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 beneath their belt, took a 21st minute lead by Ricshya Walker, just for Jamaican central defender Alika Keene to show the ball house for an personal objective on the stroke of half-time.
The host turned the sport round and secured all three factors when Keene didn’t clear her traces and served up substitute Lineth Cedeno for an 84th minute objective.
A number of key gamers, together with those that represented Jamaica on the 2023 FIFA Ladies’s World Cup, had been absent because of a pay dispute and points with the Jamaica Soccer Federation (JFF). The workforce 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 school gamers and some professionals.

Solely 18 gamers out there
At kick-off on Wednesday he had solely 18 gamers at his disposal.
“Powerful recreation!” was his speedy response at recreation’s finish.
“However we all know that was the state of affairs, it was going to be robust and tough, however I’m happy with the best way the ladies 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 best way it’s, I’m nonetheless proud of the best way that they carried out and I believe they made Jamaica proud,” Gilbert added.
“We simply need to 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 house 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 house left-footed.
The house facet caught to its precept of ball possession and continued to probe and so they 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 unsuitable facet of the upright.
Keene’s inadvertent personal objective
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 objective, 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 effectively to disclaim her and maintain Jamaica on stage 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 ft of Cedeno who made no mistake from shut vary.
Coach Gilbert acknowledged the workforce’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 manage 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 objective in the long run there, however credit score should be given to the best way they executed.”
The workforce is predicted in Jamaica on Thursday forward of Sunday’s recreation.