Jamaica and Haiti are gearing up for an explosive winner-takes-all showdown

July 10 - Jamaica and Haiti face off tonight in a must-watch match at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.

The winner will automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup in Australia/New Zealand and will face the winner of Costa Rica against Canada in the semi-finals of the Concacaf W Championship.

The loser will live to fight another day, at New Zealand's World Cup qualifying tournament in February next year, assuming the United States does not lose to Mexico.< /p>

Jamaica opened the tournament by bursting the Mexican bubble with a 1-0 win. It was a surprise defeat for the Mexicans whose tournament went sour when they were then beaten 3-0 by Haiti.

Haiti will be a fierce adversary for Jamaica. Roselord Borgella, Nerilia Mondesir and Sherly Jeudy are real threats in front of goal, while playmaker Melchie Dumornay's athleticism is unstoppable and she is undoubtedly one of the players of the tournament.

Against that, Jamaica have their own quality in front of goal with Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw (pictured) and at the other end one of the tournament's safest keepers, Rebecca Spencer.

Lorne Donaldson, who only took charge of the team in June, is rightly pleased with the progress made so far. With the Jamaicans in contention for a second consecutive World Cup final - with around half the squad having France 2019 experience - they were drawn into the group of death and few expected that they are vying for the automatic World Cup spot that comes with the semi-finals. final qualification.

"We have three points and no one expected us to do much," Donaldson said. But he is also aware of the challenge of Haiti.

“The Haitians are a very good team. A quality coach, a quality team and quality players. We are in a very difficult game… It is a game to win absolutely. We have to bunk and counter. We have to keep the ball and go forward," Donaldson said.

If Jamaica can get Shaw into the danger zone and give him the ball – against the United States they too often cut a lone figure pushed too far to do damage – then they have a real chance of upsetting Haiti.

The two teams have already met twice in the CWC, with Haiti winning both matches, the last being a 2-1 win 10 years ago.

Donaldson is convinced that Jamaica can break this record. “The team with the most heart will come out on top,” he said. "I trust my players in a one-off situation."

The problem with that, if there is one thing that Haiti has in abundance, is the heart. It promises to be a cracker of a game.

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