JamaicaVideo
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 July 2023 | 1:30 pm | Women's World Cup | 2022/23 |
Match Report
Knockouts Within Reach for Jamaica as The Reggae Girlz Hang On
Jamaica have taken a huge step towards the knockout stage of the Women’s World Cup as they overcome the challenge of Panama with a 1-0 victory at the Perth Rectangular Stadium.
A second-half header from the captain on the day, Allyson Swaby, means that Jamaica only need a draw in their final group game to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time.
The opening ten minutes exhibited how Jamaica and Panama were not used to having long spells of possession, with Jamaica especially sloppy early on.
This sloppiness was quickly corrected as Jamaica went on to dominate the first half without really testing Yenith Bailey in the Panama goal.
Among these efforts was a chance for Jamaica when full-back Tiffany Cameron got into the box and used her quick feet to create some space before curling an effort wide of the Panama goal for the game's first attack of substance.
Later in the half, Bailey was called into action when Vyan Sampson curled a long-range shot toward the top corner and would have opened the scoring if not for Bailey’s dramatic save.
Marta Cox had a chance to score against the run of play when Deineisha Blackwood’s throw-in wrong-footed Chantelle Swaby allowing Cox to latch onto the ball before firing a tame effort at Rebecca Spencer.
Drew Spence dominated the game and the Spurs midfielder was the standout player in the opening forty-five minutes.
And it would be Spence that would come closest to scoring for Jamaica with a free-kick that dipped towards goal. Bailey again pulled out a brilliant save tipping the effort onto the bar just before half-time.
Panama started off the second half much brighter with early chances from corner kicks but were unable to force a save out of Spencer.
Ten minutes into the second half, Jamaica took the lead thanks to the captain for today in place of Bunny Shaw, Allyson Swaby.
Trudi Carter delivered a ball in from a corner on the left into a crowd of players, but as the ball sailed over the head of the two Jamaican players ahead of her, Allyson Swaby kept her focus to divert her deft header into the bottom corner past the helpless Panamanian keeper.
Jamaica were holding on at the end of the game and corners from Cox caused carnage in the Jamaican box. Cox had the chance for a ridiculous World Cup moment when she attempted an outrageous overhead kick from the edge of the box but Spence saved her shot comfortably.
Panama pressed after the goal and gave a good account of themselves but just lacked quality in the final stages to secure a historic point for their country.
Panama exit the competition at the group stages, while Jamaica can dare to dream of making the knockout stage.
Timeline
Ground
| Perth Rectangular Stadium |
|---|
| HBF Park, 310, Pier Street, Perth, City Of Vincent, Western Australia, 6000, Australia |
Conor Cantwell
Conor Cantwell is a freelance sports journalist based in Co. Meath. Conor has been covering club football in Ireland and England since 2022. Conor has a keen interest in soccer, Gaelic games, rugby, tennis and basketball and has been writing blogs about the Premier League and the NBA since 2022.
Corner for Panama
NO PENALTY. Panama are still alive here.
VAR check of a penalty for Jamaica.
McNamara fires a shot that was blocked and spins towards the goal but Bailey claims the shot well.
Tanner blind sides Wiltshire and nips in ahead of the substitute but her touch is too heavy and runs through to Spencer.
Jaen comes in to replace Baltrip Reyes.
Wiltshire and McNamara replace Primus and Cameron for Jamaica.
Brown and McKenna come off and Washington and Simmonds enter the game.
Montenegro comes in in place of Gonzalez for the final 12 minutes plus stoppage time.
Panama are pressing for an equaliser, Tanner whips a ball across the face of the goal but there is no Panamanian player following in for what would be a certain goal. The next passage of play Tanner finds herself in the box but the ball in to her was cut out by Chantelle Swaby.
BIG CHANCE FOR PANAMA! Tanner gets down the left and crosses the ball into the box. The delivery causes problems and ends at the feet of Cox but she cannot divert her effort on target.
Trudi Carter comes off and is replaced by Cheyna Matthews.
Cedeno comes off for Panama and is replaced by Karla Riley
McKenna runs in on goal and touches the ball past the keeper but her touch is too heavy and the chance disappears for Jamaica. Big let off for Panama.
Bailey comes out for a corner but cannot get near the corner. Luckily for Panama the ball is clear at the second attempt.
1-0 TO JAMAICA! Allyson Swaby who captains the team in the absence of Bunny Shaw rises high from a Trudi Carter corner and heads the ball accurately into the bottom corner past the helpless Bailey. What a moment for Jamaica!
Panama have started much brighter this half and have the chance to whip a ball in from the right from a free-kick but yet again the quality is lacking.
Salazar is replaced at half-time with Quintero coming in in her place.
The second half gets underway with a Panama kick-off.
HALF TIME: Drew Spence came closest to breaking the deadlock in added time in the first half with a brilliant curling effort from a free kick but Yenith Bailey did just enough to keep her free kick out. Jamaica have certainly been the most proactive side in this game and look the most likely to get a goal if this game is to have one. There is a huge opportunity for Jamaica to put themselves in a position to qualify for the knockout stages in the second half with a little bit of quality or luck.
OFF THE BAR! Spence takes a brilliant free-kick which hits the bar after the fingertips of Bailey do enough to keep her clean sheet intact. The referee doesn\'t see the touch and it is a goal kick for Panama.
TWO minutes of added time at the end of the first half.
A Jamaican corner deceives everyone, even Primus who eventually ends up with the ball and strikes a shot at the Panama defender. Chance gone for Jamaica
Cox whips a dangerous ball along the ground from the right wing towards Tanner which has to be dealt with by Allyson Swaby at the expense of a corner. Panama do not find anyone in the box and the ball is back with The Reggae Girlz
Jamaica lose the ball from their own throw-in and Cox has a chance to score but the shot is right at Spencer and causes the keeper no problems.
Brown wins the ball back and finds Primus. Unfortunately for Jamaica, Brown doesn't anticipate the return ball from Primus and the ball runs out of play.
Bailey makes a fantastic save from a long-range curling effort from Sampson from outside the box.
Spence does brilliantly dribbling into the box from the right wing and fires a shot into the side netting. Great chance for Jamaica.
Blackwood receives the first yellow card for Jamaica and third of the game for a cynical foul on Lineth Cedeno
Panama get a chance to create an opportunity but Cox tries a speculative effort from thirty yards out which goes well, well wide.
Primus controls the ball on her chest before getting the ball out from under her feet and striking a shot that came close but was just over the bar.
Cameron wins the ball back and whips the ball into the box with Natis defending the dangerous ball in well. Baltrip Reyes receives attention before the game gets back underway.
An ambitious volley from Gonzalez is the first shot of the game for Panama but the ball sails well wide of the goal.
Primus gets a shot away after latching onto a loose ball. The shot is blocked and another corner for Jamaica but Panama deal with the ball in.
Salazar receives the second yellow of the game. The ref may be making an issue for herself with these early yellow cards.
Emily Cedeno picks up the first yellow of the game for a late tackle on Spence.
McKenna gets onto a great ball by Spence and squares the ball to Carter whose shot is blocked well for a corner. The resulting corner finds Primus in the box and her volley is blocked. Jamaica taking control now.
A delivery to the back post is headed well by Chantelle Swaby but Bailey comes out to claim the ball. Jamaica looking a bit more comfortable.
BIG CHANCE! Cameron gets forward and tries to lift the ball over Bailey. The shot is dealt with but Cameron has quick feet and creates space before curling an effort wide.
Jamaica get us back underway.
Hello and welcome to the coverage of Group F from Perth with Jamaica facing Panama in a crucial game for both sides.