Jamaica prepares for Women's World Cup last-16 clash against Colombia, focusing on quarter-final spot against England or Nigeria

Posted : 07 August 2023

Coach Lorne Donaldson has asserted that Jamaica is well-prepared for what he describes as a "boxing match" against Colombia in the Women's World Cup last-16 clash scheduled for Tuesday in Melbourne.

Both teams have been surprising standouts during the group stages, with Jamaica advancing ahead of Brazil, and Colombia topping Group H.

Donaldson emphasized his team's commitment to giving their all as they target a quarter-final spot against either England or Nigeria. He stated, "We won't change much, but we will give it a good shot. This is like a boxing match, someone will go down. We want to be standing when the game is over."

Jamaica's progression to the knockout stage has been anchored in their strong defense, as they are the only team yet to concede a goal in the World Cup. While they have scored only once, courtesy of defender Allyson Swaby's goal in their 1-0 win over Panama, they secured second place in Group F with goalless draws against France and Brazil.

Addressing concerns about goal-scoring, Donaldson said, "A lack of goals is not a major concern. We have played against some strong teams, two of the top teams, and we were expected to lose by a larger margin. We understand that we need to score to win this game, so we will put our best foot forward."

Colombia is expected to field 18-year-old defender Ana Maria Guzman in place of the suspended Manuela Vanegas. Guzman will be one of the two 18-year-olds in Colombia's likely starting lineup, alongside Linda Caicedo.

Guzman expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "This is a tremendous opportunity. Representing the national team is a blessing, and I'm committed to giving my best for the team and my teammates. Yes, we may be the youngest players, but on the field, we possess great skills."

Colombia has emerged as the surprise package of the tournament, displaying strong organization and clutch moments in attack. Jamaica has also shown resilience, but Colombia appears to have more creativity in breaking down opponents.

This marks Colombia's second appearance in the Women's World Cup last 16, having previously achieved this milestone on their debut in 2015. Additionally, Jamaica has made history as the first Caribbean nation, whether male or female, to reach the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup since Cuba in 1938.

The Reggae Girlz are the third team from the Concacaf region to progress to the Women's World Cup knockout stages, following in the footsteps of the USA and Canada.

Notably, Colombia and Jamaica are the last remaining representatives from their respective federations (Conmebol and Concacaf) in this World Cup. It's worth highlighting that Jamaica maintained a clean sheet in all three of their group matches, a notable improvement from their 2019 Women's World Cup debut when they conceded 12 goals in three games.

Jamaica prepares for Women's World Cup last-16 clash against Colombia, focusing on quarter-final spot against England or Nigeria

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics