Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

REGGAE GIRLZ coach Charles Edwards is warning his players not to take Cuba lightly, on the eve of the team's departure to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean country for Olympic qualifiers for next year's Games in Beijing, China.

Edwards started coaching the national team at mid-year after Vin Blaine stepped down.

"The Cubans must not be underrated. They are generally a hard running team but we are up to the challenge."

The Jamaicans will depart tomorrow for a two-way schedule with matches on Thursday, November 29 and Saturday, December 1.

It should have been a home and away series but Jamaica have given up home advantage due to lack of funds, but Edwards remains confident Jamaica can overcome the Cubans in their own country.

Preparation

He said: "We have a good chance of qualifying for the Olympics. What will determine us qualifying though is not how physically prepared the team is but their mental preparation. But once we play our game we will advance to the qualification finals."

The winner of the two-way series will advance to the six-nation CONCACAF Final Round qualifiers, which will be held from April 2-18 at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Chihuahua, Mexico. Trinidad and Tobago have already qualified for the play-offs, along with defending champion the United States, Canada, hosts Mexico and Costa Rica.

The top two will advance to the Olympics in Beijing.

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) yesterday named an 18-member team for the Cuban assignments.

The team is:

Captain Tanesia Vassell, Peatria Campbell, Nikkeshia Thomas, Monique Price, Shereca Stevens, Christina Murray, Janice Rennalls, Jennifer Williams, Alicia James, Latoya Panton, Marcille McBean, Jodi-Ann McGregor, Christina Chang, Iesha Mowatt, Tashana Vincent, Venicia Reid, Kenesha Reid, Nadola Chase.

Under-17 qualify

(CMC):

Favourites Jamaica clinched qualification from Group A of the Caribbean Football Union women's Under-17 World Cup qualifying series after they defeated the Cayman Islands 2-1 in the final round of matches played at the YASCO Complex here, on Saturday night. The win means that the Jamaicans finished top of the standings with the maximum nine points from their three matches.

Vanessa Ramsay gave the young Reggae Girlz the lead after 11 minutes, before The Cayman Islands added to their misery when they scored an own goal after 64 minutes. The Caymanians managed to pull a goal back through Shenel Gall on 78 minutes.