Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz faces uphill battle in opposition to Canada after 0-2 loss in first leg qualifier
Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz face an uphill job to overturn a 0-2 deficit once they go to the BMO Discipline in Toronto, Canada, for Tuesday’s return leg in opposition to the hosts of their essential Paris 2024 Olympic Video games Qualifier.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm (Toronto time).
Within the first leg inside Kingston’s Nationwide Stadium final Friday, Canada simply proved the higher crew with a convincing victory, because of an 18th minute purpose from Nichelle Prince, and a really late strike (90th+3) from Adriana Leon, who simply might have had a hat-trick on another night time.
Canada, quantity 10 on the FIFA World Record, is the reigning Olympic Video games gold medallist, and a three-time medallist, whereas Jamaica, ranked 37th on the FIFA World Record, has by no means certified for the quadrennial occasion.
They may have loved contrasting fortunes finally summer season’s FIFA Ladies’s World Cup, with Canada struggling a shock group stage elimination, whereas Jamaica superior to the Spherical of 16 for the very first time in solely their second World Cup look.
Final Friday the North People proved they had been a lot the higher crew and deserving Tokyo Olympics champion with a classy show, which stymied the Jamaican assaults whereas penetrating the Jamaican defence with regularity.
Reggae Girlz want to vary fortunes, says coach Donaldson
The winner on mixture over the 2 video games goes to the Olympic Video games subsequent 12 months in Paris, France, however whether it is tied the crew with extra away objectives advance.
If the 2 groups are nonetheless tied, half-hour of additional time will probably be performed Tuesday, adopted by a penalty shootout if needed. The loser drops right into a Ladies’s Gold Cup Qualifying Group A which incorporates Panama and Guatemala.
For the Reggae Girlz head coach Lorne Donaldson, the equation is straightforward.
“We’ve got to enter Canada and attempt to change our fortunes, attempt to make one thing occur in another way,” he advised the media throughout a post-game press convention final Friday.
“We’re a crew that’s coming collectively and we’re nonetheless trying to find some combos that we expect can work, so scoring objectives is troublesome, and we haven’t performed anyone who’s a slouch, so we’ve to get video games which can be winnable video games for us in order that we will begin constructing as a result of it doesn’t come straightforward whenever you play groups like Canada, France, Brazil and people groups,” he added.
“It’s not going to be straightforward, so hopefully we will discover a method and get via the state of affairs and begin scoring objectives.”
Canada’s coach Priestman needs to finish job
His reverse quantity, Bev Priestman, was happy with the way by which her crew stamped its superiority over the Jamaicans of their yard and he or she plans to finish the job on Tuesday in entrance of a offered out, partisan crowd.
“We wish to go to Toronto and placed on present and get the job carried out. The job is barely half carried out and I feel that’s been the message to the gamers that I do know this Jamaica group goes to come back and do every little thing, throw the kitchen sink at us as a result of the Olympic Video games is on the road and never lots of people get to go to that, so we’ve obtained to be prepared, obtained to do every little thing correctly…”
The Canadians departed Jamaica through constitution shortly after their sport final Friday night time, whereas the Jamaicans journeyed up north on Saturday afternoon.
Each groups skilled on the match venue on Monday, with Reggae Girlz Captain Khadija Shaw and winger Jody Brown receiving therapy on the sideline.
Donaldson is predicted to make modifications, a lot of which will probably be dictated by the provision of Shaw and Brown.
Defender Swaby disenchanted with first leg loss
Central defender Allyson Swaby, who was late to cease the flashing header of Prince for the opening purpose final Friday, says the crew should discover a strategy to rating objectives if the crew is to advance.
“Clearly disenchanted to not have gotten the end result we wished, nevertheless it’s a two-way tie so I feel we’re simply targeted on enhancing for the following sport and preventing again.
“I feel the objectives that we conceded had been actually small errors that we might’ve dealt with higher after which I simply assume that in the end if we wish to advance we’ve to discover a strategy to win, so we’ve to determine the right way to put the ball at the back of the online.”
In 10 earlier conferences between the 2 sides, Jamaica is but to win any, conceding 62 objectives whereas scoring simply as soon as.
Left wingback Deneisha Blackwood is clinging to hope as she believes there’s nonetheless an opportunity for the Girlz to create a miracle inside BMO Discipline, 80 miles northeast of Niagara Falls.
Blackwood admits fault for first purpose in opposition to Canada
“It’s two legs and I feel this primary leg is sort of a first half, so the following sport we’ve to take a look at it prefer it’s 2-0 at half time, how can we get again one and we simply have to begin for there… however I feel there are loads of issues we have to enhance on and it’s simply easy issues like communication and enjoying collectively as a unit and I feel as soon as we do that we’ll be good.”
For the primary purpose final Friday, it was Ashley Lawrence who was given an excessive amount of time and area on the fitting flank to whip in a cross for Prince to flash house previous Rebecca Spence in purpose for Jamaica.
Blackwood was the defender who failed to forestall the cross and he or she readily accepted accountability.
“Clearly I’ll take one for the crew and say the primary purpose it was my fault as I feel I ought to have launched earlier and get strain on the ball, nevertheless it’s part of the sport and I feel there’s loads of issues that we might have prevented earlier than that, so it’s like a collective fault.”
With Jamaica already chasing the sport, they will’t afford to make too many errors, particularly defensively, as that will current Canada with secure passage to kill off the sport as a contest.
Groups from: Jamaica – Rebecca Spencer, Vyan Sampson, Konya Plummer, Drew Spence, Jody Brown, Solai Washington, Khadija Shaw, Deneisha Blackwood, Allyson Swaby, Tiernny Wiltshire, Atlanta Primus, Kayla McKenna, Cheyna Matthews, Tiffany Cameron, Sydney Schneider, Liya Brooks, Chantelle Swaby, Shaneil Buckley, Olufolasade Adamolukun, Kameron Simmonds, Sashana Campbell, Paige Bailey, Trudi Carter.
Canada – Kailen Sheridan, Sydney Collins, Kadeisha Buchanan, Quinn, Ashley Lawrence, Gabby Carle, Vanessa Gilles, Nichelle Prince, Jordyn Huitema, Jessie Flemming, Julia Grosso, Adriana Leon, Cloe Lacrosse, Jade Rose, Shelina Zadorsky, Lysianne Prouix, Sabrina D’angelo, Olivia Smith, Marie-yasmine Alidou, Evelyne Viens, Christine Sinclair, Simi Awujo, Bianca St Georges.
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