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Reggae Girlz forced to reshuffle ahead of Cup of Nations bow

Published:Wednesday | February 15, 2023 | 12:31 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter

THOUGH THE February international window marks the beginning of formulating the final roster for the Women’s World Cup, national senior women’s head coach Lorne Donaldson has been forced to reshuffle his personnel again with two late additions to their Cup of Nations roster.

The Reggae Girlz will face Spain tomorrow morning in their first international encounter at 12:10 a.m., Jamaica time, at the Industree Group Stadium in Gosford, Australia.

Their first match of the calendar year is part of the preparation for this summer’s Women’s World Cup and the tournament, which includes the Czech Republic and World Cup co-hosts Australia, has been identified by Donaldson as a key window to start formulating a concentrated group from which he will pick his final 23-player squad.

However, Donaldson has been forced into late changes to the squad for the tournament, which started with national striker and captain Khadija Shaw opting out for personal reasons.

She was initially replaced by Bristol City striker Shania Hayles, who has been in hot goalscoring form, but an injury to her, as well as Birmingham City defender Siobhan Wilson, resulted in late call-ups for Rangers’ Kayla McKenna and ETO Gyor’s Tiffany Cameron.

Before the withdrawals of Wilson and Hayles, Donaldson said the team’s style of play would have to change with Shaw’s absence.

However, he maintained it would also provide opportunities for other players to prove their worth.

“When one player is out, another player needs to step up. We are looking forward to the group that’s going and that is what we have to concentrate on. We have to change a little bit the way we play because she’s (Shaw’s) a big part of what we do,” Donaldson said in a recent Sunday Gleaner interview.

“We will have to change some things as a group and we just move on.”

One of the players looking to make good use of her opportunity is Brighton’s Victoria Williams, who could make her international debut for Jamaica after spells in the past with the England youth team.

Donaldson has identified defence as an area that still needs some work and is looking to see where there are players who fit the long-term plans of the unit.

LOOKING FORWARD

“Anytime there is an opportunity, especially [for] young players, they have to step up and take it. So we are looking forward to seeing who takes their opportunities,” Donaldson said.

That defence will be tested against a Spanish attack that will still be potent even without reigning world player of the year, Barcelona’s Alexis Putellas.

They will still have a dangerous front line that includes Real Madrid’s Esther Gonzales, who has scored 15 goals this season in Liga F.

The Spaniards also have former Barcelona standout Jennifer Hermoso, who helped to secure their World Cup qualification last September, and youngster Salma Paralluelo, who helped Spain to win the Under-20 Women’s World Cup last year. In Paralluelo’s senior debut last November, she scored a hat trick against Argentina.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com