Girlz Look to Save Face Against Panama

The match-up of the eliminated Group A teams will get going at 5:00 pm (6:00 pm local time), while semi-final contenders Mexico will meet Canada in the top-of-the-table clash at 7:30 pm (8:30 pm local) in a double-header.

Jamaica, having crashed 1-4 and 0-3 in their first two games to Canada and Mexico, respectively, will be desperate to save face in a disappointing tournament, but coach Vin Blaine warned that victory will only come if the Grilz want it bad enough.

"It's all about the players; if it's what they want, we can only do so much for them, they will actually have to have the will, though I believe we have the team to beat Panama," he said.

Panama, too, will be determined to finish the championship on a high after losing firstly 0-6 to Mexico in their opening match and then marginally 1-2 to Canada, and Blaine believes the Central Americans are no pushovers.

"Panama play with heart and their scoreline against Canada proves that and they themselves want to leave here with third place... come tomorrow (today) against Panama, it's the team that wants it the most that will get it," he said yesterday.

"They (Panamanians) are not big and strong, but they will run at you and they want to win, so it depends on the mentality of our girls," Blaine argued.

And as the Young Girlz look ahead to this evening's game, Blaine, a veteran coach in the women's game, said he remains concerned with his players' fitness level and defending so far in the tournament.

"I don't think they are fit and the goals that were scored (in Mexico game) were made from three goalkeeping errors and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, knowing that you are 0-0 with a top team at half-time and to then concede three goals in 10 minutes, is kind of rough," Blaine lamented.

It is expected that six players -- Sh'nell Briscoe, Shanise Foster, Lotoya Duhaney, Davia Morrison, Natani Tomlinson-Trail and Tisha Campbell-Henny -- who nursed injuries after the gruelling Canada contest and some of whom faced Mexico on Saturday, should be available for selection in the customary 4-4-2 formation.

But coach Blaine was still toying with the composition of his starting line-up at press time yesterday.

The failure of the Under-17s to advance further in the competition follows closely on that of the Under-20 Girlz who were sent packing at the same stage of their qualifying campaign in Guatemala in January.

Jamaica are yet to qualify a women's team to a world tournament, and the success of the Under-17 Girlz is seen as crucial to the overall future of the women's football programme. Recently, a cash-strapped Jamaica Football Federation was forced to cut the senior and Olympic planks of the under-threat programme, sending jitters through the ranks.

Meanwhile, semi-finalists USA and Costa were down for a big showdown last night to determine the champions of Group B in the feature of a double-header, while Caribbean rivals the Cayman Islands and Haiti were scheduled to open the evening's entertainment.

The ongoing tournament here will qualify two teams to the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago in September.

Teams: Jamaica (from): Shauntae Brown, Teola Caine, Chris-Ann Chambers, Remona Hyde, Sh'nell Briscoe, Lotoya Duhaney, Davia Morrison, Shenika Williams, Shanese Bowen, Trudi Carter, Shantel Graham, Natani Tomlinson-Trail, Renee Freeman, Shantel Bailey, Shanise Foster, Tisha Campbell-Henry, Akila Keene and Adrianna Johnson.

Panama (from): Anyuri Montenegro, Lyanne Diaz, Angela Evans, Yessenia Zorrilla, Saireth Perez, Natalia Mills, Mayra Jordon, Margie Moreno, Yerenis DeLeon, Gabriela Vergara, Maryori Palacio, Celeste Garcia, Astrid Diaz, Yoselin Poveda, Joselyne Sanjur, Isis Herrera, Kimberly Orocu, Lisbany Alveo, Onelys Alvarado and Alma Valderrama.