Reggae Girlz no match for classy USA
Published:Friday | July 8, 2022 | 12:09 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
After the highs of their opening Concacaf Women’s Championship win against Mexico, Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz were quickly brought back down to earth by the world champions the United States, after a 5-0 drubbing in their second group game in Monterrey, Mexico, yesterday evening.
The Americans were fuelled by a brace from Sophia Smith in the fifth and eighth minutes, Rose Lavelle in the 59th minute, a Kristie Mewis penalty in the 82nd minute, and Trinity Rodman in the 86th minute, completing a dominant display where Jamaica were second best the entire night.
Interim head coach Lorne Donaldson had made two changes from Monday’s 1-0 win over host nation Mexico with Chinleyu Asher and Trudi Carter included in the starting line-up in place of Paige Bailey Gayle and Drew Spence.
The United States would only need the first five minutes of the game to assert their dominance.
After receiving a deep pass from Naomi Girma, Smith lifted the ball over Denesha Blackwood and used the outside of her right boot to unleash a shot past Spencer and into the corner of the net. It was a sign of things to come throughout the game as Jamaica would be under siege as Spencer was kept busy throughout the game. Three minutes later Smith would double the USA’s lead as she would be sent through on goal, and her one-time effort got past Spencer and the ball was deemed to have crossed the line thanks to a Video Assistant Referee review despite an Allyson Swaby clearance.
The United States then had the ball twice in the net, but both times, they were ruled out for offside. Nevertheless, it did not stop the number of chances that they created, putting the Jamaican defence under constant duress. Spencer produced a great save in the 23rd minute and stood tall again when the resulting poor clearance found Rose Lavelle and her shot was smothered by Jamaican goalkeeper.
Emily Fox had a shot that cannoned off the crossbar in the latter stages of the first half, and Smith almost had a first-half hat-trick but fired her effort over the bar.
The United States had nine shots in the first half with six of those on target while Jamaica’s only shot on target came in the first few minutes of the game, with a Jody Brown effort that was easily gathered by American goalkeeper Ashley Naeher. Khadija Shaw had a shot sail over the bar in the first minute of first-half stoppage time, but that was the closest that the Reggae Girlz came to threatening the United States goal.
Despite half-time changes, which introduced Paige Bailey Gayle and Vyan Sampson, it did little to improve the chances of the Girlz getting back into the game. The USA would get their third goal in the 59th minute as a low cross found Lavelle, and her shot went into the far corner of the net.
Baily Gayle conceded a penalty in the final 10 minutes, which resulted in Mewis converting from the penalty spot, and Rodman completed the rout with a close-range effort. The USA had 20 shots with 11 on target while Jamaica had four shots with two on target. Jamaica will face Haiti on Monday in their final group game, hoping to get an automatic berth into the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Jamaica:
Rebecca Spencer, Chantelle Swaby, Havana Solaun (Vyan Sampson 46th minute), Chinleyu Asher, Jody Brown (Paige Bailey-Gayle 46th minute), Khadija Shaw (c) (Kiki Van Zanten 63rd minute) Denisha Blackwood, Allyson Swaby, Trudi Carter, Tiernny Williams, Atlanta Primus (Drew Spence 63rd minute)