A tight and keenly contested final was anticipated between Caribbean rivals Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under 20 Championship game; and that is exactly what the spectators got.
A tight and keenly contested final was anticipated between Caribbean rivals Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under 20 Championship game; and that is exactly what the spectators got.
Both teams were playing their fifth game of the competition in just over a week, but the incentive of being called the inaugural U-20 champions was motivation enough for them to come out blazing from the first whistle.
Trinidad and Tobago went at Jamaica from the opening whistle showing that they would not be overawed by the home team, but it was Jamaica who showed the first real signs of intent when a Jessica Johnson corner was met by Khadija Shaw whose header flashed just wide of the far post in the eighth minute.
A minute later Taylor Grant in the Jamaican goal was called into action following the first effort on target for the T&T team.
The crowd was brought to its feet in the 13th minute when Shaw received a pass on the edge of the area, glided past a defender before unleashing a stunning shot into the back of the net pass the despairing dive of Shantelle Christian in the T&T goal.
The early goal settled the Jamaicans with Shaw and captain Marlo Sweatman taking control of the midfield, spraying passes all over the park.
The T&T defenders were doing a good job containing the Jamaican striking pair of Kayla Gray and Oshay Lawes as neither player was given a look in during the first half.
To their credit, the make shift defense of the Jamaica team was also doing well, as auxiliary left back Shantel Bailey who normally plays in the midfield was doing a good job in defense.
With both teams cancelling each other out, the first half ended 1-0 to Jamaica in what was, up to that point an entertaining but tense affair.
Trinidad and Tobago came fast again in the second half creating two quick chances. First, a good combination play between Shanisa Camejo and Patrice Campbell, saw the latter scooping her shot over the crossbar from inside the box.
A few minutes later Campbell was presented with a golden opportunity to equalize after two Jamaican defenders slipped and the ball came to her unmarked in the box, but she mishit her shot and the chance for an equalizer was lost.
Bailey who was having a really good game at left back for Jamaica went on a fantastic overlapping run in the 62nd minute, going past one defender then the next before sending an inch perfect pass to Lawes inside the six yard box. The usually composed striker, set herself before somehow placing the ball on the wrong side of the post as T&T breathed a sigh of relief. The home crowd was stunned into silence at the miss.
From then on, it was a battle of wills as the teams gave as good as they got. The battle in midfield saw a number of players going down injured and requiring treatment.
Neither team was able to create any more clear cut chances as they cancelled each other out in all areas of the pitch.
The final whistle which signaled Jamaica as regional under 20 champions was greeted with loud cheers as the partisan crowd celebrated the triumph of the young Reggae Girls.
Jamaica head coach, Xavier Gilbert was a happy man, “It is a good feeling, and the way we won is even more special. Throughout the tournament we weren’t broken down. We conceded only two goals throughout the tournament from goal keeping errors.
“Credit to the girls, they played some awesome football over the nine days,” he said.
Khadija Shaw who got the game winner was ecstatic about becoming champions, “I feel good that I am under 17 and made the under 20 team. Coming into this tournament I was really confident that I could lead my team to victory.
“We were sure of scoring goals as the goal scorers were getting the job done in training and the defenders were being really aggressive. So I knew we would come into this tournament and give it our all.
“Scoring the winner in this tournament is definitely the highlight of my career playing for Jamaica so far,” she said.
Both finalists will participate in the CONCACAF Under-20 Finals in Cayman in January 2014.
Photo: Jamaica celebrate with the CFU U-20 Trophy
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