Canada-Jamaica, a classic duel for a CWC Final spot

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The second semifinal of the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship (CWC) will see Jamaica, the first Caribbean nation to attend a Women’s World Cup, and current Olympic champions Canada face each other in the Estadio BBVA of Monterey, Mexico on Thursday evening for a spot in this edition of the CWC Final, according to CONCACAF.

“With all eyes on them, Canada arrives at this semifinal stage as the team with the most goals scored from open play in this CWC with eight,” said CONCACAF on Tuesday. “They also have the player that is tied for the most goals in the Group Stage, Julia Grosso, with three.

“But the Canadian team also showed more skills, namely Janine Beckie, who had the most goal-scoring situations, having created 13,” it added. “Beckie also was the player with the most participation in goals, alongside teammate Grosso, with four each.”

CONCACAF said GK Kailen Sheridan is also someone that has shined for her team, conceding zero goals, keeping two clean sheets and helping her team secure first place in Group B.

Jamaica’s Chantelle Swaby (4) and United States’ Lindsey Horan fight for the ball during a CONCACAF Women’s Championship soccer match in Monterrey, Mexico, Thursday, July 7, 2022. Associated Press/Fernando Llano

Jamaica also arrives with the other joint-top scorer of the tournament, captain Khadija Shaw, with three goals under her belt, CONCACAF said.

However, it said the Reggae Girlz have different types of talent within the team of which they will try to take advantage.

CONCACAF said Drew Spence is the player with the most balls recovered,13, while GK Rebecca Spencer only conceded five goals in three matches.

This will be the second time these teams have faced each other in a CWC Semifinal, CONCACAF said.

It said that, in the previous one, back in 2006, the Canadians won 4-0 with two goals from a player that will take to the field again, captain Christine Sinclair. The overall record of 5W-0D-0L goes in favor of the North Americans.

“With both teams setting their sights on the Final, they will leave everything on the field to show why they deserve it and why they can call themselves World Cup-bound,” CONCACAF said.