Veteran warns of Jamaican counter-attack

THEY may be minnows who’ve already copped eight goals, but Hayley Raso has good reason to respect the Reggae Girlz.

And the Matildas winger’s experience training and playing alongside some of Jamaica’s national team members has her alert to their counter-attacking threats.

Raso crossed paths with Cheyna Matthews (nee Williams), one of several American-born Jamaican players, during her time with the National Women’s Soccer League side Washington Spirit.

“I used to play with Cheyna Williams and I think there's a couple of other NWSL girls,” Raso said.

“Williams is very quick, very fast and she can finish, but I think they all have that in them.

“They are all quite agile, quick and strong, so we are looking that they don't get us on the counter-attack.”

Raso has been a standout at her second World Cup, having gone to Canada 2015 as a squad member but seeing out the tournament with no minutes.

“I had a goal to come here and I really wanted to play,” she said.

“Coming in and starting the first game was overwhelming for me. I was so excited.

“It was so great to be out there and it’s great to have an involvement in the second game too.

“Looking forward I’m hoping I can contribute as much as I can.”

Momentum is the buzz word as the Matildas attempt to use last week’s stunning comeback job on Brazil as a springboard for a deep run in France.

But the Portland Thorns forward was equally cautious of letting the emotion of their Group C rollercoaster influence their form.

“We know we still have a job to do, so we are looking forward and looking to our next game now,” Raso said.

“You get excited and celebrate it for the rest of the day and the next morning comes around and you move on and you start focusing on the next game.”