Weakened Reggae Girlz battle laborious however fall 1-2 to Panama
Interim head coach of the Reggae Girlz, Xavier Gilbert, expressed satisfaction with the efficiency of his inexperienced squad regardless of their 1-2 loss to Panama within the Group B CONCACAF Ladies’s Gold Cup qualifier at Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama Metropolis on Wednesday.
The inexperienced Jamaicans, with just one coaching session underneath their belt, took a 21st minute lead by means of Ricshya Walker, just for Jamaican central defender Alika Keene to show the ball dwelling for an personal purpose on the stroke of half-time.
The host turned the sport round and secured all three factors when Keene did not clear her strains and served up substitute Lineth Cedeno for an 84th minute purpose.
A number of key gamers, together with those that represented Jamaica on the 2023 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup, had been absent on account of a pay dispute and points with the Jamaica Soccer Federation (JFF). The staff declined call-ups for these qualifiers in protest of what they known as “continued mistreatment” by the JFF. Moreover, the Reggae Girlz skilled a change in management, with former head coach Lorne Donaldson not having his contract renewed. Gilbert was appointed interim head coach and assembled a considerably weakened 23-member squad comprising faculty gamers and some professionals.
Solely 18 gamers accessible
At kick-off on Wednesday he had solely 18 gamers at his disposal.
“Robust recreation!” was his quick response at recreation’s finish.
“However we all know that was the scenario, it was going to be robust and tough, however I’m happy with the way in which the women executed tonight, unlucky that we didn’t handle to carry on to the lead and we misplaced the sport within the final 5 to 10 minutes. I believe the women did sufficient to have at the very least gained some extent, however that’s the way in which it’s, I’m nonetheless pleased with the way in which that they carried out and I believe they made Jamaica proud,” Gilbert added.
“We simply should construct on this heading into Sunday’s encounter.”
On Sunday, Gilbert’s costs will flip their consideration to Guatemala inside Kingston’s Nationwide Stadium. Guatemala had defeated Panama 3-0 in Panama, earlier than dropping 3-2 at dwelling within the return fixture.
It was Jamaica who took a shock lead when Mikayla Dayes slipped her marker on the left facet of the penalty field earlier than teeing up a ball on the again put up for Walker to faucet dwelling left-footed.
The house facet caught to its precept of ball possession and continued to probe they usually went shut when captain Marta Cox teed up Riley Tanner on the half hour mark, however the slender attacker slid her left-footed on the flawed facet of the upright.
Keene’s inadvertent personal purpose
However simply when Jamaica appeared set to see out the primary half, catastrophe struck as Cox despatched in a curving cross from the left, just for Keene, who was going through her personal purpose, diving ahead to inadvertently head previous her goalkeeper Aliyah Gordon a minute from the half time break.
Tanner broke freed from the tiring Jamaican defence contained in the final 10 minutes, however Gordon superior properly to disclaim her and preserve Jamaica on degree keel.
And Gordon needed to be alert moments later to tip an extended vary shot over the horizontal, which resulted in a nook and the eventual winner.
Cox delivered the right-sided nook which was partially cleared and the tough attacking participant was fast to ship one other teasing ball into the hazard space just for Keene to overlook her clearance and permit the ball to drop on the toes of Cedeno who made no mistake from shut vary.
Coach Gilbert acknowledged the staff’s limitations however praised their defensive efforts.
“We all know we didn’t have the legs and the personnel to outplay them and outpossess them, however we tried to regulate the sport in entrance of us and I believe defensively we had been good with that,” defined Gilbert.
“It’s simply unlucky that we managed to attain an personal purpose in the long run there, however credit score should be given to the way in which they executed.”
The staff is predicted in Jamaica on Thursday forward of Sunday’s recreation.