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Chantelle Swaby gutted but proud

Published:Wednesday | August 9, 2023 | 12:07 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
Colombia’s Catalina Usme (right) scores the only goal of her side’s Women’s World Cup round-of-16 football match against Jamaica at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium yesterday, as defender Chantelle Swaby (centre) makes a desperate attempt to interce
AP
Colombia’s Catalina Usme (right) scores the only goal of her side’s Women’s World Cup round-of-16 football match against Jamaica at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium yesterday, as defender Chantelle Swaby (centre) makes a desperate attempt to intercept the effort. Looking on is Reggae Girl Deneisha Blackwood (second right) and goalkeeper Rebecca Sencer.

THE MUSIC may have stopped for the Reggae Girlz at the Women’s World Cup but national defender Chantelle Swaby expressed pride in the history they created in their run to the round of 16.

Jamaica were edged 1-0 by Colombia in their knockout round encounter in Melbourne yesterday courtesy of a Catalina Usme 51st-minute goal, the only goal they conceded all tournament.

Swaby along with her sister Allyson, Deneisha Blackwood, Tierny Wiltshire and goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer didn’t let anything pass for five hours and 22 minutes.

And while the defeat stung, Swaby chose to focus on what they were able to achieve throughout their three weeks in Australia

“It is a disappointing result, but if you really look at the bigger picture, it was a major achievement for us. I am so gutted about the result but I couldn’t be more proud of the girls and just the direction we are going from here,” Swaby told ESPN FC.

In a group that included France and Brazil, they sent the latter home en route to becoming the first Caribbean nation in tournament history to advance to the round of 16. Their reward was facing a Colombian team they felt was the best matchup of the three opponents, but said they lacked the efficiency in the final third to make it count.

“I think going into it we knew that it was going to be a great matchup for us. Probably the best out of the teams that we played. The type of style, you know they have quick players, we have quick players and we tried to make sure that we matched that. Unfortunately, we weren’t as efficient as we usually are up top. And that’s what really sucked for us. The result killed us but I am just happy about how we handled the tournament,” Swaby said.

“You just got to look past that and try to build from that and see where we can improve.”

Swaby says the team has benefit from four years of work together and with the infusion of youth into that experience, has set them up for the future which includes a run at the last spot in the Olympics next year. They will play a two-game playoff with Canada next month.

“For the past four years, we have had some new players coming in, some young, some with just a little more experience and it shows how we are continuing to build year after year. Especially with Olympic qualifiers coming up, that is now what we are focused on and just try to work from there.”

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com