Reggae Girlz defeat Mexico 4-3 in friendly

Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz outscored Mexico 4-3 in the first of two friendly internationals in Aguascalientes on Friday as they stepped up preparations for their Concacaf Women’s Championship quarter-final against Costa Rica. Jamaica led 2-0 after 20 minutes but the hosts kept clawing their way back with timely goals that kept the contest close. It was the first time the Reggae Girlz scored four goals in a game against a North American opposition and the first time since 2022 that Jamaica beat Mexico in senior women's football. Jodi Brown gave Jamaica the lead in the 15th minute when she finished off a good move started by Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw. Shaw dribbled from her own half deep into the Mexican half before passing the ball to Paige Bailey-Gayle on the left of the 18-yard box. Bailey-Gayle then played the ball into the path of Brown who fired into the goal. Shaw then fired home from the left side of the 18-yard box, her 67th goal in national colours, to make it 2-0. Mexico pulled a goal back in the 29th minute when Lizbeth Ovalle got her boot to a cross from the right side, guiding it past goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer. Jamaica restored their two goals lead when referee Sandra Benitez Arteaga awarded a penalty after Shaw was fouled in the box, and Deneisha Blackwood made no mistake from the spot in the 36th minute. Once again Mexico would cut the deficit when Manchester United midfielder Rebeca Bernal, the Mexican captain, headed a cross from the right side into the goal at the far post. Mexico could have drawn level late but hit the base of the left post. Solai Washington, who replaced Bailey-Gayle at the start of the second half, had a good chance to score but she fired straight at goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras in the 55th minute. Mexico had two other good chances to pull level but Spencer made two good saves, the best in the 85th minute when she went to her left to parry a shot from point blank range. However, Washington made up for her earlier miss in the 90th minute, finishing off a move that saw Jamaica holding the ball for more than two minutes. The host would not go away and found another goal, arguably the best of the seven that were scored, when Charlyn Coralle curled a shot from about 22 yards out and into the far right corner in the fifth minute of time added. -Paul A Reid