Jamaica's Jodie-Ann McGregor who scored seven times yesterday to lead Jamaica to a 21-0 win over Grenada, prepares to dismiss a challenge from Veron Williams in a Under-19 World Cup qualifier. - Dennis Coke
ONE SCORE and one. That's what they scored - the Young Reggae Girls, that is.
They were in awesome form yesterday as they hammered Grenada 21-0 in the Caribbean Zone of the women's Under-19 World Cup qualifying football tournament which kicked off at the Spanish Town Prison Oval with a doubleheader.
Jodie-Ann McGregor had a rich haul of seven goals and was supported by captain Denese Duncan with four and Kim Dunn with three. Fern Maxwell scored a double while Kaena Shae Thomas, Hishamar Falconer, substitute Tashana Vincent, Iesha Mowatt and Sharika Evans had a goal each.
Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago, who are taking part in the tournament as a guest team, were also in a very productive mood. They whipped Bahamas 13-0. For Trinidad and Tobago, captain Tasha St. Louis led the gaolscorers with four followed by Maylee Attin Johnson and Mauricia Nicholson with a hat-trick each. Kesiann Francis had a double strike while Alania Burgin scored once.
The highly-fancied Jamaicans opened the scoring with just 50 seconds on the clock when Thomas converted a corner and added a second seven minutes later when McGregor struck from the spot.
Despite that early lead, the Jamaicans appeared to be playing well below their standard.
This pattern continued but the goals kept coming. Mowatt added her name to the scoresheet in the 13th minute, however the real quality began to show in the 18th minute with Dunn's first strike from about 30-yards. Duncan tried to match Dunn with a beautiful strike of her own from a shorter distance in the 30th minute.
Evans would outdo them all in the 35th minute as she beat goalkeeper Karen Mitchell from the centre circle for a 6-0 lead. Duncan had her second goal, a beauty from 35 yards, and then completed her hat-trick in the 38th and 39th minutes.
At halftime it was 9-0 as Dunn scored her second two minutes before the interval.
After what appeared to be a stern lecture by coach Patrick "Jackie" Walters, the Jamaican girls upped their efforts and added 12 more in the second half. McGregor was the most successful as she added six more goals to her first-half strike.
Defender Maxwell went forward and took her two, Vincent entered the field, scored hers and left, Falconer had her strike while Duncan and Dunn completed their scoring.
"I think we can be satisfied scoring 21 goals. However, I think they played much better positionally and possessionally in the second half," said coach Walters.
He also said he had laid down the law at halftime.
"Most definitely. The girls tended to be focussing on flair and were not consistent in concentrating on the football itself and trying to score. They had the tendency to be entertaining," he said.
"Nothing is wrong with that but when one is trying to develop a young team you have to focus on the correct things in trying to lay a foundation at this stage.
"It is important that they understand team organsiation and positioning. It is of utmost importance that they get an understanding of that."
Jamaica next play Bahamas tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. at the same venue. In the 1:00 p.m. opener, T&T take on Grenada.
