Young Reggae Girlz look to continue strong start
Published:Tuesday | April 26, 2022 | 12:09 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
After an emphatic start to their 2022 Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship campaign, Jamaica will hope to secure passage to the knockout stages when they face the Dominican Republic in their second group game today at 6 p.m. Jamaica time.
The young Reggae Girlz have put their own qualifying fate in their hands after dispatching Bermuda 7-0 in their tournament opener on Sunday at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in the Dominican Republic.
A brace from Maya Raghunandanan in the seventh and 65th minutes led the way as she was supported by efforts from Avery Johnson (12th), Tiny Seaton (16th), Tyesha Nelson (47th), Shaneil Buckley (78th), and Natoya Atkinson (83) as the attacking thrust left the Bermudans with no answers and no avenues for recovery.
Raghunandanan, one of the four overseas-based players in the squad, praised the attacking execution of the team on Sunday and relished the opportunity of being a part of the journey towards the World Cup.
“I’m just so proud of our team. We went out there and did what we have been working on, and I think it is an amazing experience for me to be here. I’m just so proud. We did everything that we could and we showed up,” Raghunandanan said.
FIRST GOAL
Heeding head coach Dane Chambers’s warning not to take the opposition lightly, Jamaica proceeded to impose their will on the Bermudans from the opening whistle. They would need only seven minutes to get the breakthrough as Raghunandanan latched on to a through pass and slotted home past the Bermudan goalkeeper.
The assault continued in the 12th minute as Johnson tapped home from close range after Seaton’s initial shot was saved. Four minutes later, Seaton would get her goal with a tap in of her own after a weak Jamaican shot went past the goalkeeper and into her path for the finish. Second-half goals from Nelson, Raghunandanan, Buckley, and Atkinson completed the rout.
The Dominican Republic, the host nation for the tournament, will be looking to mount a response after being thrashed by Canada 10-0 in their group opener. The country is making their tournament debut. While Jamaica are tied with Canada on three points in Group F, the young Reggae Girlz are in second place in the group because of an inferior goal difference (+7) to the Canadians (+10).
Jamaica will close group play against Canada on Thursday with the top three teams in the group advancing to the round of 16
The tournament will determine the three qualifiers from the region that will participate in this year’s Under-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India. The tournament was rescheduled from its original 2020 date because of the COVID-19 pandemic.