Swaby: It’s a high pressure game
Published:Saturday | July 29, 2023 | 12:07 AM
Reggae Girlz defender Allyson Swaby says the Group F FIFA Women’s World Cup match against Panama at Nib Stadium in Perth at 7:30 a.m. today will carry similar pressure to the team’s World Cup qualifying playoff match (Concacaf Women’s Championship) in 2018.
The Reggae Girlz defeated the Central American country 4-2 on penalties to secure their historic berth to the World Cup tournament four years ago.
Currently, Jamaica are joint second in the group on one point with France, behind Brazil on three. Panama are at the bottom without a point to their name.
Although the stakes are much different on this occasion, Swaby said the match carries a similar feel to that 2018 meeting.
“Both of us are fighting for our first win in a World Cup. That is something you cannot take lightly, that kind of hunger to make history for your country.
“I expect them to come out flying and I expect them to be confident because we are familiar opponents to them and I think we have that same type of confidence.
“The last time we faced each other it was a high pressure match and it is going to be similar this time around. We are just going to try use our momentum from our previous game,” she said.
Nevertheless, she said the experience gained by the players who were at the previous tournament has been a big asset to the team, as she believes they bring a sense of calm to the rest of the group.
CALMNESS AMONG PLAYERS
“The players who were here before have a certain calmness about them and it passes on to the players who are in the situation for the first time.
“But the hunger is still there. The excitement is the same. It is just a bit more refined and the result kind of speak to that change in our experience,” she continued.
She added that although they allowed the result against France to marinate for a day or so, that result is now behind them and the focus is to get a win over Panama.
“Obviously, we were buzzing after that (draw) result. But then the focus turned to this next match. We did something great against France but that can easily be erased if we do not show up and put our best foot forward again.
“Ultimately, we have one primary objective and that is to get out of this group and the dream is alive.”