some players a look, so stuff is going to be a little bit off and that was evident in the first 20 minutes,” he said.
Among the things that we “off” was the Reggae Girlz shooting. Chances fell to Drew Spence and Shaw in the first half but were either blocked missed entirely.
Spence’s 13th minute shot was parried by goalkeeper Christine Ricalde while Shaw dragged one past the far post just two minutes later.
Siobhan Wilson’s cross fell to Paige Bailey-Paige, whose shot from inside the box was charged down by a defender. Allyson Swaby also had a shot from two yards blocked by Ricalde.
Three changes made at the resumption of play resulted in Jamaica being more organized and stable defensively. Vyan Sampson replaced an ineffective Solaun and Atlanta Primus came on to replace Kayla McCoy in midfield while fullback Tiernney Wiltshire replaced Malikae Dayes.
Bailey-Gayle and Wilson were substituted for wingers Cheyna Matthews and Rachel Jones in the 59th minute, the latter making an immediate impact.
Jones’ driving run down the left flank and resulting cross led to the handled ball from which a penalty was awarded allowing Jamaica back into the game.
The changes, Donaldson said, were a direct result of the team’s inability to control the game and limit the number of turnovers, which invariably but the defence under pressure.
“If you see, when we came out in the second half there were two changes in the midfield because we couldn’t control the game, we couldn’t anything. We were passing the ball to the next team, so that’s a part of saying this would never work or this is not going to work,” he said while lamenting the poor finishing that ultimately cost the team.
“Should we have knocked some goals in, maybe we should have but such is football. To us, it’s preparation and the end product is what we are looking at.”
Donaldson said this was the last window when the coaching staff would be looking at new players. He indicated that by the next camp they should have the 30 players from which the final squad will be selected for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Jamaica Reggae Girlz forward Khadijah Shaw and midfielder Drew Spence have been named to the Concacaf W Championship Best XI for the recently concluded tournament.
The duo was outstanding for the Jamaica national team who finished third overall at the event behind winners the United States and second place Canada.
The typically outstanding Shaw, the Jamaica national team’s all-time leading scorer, managed to net a tournament-leading three goals, which added up for a very productive 12 overall.
The introduction of Tottenham Hotspurs midfielder Spence was a major boost for the Jamaicans as she racked up a tournament-leading 15 pass interceptions an assist and a goal.
Also joining Shaw and Spence in the W Championship Best XI was Haiti livewire Melchie Dumornay who proved a slippery customer for opposing defenses to handle time and time again. The Caribbean players were selected as part of a 3-4-3 formation. The rest of the team was comprised of players from the United States and Canada.
Full squad
GK Kailen Sheridan, Canada
DF Becky Sauerbrunn, United States
DF Vanessa Gilles, Canada
DF Naomi Girma, United States
MF Melchie Dumornay, Haiti
MF Rose Lavelle, United States
MF Jessie Fleming, Canada
MF Drew Spence, Jamaica
FW Julia Grosso, Canada
FW Alex Morgan, United States
FW Khadija Shaw, Jamaica
Jamaica punched their ticket to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand in commanding fashion with a 4-0 win over Haiti in their final match of Group A of the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship on Monday night at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.
The result means Jamaica have qualified for a second straight Women’s World Cup, making it the second time in history that a Caribbean team have qualified for a Women’s World Cup.
Haiti have finished in third place and will advance to next February’s 10-team 2023 Women’s World Cup Playoff in New Zealand.
The blistering pace at the start made for a back-and-forth affair and Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay almost scored the opener with a dazzling solo run from her own half that ended with her shot ringing off the post.
An opening goal was bound to come and Jamaica were the ones to break the deadlock as some nice work from Khadija Shaw set up Trudi Carter, whose right-footed shot beat Haiti GK Nahomie Ambroise to make it 1-0 to the Reggae Girlz in the 26th minute.
Haiti went right to work to try to find an equalizer and Roselord Borgella had it all there to get it in the 52' off a Jamaica turnover, but instead swung her shot wide of the post.
Haiti continued to push forward in search of a goal, but it left space behind for the Jamaican attack and Shaw was happy to take advantage of it by firing in a right-footed shot to double the Jamaica lead to 2-0 in the 58'.
Nevertheless, Haiti kept pushing and almost pulled a goal back in the 63’ through a blazing effort from Dumornay in the 63’, only to see Jamaica GK Rebecca Spencer parry the ball onto the post and eventually out of play.
However, the night belonged to Shaw and Jamaica and after a Haiti handball in the area, the Manchester City striker stepped up and fired in her third goal of the CWC from the penalty spot for a 3-0 lead in the 70'.
They then capped off their magical night in the 79' with a well-placed header from Drew Spence off a free-kick to complete the winning 4-0 scoreline, earning their first-ever CWC win against Haiti in three attempts.
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