Vincent rues poor preparation after U15 demolition
Published:Thursday | August 4, 2022 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
JAMAICA U15 girls’ coach, Tashawna Vincent, said her team’s 11-0 defeat to the United States in their League A, Group A Concacaf U15 Girls Championship at the Hillsborough County Sportsplex in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday, re-emphasised the importance of proper preparation.
The former Reggae Girl lamented the few weeks to prepare for the developmental tournament, and said that Wednesday’s result consolidated her point.
“My team was underprepared, and the US was far the better team. It was always going to be tough against the US and with no preparation going up against the number-one team, not just in the region, but in the world. There is not much to say other than it was a bit overwhelming.
“When we see results like this it should be an eye-opener for us and places an exclamation mark on the importance of preparation,” she said.
“Our players need to be given a fair shot, not just to represent their country, but also themselves. Players and coaches feel deflated after such a heavy defeat.
“We do not take this lightly. We know the embarrassment an 11-0 defeat can cause, but we ask for patience because with just a few weeks to prepare, it was always going to be hard.”
The young Reggae Girlz will close out their group play against Puerto Rico at 10 a.m. today, and Vincent said they are looking to end on a high.
She noted that the coaching staff has worked constantly to keep the girls in a positive frame of mind and are desperate for something positive after two big losses.
“We just have to see how they react. They are young, and some may be harder to motivate than others, but we keep working and not give up on our youngsters.
“Tomorrow (today) we are definitely looking to get a good result. We want to send some good news back home. We have some fans who have been very loyal, and we do not want to come home and not give them something to cheer about.
“We are going for a victory. We and Puerto Rico are basically at the same level, so we are going out to get a victory, and anything less than that will be considered a disappointment,” she said.
The USA and Canada, both on six points from two games, will battle for group honours at 8 a.m., while Jamaica and Puerto, with two defeats in as many matches, will meet in a bottom-of-the-table clash two hours later.
The two top teams from the group progress to the semi-finals.