Reggae Girlz battle USA in top-of-table CWC clash
Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz will be on the hunt for top honours in Group A of the Concacaf Women’s Championship (CWC) and the chance to advance to the next stage of the competition when they go up against the United States (US) here tonight at six, Jamaica time.
Both teams won their opening games, with the Reggae Girlz beating the hosts 1-0, and the US, reigning Concacaf and World Champions, triumphed over Haiti 3-0.
Reggae Girlz captain Khadija Shaw, with an early goal, surprised the Mexican defence line and pulled the balance in favour of the Jamaican side. Goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer was also key to the first Jamaican CWC win against Mexico, being present when needed, denying crucial goals that allowed her team to walk away with the three points.
Now, both teams will be seeking to put themselves
Jamaica
- On a five-game winning streak in this FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Won all four matches in Group C of the CWC qualifiers, against Bermuda (4-0 win on February 17), Grenada (6-1 win on February 20), Cayman Islands (9-0 win on April 9), and the Dominican Republic (5-1 win on April 12) to win the group and advance to the eight-team championship round. Beat Mexico 1-0 in the CWC opening game on Monday.
- Midfielder Havana Solaun (North Carolina Courage), goalkeeper Sydney Schneider (Kansas City Current), and defenders Satara Murray (Racing Louisville FC) and Allyson Swaby (Angel City FC) are active in the NWSL while another four players on this Jamaica roster – defender Jayda Pelaia (Arizona State), midfielder Kalyssa Vanzanten (Notre Dame), and forwards Jody Brown (Florida State) and Olufolasade Adamolekun ( Southern California) – compete collegiately in the United States.
- Twelve of the 23 players on the roster for this competition were on the team that competed in Jamaica’s first appearance at a FIFA Women’s World Cup in France 2019.
- Head coach Lorne Donaldson was the assistant coach during the Reggae Girlz’s previous Women’s World Cup campaign. He is the executive director of coaching for Real Colorado, where he coached current US forwards Mallory Pugh and Sophia Smith during their youth club careers.
United States
- Haven’t lost in 15 matches
- Have won their last seven matches
- Unbeaten in five away games
- Have won each of the four previous meetings between the sides, with the most recent of being a 4-0 win on June 13, 2021, during the WNT Summer Series friendlies.
- Have never conceded a goal to Jamaica in a golden position to advance to the semi-finals of the CWC later this month.
Their previous two CWC meetings were both US victories, including a 6-0 final in the 2018 semi-final.
But after becoming Jamaica’s joint-top scorer in CWC history – tied at four goals with Jody Brown – with her goal on Monday, Shaw will look to lead the Reggae Girlz to another historic CWC win against a North American opponent.