Kingston, Jamaica – In a decisive final Group B qualifying match held Saturday at Kingston’s National Stadium, Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz claimed a 2-0 victory over Guyana to punch their ticket to the upcoming Concacaf W Championships, finishing their qualifying run with a perfect 12 points from four matches.
Both of Jamaica’s goals came from separate strikers in each half: veteran forward Khadija “Bunny” Shaw opened the scoring early, while second-half substitute Shania Hayles sealed the win in the game’s closing minutes. The result was all the more impressive given a standout performance from Guyana goalkeeper Arden La-rose, who recorded an incredible 15 saves throughout the 90 minutes to keep her side in the contest despite overwhelming pressure from Jamaica.
Group B final standings saw Nicaragua finish second with nine points, followed by Guyana in third with six points. Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica tied for last place, collecting just one point each in qualifying. Across the six qualifying groups, all group winners earn automatic advancement to the Concacaf W Championships, where they will join pre-qualified regional powerhouses the United States and Canada for the main tournament.
Shaw put Jamaica ahead just minutes into the first half, connecting on a corner kick delivered by Deneisha Blackwood. The forward directed a looping header toward the far left post, bouncing the ball off the turf before it ricocheted over La-rose and two Guyanese defenders to cross the goal line.
For much of the second half, Jamaica was held back by both inconsistent finishing in front of goal and a string of spectacular stops from La-rose. Hayles, who had been a starter in Jamaica’s previous match against Antigua a week prior but was dropped to the bench for Saturday’s contest, finally broke through in the 88th minute to double Jamaica’s lead. The substitute found herself unmarked in the center of the 18-yard box, and guided a left-flank cross from fellow substitute Paige Bailey cleanly past the outstretched arms of La-rose to secure the three points and the group win.
Reporting by Paul A Reid