Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
JAMAICA'S REGGAE Girlz kick off their Caribbean Group C first round qualification against St. Lucia confident of reaching the 2006 CONCACAF women's Gold Cup.
The Reggae Girlz will play the second of three games at the National Stadium at 6:00 p.m., after St. Kitts and Nevis take on Antigua and Barbuda at 4:00 p.m. The other match pits Portmore United and Tivoli Gardens in the Wray and Nephew Knockout Cup final at 8:00 p.m.
Vin Blaine, coach of the Reggae Girlz, said the team is confident although their preparation is not where it is supposed to be.
"We are confident but as much as we are I don't want to look that far," Blaine told The Gleaner yesterday.
"We are ready but our preparation is not where we wanted to be at this time. However, I am hoping to come good from the first game," said Blaine.
Meanwhile, Trevor Anderson, coach of St. Lucia, is also brimming with confidence, saying his team has been preparing for six months.
"We have been preparing from October and everything is all right. You have to leave everything to the Almighty and hope to get a good result," said Anderson.
The winners of the four Caribbean groups will advance to the Caribbean Final Round set for September at a venue to be announced.
From that final round, the top two Caribbean teams along with the winners of the two Central American (including Mexico) groups will join Canada and the host U.S.A. in the 2006 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup Finals in November.
The St. Lucia team arrived in the island yesterday evening and as such, coach Blaine did not get the opportunity to see what his opponents are made of.
"I didn't see them in training, but there is work to be done and we have put things in place," said Blaine.
Jamaica's team comprises 60 per cent of the unit that just failed to qualify for the Under-20 Women's World Cup earlier this year.
The team will be selected from: Paula Jackson, Yolanda Hamilton, Kimmia Parker, Peatria Campbell, Cristina Murray, Tanesia Vassell, Stacy-Ann Johnson, Peta Gay Soman, Jodi-Ann McGregor, Diana Hue, Iesha Mowatt, Nicola Bell, Julie Fearon, Nordia Reid, Venecia Reid, Marsha Boyd, Omolyn Davis, Shakira Duncan, Shanique Mitchell and Natalya Manyan.
TODAY'S GAMES
4:00 PM
St. Kitts & Nevis vs. Antigua & Barbuda
6:00 PM
Jamaica vs. St. Lucia
