Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
Venecia Reid ... scored a hat-trick. - FILE
JAMAICA'S UNDER-20 female footballers thrashed Suriname 9-0 on their way to the semi-finals of 2006 CONCACAF Women's Under-20 finals qualifying round yesterday in Mexico.
Venecia Reid scored three times taking her tally in the tournament to four and was ably supported by Kimmia Parker and Kenesha Reid who both netted twice.
Jamaica created history by becoming the first Caribbean team to advance to this stage of the competition, joining title favourites Canada, USA and Mexico in the semi-finals.
The young Reggae Girlz ended the round on six points with victories over El Salvador and Suriname and Vin Blaine, thought Suriname were easy pickings.
"The game was pretty easy. I told the girls to focus on scoring goals and from we scored the first and second goals it was pretty easy after that," Blaine told The Gleaner yesterday.
"Our girls play a passing game and the scoreline was indicative of how we played," said Blaine.
Crenston Boxhill, president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), who is with the team in Mexico expressed total elation with the progress of the team.
In a JFF press release, Boxhill noted that it was a vindication of the systematic attention the federation gave to the preparation as well as the confidence and effort of the players and the technical staff.
Jamaica will play Canada tomorrow and Blaine is quietly confident of upsetting the champions.
"I saw Canada play yesterday against Mexico and I still feel we have a good chance. I am not overly worried about them but we can't take them lightly".
He continued: "At this stage, I think we have a very good chance of reaching the finals".
The Reggae Girlz will be strengthened for the semi-final as striker Shanique Mitchell left the island yesterday to join the team along with assistant coach Xavier Gilbert.
USA who defeated El Salvador 5-0 will meet Mexico in the other semi-final.
