The Lady Jags in training
Guyana’s senior National female football team, more popularly known as the ‘Lady Jags’, are presently encamped in Toronto Canada, in full preparation mode for their participation at the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier Tournament. The event is scheduled for Feb. 10 – 21 in Houston and Frisco, Texas.
The Lady Jags will play their first game of the tournament against Canada on Thursday February 11, at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Texas.
Guyana was placed in Group B of the tournament, along with Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala, while World Champions USA heads the perceived ‘Group of death’ that also includes rivals Mexico, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.
By virtue of defeating Jamaica 2 – 1 to finish third in the CFU tournament (behind winners Trinidad and second place Puerto Rico) in the Twin Island Republic, the Lady Jags would have qualified for their second CONACACF tournament, making them the country’s most successful football programme, given the fact that our men’s national team are yet to play in a major confederation championship.
Head Coach Mark Rodrigues will have his assistant Clement Browne, Goalkeeping Coach Richard Reynolds and Technical Director Claude Bolton in Toronto to help in getting the Lady Jags tournament ready.
According to Rodrigues, “the girls quickly responded to playing together again and gelling as a unit”.
Rodrigues highlighted that the new players in the team “fitted in well” and he’s hoping that the coaching staff “achieved what we needed in terms of tactics. Each day will be an advancement on the prior day’s sessions”.
It will be only the second meeting between Guyana and Canada with the first being at the 2010 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The World Cup-champion (USA) will face Costa Rica to open the eight-team CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament.
The United States has won the past three tournaments that determine the Olympic representatives from CONCACAF, and went on to win the gold medal in the last three Olympics.
The top two finishers earn Olympic berths.
The schedule
Wednesday, February 10 – Toyota Stadium
6 pm (5 pm) Puerto Rico vs. Mexico
8:30pm (7:30pm) USA vs. Costa Rica
Thursday, February 11 – BBVA Compass Stadium
6 pm (5 pm) Guatemala vs. Trinidad & Tobago
8:30pm (7:30pm) Canada vs. Guyana
Saturday, February 13 – Toyota Stadium
1:30pm (12:30pm) Costa Rica vs. Puerto Rico
4 pm (3 pm) Mexico vs. USA
Sunday, February 14 – BBVA Compass Stadium
1:30pm (12:30pm) Guyana vs. Guatemala
4 pm (3 pm) Trinidad & Tobago vs. Canada
Monday, February 15 – Toyota Stadium
6 pm (5 pm) Mexico vs. Costa Rica
8:30pm (7:30pm) USA vs. Puerto Rico
Tuesday, February 16 – BBVA Compass Stadium
6 pm (5 pm) Trinidad & Tobago vs. Guyana
8:30pm (7:30pm) Canada vs. Guatemala
Friday, February 19 – BBVA Compass Stadium
5:30pm (4:30pm) 1B vs. 2A
8:30pm (7:30pm) 1A vs. 2B
Sunday, February 21 – BBVA Compass Stadium
5 pm (4 pm) Winner SF1 vs. Winner SF2