Jamaica cops First Citizens Jewels title
Jamaica cops First Citizens Jewels title
Jamaica copped the 2024 First Citizens Jewels of the Caribbean Under-20 Women’s Invitational tournament on December 20 with a 2-1 victory over the TT “Red Angels” team in the final at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
On December 19, Jamaica and the Red Angels met in a dress rehearsal ahead of their final when a 51st minute goal from Gillisha Gilbert earned them a 1-0 win.
In the final, the Red Angels, TT’s Under-17 representative in the tournament, tried to exact revenge. With both teams playing their fifth game in a six-day span, they struggled to sustain a high tempo or execute the most fluid of passes.
Jamaica’s Under-20s shaded the opening exchanges, with their striker Tiny Seaton looking a handful for the Red Angels defence.
In the 18th minute, Jamaica were rewarded for their early promise when Alyssa Stephenson scored with a powerful left-footed shot from close range at the end of a solo run down the right flank. After cutting inside the Red Angels defence, Stephenson had a firm attempt saved by Red Angels goalkeeper Zaira Aimey. However, the goalie couldn’t stop the rebound which was blasted into the top corner.
The hosts struggled to get their standout attackers Orielle Martin and Nikita Gosine into the game in the first half, but Cherina Steele showed she was up for the fight in midfield with timely tackles and interceptions.
After sending a shot well wide of the mark under pressure from the defence in the 26th minute, Martin got her team on level terms in spectacular fashion in the 31st minute with a wicked left-footed shot which looped over custodian Sajane Anderson from about 30 yards. It was Martin’s sixth goal of the tourney and saw her copping the golden boot award.
Just before the halftime break in the 35th minute, Jamaica skipper Jaileah Cox-McPherson saw a deep free kick just tipped wide of the mark.
Jamaica’s Olivia Ashbourne went on a mazy run past a couple of defenders in the 41st minute, but her firm right-footed drive was well-stopped by Aimey. Six minutes later, Aimey was called upon again as she denied Seaton’s header from point-blank range after the latter connected with a deep free kick.
On the periphery of the game for most of the 70-minute contest, Gosine brought a fine save out of Anderson with a low, long-range blast in the 59th minute.
Seconds later, the “Reggae Girlz” got their go-ahead goal when Seaton beat Aimey with a clinical finish. After receiving a long pass from Andrene Smith, Seaton scooped the ball over Rasheda Archer, sprinted past defender Hackeemar Goodridge in the box and then sent a right-footed shot into the far corner.
In the 62nd minute, Seaton threatened to stretch Jamaica’s lead when she slapped into the side-netting after a slip by Goodridge.
In the sixth minute of stoppage-time, Red Angels substitute Madison Campbell nearly found an equaliser, but her audacious free kick attempt from way out on the right flank was well-stopped by Anderson.
The loss was the Red Angels’ second of the tourney after three consecutive wins.
In the third-place playoff, the TT “White Angels” weren’t able to end their tournament on a high as they fell to a 2-0 loss to St Vincent and the Grenadines.
After a scoreless first half, SVG took the lead in the 37th minute when Cherish La Borde slammed a penalty into the roof of the net after White Angels defender Shadea Andrews was penalised for an infringement.
With the White Angels trying their utmost to get an equaliser, the sharp La Borde put the game to bed in stoppage-time with a finish from a tight angle after substitute goalkeeper Nika Ifill and Khloe Kirton had an awful mixup in the area.
After playing five matches in five days, the White Angels concluded the tournament with one win, three losses and a draw.
