Reggae Girlz Fall 4-0 to Mexico in Second Friendly
Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz closed out a difficult pair of friendlies against Mexico with a 4-0 defeat on Tuesday night at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.
The result followed a 3-0 loss on Saturday, leaving the Jamaicans without a goal and having conceded seven over the two matches.
Mexico did all the damage before halftime, exploiting gaps in Jamaica’s defence with a relentless attacking display.
Lizbeth Ovalle opened the scoring in the 8th minute, curling in a sharp effort from a tight angle following a corner. That early breakthrough set the tone for what was to come.
Alice Soto then took centre stage with a clinical double, finishing calmly inside the box in the 11th and again in the 24th minutes. Scarlett Camberos added Mexico’s third in the 18th minute, pouncing on a defensive miscue to lash a shot into the top right corner.
Jamaica’s backline came under constant pressure throughout the first half, with Soto and Jacqueline Ovalle creating problems down both wings.
Goalkeeper Sydney Schneider managed to keep the scoreline from getting worse with a couple of key saves, but Mexico’s early dominance proved decisive.
The Reggae Girlz made several changes at the break in search of a response, bringing on forwards Kameron Simmonds and Kiki van Zanten, as well as defender Vyan Sampson. Their second-half showing was more organised, marked by improved energy and tighter defending.
Chances to reduce the deficit did arise, particularly midway through the second half. In the 66th minute, van Zanten saw her header saved after a smooth move involving Olufolasade Adamolekun.
A few minutes earlier, Trudi Carter missed the target with a left-footed strike following a corner. Adamolekun also tested the defence from distance late on, while Shaneil Buckley tried her luck with a long-range attempt that went wide.
Despite a better effort after the interval, Jamaica’s struggles in the first 45 minutes left them with too much to do.
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