Reggae Girlz secure Costa Rica October friendly
Published:Wednesday | September 29, 2021 | 2:46 AM
THE NATIONAL senior women’s football team’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers will continue as they have secured an international friendly against Costa Rica for the October international window.
Four months after their two-game international series in June against Nigeria and World champion United States, the Reggae Girlz will play their third match of 2021 against Costa Rica at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 24. The Reggae Girlz will also have a one-week camp prior to the game in South Florida and are expected to arrive on October 18.
The game will be under the Football Is Freedom initiative established by global Reggae Girl ambassador, Cedella Marley, that will seek to provide tools and necessary resources for the continued development of the women’s game in the Caribbean and, by extension, Latin America. In a press release yesterday, Marley said the match has the potential to further display the women’s game.
INSPIRATION
“The Costa Rican federation’s investment in women’s football has helped to inspire my own ideas about the impact that the women’s game could have once given the proper support. Having two of our strongest female teams come together like this is a chance to demonstrate the potential, depth and power of women’s football in this region,” Marley said.
Jamaica Football Federation President, Michael Ricketts, said in the release he is pleased that in addition to supporting the wider cause of the women’s game in the region, they will get the necessary time to prepare for the November World Cup qualifiers.
“We are particularly proud that the initiative is being launched around a camp and an international friendly game involving the Reggae Girlz. The Jamaica Football Federation stands ready to offer whatever assistance necessary to ensure the success of this venture and we look forward to participating vibrantly going forward,” Ricketts said.
Costa Rica are currently ranked fourth in the region according to the latest FIFA world rankings. They last played in September in a two-game series against Panama where they finished with one win and one loss. Jamaica, who are ranked fifth in the region, were idle in the September window, having failed to secure a camp or an international friendly.