Xavier Gilbert
Though they failed to register a win in their three fixtures at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, Reggae Girlz Head coach Xavier Gilbert lauded the players for their gallant display in defeat, particularly in the second fixture against Puerto Rico.
The Reggae Girlz outfit, which comprised mostly Under-20 players, lost 2-5 to host nation El Salvador, followed by a 2-2 stalemate with Puerto Rico, after losing a player to red card early in that contest. They then closed the failed campaign with a 3-7 loss to favourites Mexico on Monday.
Olufolasade Adamolekun and Mikayla Dayes, two of only a handful of players with senior team experience, got on the score sheet in that encounter. Chris-Ann Chambers, Mireya Grey and Dayes twin sister Malikae Dayes were the others charged with guiding their younger counterparts.
This is due to the fact that Jamaica's more experienced players are currently in Amsterdam, preparing to grace the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand later this month.
While admitting that the players had immense scope for improvements, Gilbert took nothing away from their effort throughout.
"We are disappointed we didn't get one in the win column; we had some things that affected us, injuries and red card, especially against Puerto Rico, we played with 10 players but nevertheless the Girlz gave a good account of themselves, and we have to give them credit.
"There are some calls that could have and should have gone our way, hence the result. But there are some things that we have to work on, defensively we have to get tighter and stronger and that comes with getting them together as a unit and getting them organised," Gilbert told SportsMax.tv.
That said, Gilbert pointed out that scheduling didn’t aid their cause, as the games came in quick succession with only a day to rest, recover and fine tune tactics. The difficulties of navigating such a tight schedule, he said, proved challenging for the Girlz to demonstrate consistency in their performances.
"The inexperience showed along the way because the fixtures were quick, and the turnaround time didn't allow them to recover properly and fix some of the issues and problems we had and that was expected. But notwithstanding that, we managed to score in every game and for me that was a plus, we just have to find a way to stop conceding," Gilbert, who is assistant to Lorne Donaldson's World Cup-bound side, stated.
Still, he took heart from the fact that the experience is invaluable to the development and growth of the young prospects, who are expected to fit into the next senior Reggae Girlz cycle for the Women’s Gold Cup and other tournaments.
"The experience the ladies gained is something we have to build on because you can't pay for what they would have gained from this tournament. Scoring three goals against a quality Mexican team goes to show that they are good offensively but weak defensively," Gilbert shared.
"I said it before that playing at this high level will only benefit the development of the younger players in particular, yes it was tough, but everybody got some playing time which was also important. The younger ones now know what is required to play at this level and the more senior players really guided them through the process, so they will learn from this as they go forward," he ended.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
World Cup Girlz back in the fold? Gilbert hints at return of experienced players for Brazil friendlies
For the first time in almost nine months, it seems as if Jamaica’s interim Reggae Girlz Head coach Xavier Gilbert will have members of the World Cup squad at his disposal, when they visit Brazil for a two-match friendly international series in June.
The Girlz, who first locked horns with Brazil, and lost 0-3, at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, went one better at last year’s global showpiece in Australia, as they not only held the South American giants to a goalless stalemate, but also ensured their elimination at the group stage.
By all indications, that performance, and by extension, the fact that the Girlz made an historic appearance in the knockout stages of the World Cup, earned them even more respect from the number 10-ranked Brazilians, who are currently in preparation for this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
The games, scheduled for June 1 and 4, are expected to assist Brazil in their preparation, while the now 42nd-ranked Jamaicans will get a much-needed test to regain their appetite for international competition, having last sported the nationals colours against Canada last September.
Since that Olympic qualifying fixture in Canada, members of the World Cup squad withdrew their services from national representation, citing lack of payment and mistreatment from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), among their reasons.
While it is yet to be confirmed how many, if any, of the World Cup players will make the trip, Gilbert gave the clearest indication yet that there might be a few, as he welcomed the games, after not utilizing the last FIFA window.
“It is always important to secure games during the international window. It not only assists in exposing players, but it also ensures the team is active, which helps our rankings, and also our quality of play. Because as you know, the more we play together, especially against quality opponents, the better the team becomes, and we also get to work on different things both offensively and defensively,” Gilbert told SportsMax.TV.
“The expectation is for us to give a good account of ourselves, it has been a while since these players have played together, but the good thing is that they are actively engaged in their respective leagues in Europe and United States. So, it is not like they were inactive, and obviously, it is not the first time they will be playing together.
“So, we just have to keep things as simple or as close to what we did prior to, and during the World Cup, to make sure we are competitive. It is going to be a little bit different, but it’s not far-fetched that we can get another positive result against Brazil,” he added.
Atletico Madrid 3-1 Athletic Bilbao: Hosts close in on top-four finish
Atletico Madrid beat newly crowned Copa del Rey winners Athletic Bilbao 3-1 at home in LaLiga on Saturday as Diego Simeone's side moved a step closer to a top-four finish.
Fourth-placed Atletico moved onto 64 points and have increased their advantage over Athletic, in fifth, to six points with five games to play.
Midfielder Rodrigo de Paul put Atletico in front in the 15th minute with a goal from outside the box. After controlling an attempted clearance from the visitors, his effort dipped just under the bar as his strike deflected off one of the Athletic defenders.
Athletic levelled just before half-time through Nico Williams after Antoine Griezmann lost the ball through a careless pass.
But Angel Correa restored the lead for Atletico in the 52nd minute and later came close to scoring again.
With 10 minutes to play, away goalkeeper Unai Simon inadvertently made it 3-1 with an own goal after Samuel Lino’s effort came back off the post, ending any Athletic hopes of a comeback.
Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town: Tigers fight back three times to deny Tractor Boys
Ipswich Town missed the chance to move into an automatic promotion spot as play-off-chasing Hull City came from behind three times in a thrilling 3-3 Championship draw at The MKM Stadium.
Ipswich knew a victory would take them second after Leeds United were surprisingly beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers on Friday, and they led on three separate occasions, George Hirst opening the scoring before Omari Hutchinson produced two brilliant strikes from the edge of the area.
However, buoyed by slip-ups from rivals Norwich City and West Brom earlier on Saturday, Hull dug deep to fight back on each occasion, Ozan Tufan and Liam Delap scoring their first two equalisers.
With Liam Rosenior's men 3-2 down with just four minutes to play, substitute Noah Ohio blasted his shot in off the crossbar to punish an error from Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.
The result keeps Ipswich behind second-placed Leeds on goal difference, though the Tractor Boys have a game in hand to come at Coventry City on Tuesday.
Hull, meanwhile, are two points adrift of the top six, with Norwich's goal difference advantage meaning their top-six spot is all but assured. The Tigers will, however, leapfrog West Brom if they beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day and Albion lose to Preston North End.
Data Debrief: Hutchinson's best not enough
Hutchinson was a man who deserved to be on the winning side on Saturday, giving Ryan Allsop no chance with two near-identical left-footed strikes from the right corner of the penalty area.
His goals came from an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.6, and he led all players on the pitch for shots (eight) and passes in the final third (21), also laying on three chances for his team-mates.
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