CONCACAF U17 Qualifiers: Guyana settle for 1-1 draw with Jamaica

Guyana’s national Under-17 girls’ team were minutes away from what would have been a historic and game-changing three points against Jamaica on Sunday afternoon, when disappointment struck. However, the Junior Lady Jags were formidable enough to still salvage a valuable point against their Caribbean counterparts in the opening clash of their Group D campaign in the CONCACAF U17 Qualifiers.
At the Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Stadium in Oranjestad, Aruba, Head Coach Delon Williams opted for a starting XI that included Captain Sydney Glean, goalkeeper Alexis Mars, Avril Pasvolsky, Carissa Lombardi, Ellie Biffin, Laila So, Eleanna Isaacs, Laila Ross, Arianna Chin, Anaya Joseph and Alexaudria Chasles in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
From the onset, the Junior Lady Jags seemed to be more than Jamaica had bargained for, not only denying the Caribbean powerhouse inside the 18-yard box but also pushing the envelope on multiple occasions, at the other end of the pitch.
Eventually, the first 45 minutes of their encounter expired with the scores remaining deadlocked, promising an enthralling conclusion to the first Group D clash of the competition.

By that point, Guyana’s best chance had come off the boots of Chasles, who, on a breakaway run, saw her shot connect with the crossbar before bouncing out of the goal area.
Chasles was relentless at the top for Guyana and it eventually paid off in the second segment. Anaya Joseph, steamrolling down the left-wing, sent a powerful cross into the goalkeeper’s area in the 74th minute. A Jamaican defender missed the clearance on Joseph’s cross, allowing it to be intercepted by Chasles, who made no mistake with the tap-in behind the keeper’s back to put Guyana ahead.
Looking for their chance to equalise, Jamaica made a few changes, injecting fresh legs into the contest that facilitated the advances of Nycolette Prendegas, who had been denied all afternoon.
In the 85th minute, Prendegas was left unmarked by the Guyanese just outside the 18-yard box, thus giving her enough time and room to line up a shot into the top left corner of the goal for the equaliser. Even with a full stretch, Guyana’s Alexis Mars was unable to keep it out.
Thereafter, both sides tirelessly hunted the game-winning strike, but it was not to be as Guyana and Jamaica eventually settled for shared points in the 1-1 encounter.
Guyana’s next assignment will come against hosts Aruba on Thursday, January 29 at the same venue, set to kick-off at 20:00h.