Busby targets Mexico win

Reggae Girlz head coach Hubert Busby said they will be going all out for the win when they face Mexico in their first of two international friendlies today as the team finalises its preparations ahead of next month’s decisive Concacaf W Championship.

The Reggae Girlz will take on Mexico today at the Estadio Victoria with kick-off set for 8 p.m. Jamaica time.

They will face Mexico in a second friendly in Querétaro at the Estadio La Corregidora on October 13.

Speaking ahead of the game, Busby said the objective is to deliver a strong performance and to leave the field as victors.

He believes it is important for the Girlz to build momentum ahead of the Concacaf W Championship, where they will contest for a spot at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Girlz will face Costa Rica in the W Championship, where a win would secure their spot at the World Cup.

“We’re heading into the game to win the match,” Busby said during yesterday’s pre-match press conference.

“[Mexico are] a formidable opponent, so we respect them, and they do some things that we’ll have to adapt to, and we do some things that they’ll have to adapt to as well,” he continued.

It will be the second time in two years that the two teams will meet in back-to-back international friendlies after a pair of games last year.

Then, Mexico came away as comprehensive winners, defeating the Girlz 3-0 and 4-0, respectively.

This time, Busby is expecting a stronger performance from the Girlz.

This comes as the Reggae Girlz boss has selected a strong selection filled with players with World Cup experience.

In fact, only six players in the squad are yet to play at a World Cup, with five of the six players making their debut after the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

He explained that the team has improved since their last friendly and is ready to go toe-to-toe against Mexico.

“The group since then has come on tremendously in leaps and bounds in terms of what we’re looking to do, both again in possession and out of possession,” he said.

FINAL PREPARATIONS

Busby added that the team would continue to build on its playing identity, with the coaching staff looking for improvements that can be carried into the W Championship.

While the results against Mexico are important, the coach stressed that the matches form part of a wider preparation plan designed to ensure that the players are ready for the demands of the Costa Rica encounter.

“We play to get results. We play to ensure that we win games and have great momentum going forward,” he said.

“It’s really about us being able to execute and put the fine-tuning on the things that we want to do, both offensively, defensively, and also in transition.”

The decision to face Mexico was influenced by the need to replicate some of the conditions Jamaica could encounter during the W Championship, including the travel demands between matches and the challenge of playing in a hostile environment.

Busby said the locations of the Mexico friendlies would allow the team to simulate aspects of the journey between Dallas and Houston, where the Reggae Girlz will be based for their November assignment.

The coach also expects to use the two matches to assess the wider squad, with rotation likely for the second encounter to manage workloads and avoid injuries.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com