Guatemala hold gutsy Girlz

Wasted chances overshadowed a gutsy display by Jamaica’s make-shift senior women’s football team in their second Concacaf Gold Cup qualifying contest against Guatemala on Sunday.

When Mexican referee Diana Perez sounded the final whistle at the National Stadium, the Reggae Girlz had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

Jamaica got their goals from Melissa Johnson in the 32nd minute and Zoe Vidaurre in the 52nd minute. Leslie Ramirez and Aisha Solorzano netted for Guatemala in minutes 28th and 56th, respectively.

It is the first point for Jamaica after two qualification games. The hastily-arranged second-string team lost 2-1 to hosts Panama last Wednesday.

Xavier Gilbert, who was in his final game as interim head coach, was happy with the point but said that the missed opportunities signalled that “we have some more work to do”.

“I would have been more worried if we weren’t creating the chances, but it just means that we have to be more composed in front of goal,” Gilbert said after the game.

“It’s the first time a lot of them are playing at home, so of course there is a little bit of tension. No excuses, but at this level we just have to be more clinical in front of goal. But I’m still proud of the way the girls performed tonight.”

Jamaica sit at the bottom of Group B, three points behind Guatemala in second (four points) and leaders Panama on six points.

Karla Aleman, head coach of Guatemala, was happy with a point against a tough Jamaican team.

“It breathes life into us and we will keep on fighting. We will fight to the end,” she said through an interpreter during a post-match press conference.

Johnson got the first real scoring opportunity of the contest when she intercepted a back pass by a Guatemalan defender and found herself one-on-one with goalkeeper Alexia Estrada. However, her shot from just outside the 18-yard box went wide of the post.

Minutes later, Mikayla Dayes found herself on the end of a pass that streaked across the Guatemalan 18-yard box but dragged her shot wide of goal.

Guatemala also squandered some chances before they took the lead through Leslie Ramirez. The midfielder steered a cross out of the reach of the Jamaican custodian Aliyah Morgan.

But the Reggae Girlz were back on level terms four minutes later when Johnson was played through and easily slotted past Estrada.

On the stroke of halftime, Dayes missed a chance to put Jamaica in the lead when she turned her marker and dribbled inside Guatemala’s 18-yard box but saw powerful left-footed shot crashed into the side netting.

Vidaurre gave the small crowd hope that Jamaica would come away with three points when she powered a left-footed shot past Estrada after a goal-mouth melee. But the lead was short-lived.

Solorzana got in behind the Jamaican defence and easily slotted home the equaliser.

As the Jamaicans went in search of the winner, Dayes shot wide of the goal after a corner.

Gilbert sidestepped questions about Jamaica’s chances of advancing in the Gold Cup, noting that it was the end of his two-game tenure.

“Hopefully, all being well, we will have all players available for selection to ensure that we have the best players representing Jamaica,” he said.

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, captain of Jamaica’s senior women’s team, and other experienced players who created history by leading Jamaica to the knock-out stage of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, withdrew themselves from consideration for the Gold Cup qualifiers over differences with local football governing body, the Jamaica Football Federation.

Among the issues was the non-payment for their performances at the World Cup and “numerous outstanding bonuses for qualifying in the summer of [20]22”, they said in a statement posted on social media.

Those payments were made last Friday, the JFF said.