‘The girls showed great discipline’
Young Reggae Girlz coach proud of fight to earn qualification
Published:Wednesday | February 4, 2026 | 12:17 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Jamaica’s Under-17 Reggae Girlz ensured that they are one of the six automatic qualifiers to the final round of the Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Group D World Cup qualifiers after an upset win over Honduras in their top-of-the-table clash at the Stadion Guillermo Prospero Trinidad in Aruba on Monday.
Elizabeth Miller got the game’s only goal for the Jamaicans, scoring a header from a corner kick in the 44th minute of play.
The young Reggae Girlz, however, had to do it the hard way after Riquanna Richards was shown the red card early in the second half.
Nevertheless, the Marlon Hylton-coached team walked away with the three points required to top the group.
They ended the qualifiers on 10 points, one more than Honduras, who won their three matches prior to facing the young Girlz.
Hylton admitted that it was a most difficult encounter but pointed out that their discipline, resillience, and team work saw them to victory against a very tough opponent.
“It was a very difficult match, especially playing with 10 players for a long period. The girls showed great discipline, resilience, and togetherness, and they executed the game plan very well,” he said.
If Jamaica had failed to win, they would risk being eliminated or could only qualify as one of two best second-placed teams.
“The win was extremely important,” Hylton continued. “It gave us automatic qualification and rewarded the hard work the players and staff have put in throughout the campaign.”
Following the conclusion of Groups C, D, and E on Monday, Haiti and Costa Rica qualified along with Jamaica, El Salvador, Panama, and the Dominican Republic as group winners, while Nicaragua and Bermuda took the best second-place spots.
They will join the top-four ranked nations in the Confederation — the USA, Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Hylton added that they look forward to the next phase of the qualifiers with great expectations.
“We are excited for the final round. It will be a higher level of competition, but we believe these girls, with continuous preparation, will afford us with the ability to compete.
“As a staff, we are very proud of the group. The mentality, unity, and discipline they have shown make this a special team, and we look forward to continuing the journey,” he added.