While a daunting task awaits the national under-20 team in their quest to qualify for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, head coach Hugh Bradford is focused on getting the team to be more consistent in their performances to take on the group of death in the final round of the Under-20 Concacaf Women’s Championship.
Jamaica have been given a difficult assignment in their group as they have been drawn with the United States, Canada and Panama for the final round which begins in less than two weeks in the Dominican Republic.
The young Reggae Girlz qualified for the final round after going through the first-round tournament in Nicaragua last month unbeaten. However, their path to next year’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup finals seems a tall order having to go through two of the top teams in the region.
Bradford knows he has to prepare the team well for the biggest hurdle this group has faced.
“We are in a tough bracket, but you never know how things will go. I was not surprised at it because I have been in so many different ones in different leagues. But you just have to go out and do what you got to do in what people normally call the group of death,” Bradford told The Gleaner. “It’s very tough, but this is why we worked hard to get here.”
Only the top two teams will qualify for the semi-finals, where they will contend for the three spots for the Under-20 World Cup. Jamaica’s highest-ever finish in the Concacaf Under-20 championship was fourth in 2006.
The team is expected to convene shortly for a training camp with the intention of evaluating other players to give Bradford more options. He said the squad that he took to Nicaragua may differ from the roster that will be in the Dominican Republic because of player availability.
“Not everybody is always available. You have these children who are in school. I have to confirm who is available. I will be down in Jamaica shortly (next week), and we will be training and taking a look at the players. We are trying to invite some other players to the camp to take a look and see if that helps us or not,” the United States-based Bradford said. “The team that went to Nicaragua has been given some things to work on in the meantime with their clubs, and we are going to meet up and see where they are.”
Natoya Atkinson led the team with three goals scored in the first round, with Davia Richards the second-highest goal scorer with two.
Bradford is hoping to make adjustments to the playing style of the team not because of the opponents they will be facing, but to see how they can improve as a whole.
“There are going to be things we need to work on to be better at or change. It is not because of the draw but mostly because you are in the final phase of things and you have to be better prepared,” Bradford said.