BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic — Coach Vin Blaine has opted to include six overseas-based players in his starting team to face Haiti in today’s opening game of the CFU World Cup qualifying finals here.

His reason may appear simple by its mere mention, but could very well be underlining a fundamental problem with Jamaica’s overall football.

“Honestly, they (overseas-based players) are more trainable and follow instructions much better than those that we have in the reserves… and at this level we need that,” said Blaine yesterday.

Those foreign-based players selected to take the field for the Jamaican cause today at the Estadio Panamericano are goalkeeper and Canada-based duo Taylor Grant and Shanyce Shaw and the USA-stationed quartet of Marlo Sweatman, Toriano Patterson, Kimberly Spence and Carla Daniels.

Another USA-based player, Adriana Johnson, will watch the start from the bench.

Complementing the six are local-based Trudi Carter (captain), Shenika Williams, Sasalee Cooper, Khedine Salmon and Lotoya Duhaney.

Other members of the squad are Renee Freeman Melissa Bryan, Kedisha Cardoza, Khadija Shaw, Sharika Ingram, Nicole Broderick.

Today’s game, which precedes a contest between Cayman Islands and hosts Dominican Republic in the four-team championship, will start at 2:00 pm (1:00 pm Jamaica time).

In their only training session since arriving here late Wednesday afternoon, the Reggae Girlz were taken through rigid tactical drills that embraced ball possession, transitional play and set pieces.

Yesterday’s morning session at the Score International sports complex was meant to be a light workout, with an intense session planned for the match venue in the afternoon, but Blaine took advantage of suitably prevailing conditions and atmosphere.

“We had planned this morning (yesterday) to have a light session and then go to the stadium in the afternoon and do the tactical work, but when we checked it out, we found that we had a lot of time and a good field, so we decided to do the heavy work here,” he said.

“It’s now about getting their minds into the game as they have played together, they know the set plays, so the best thing now is to sit them down and have a good team discussion,” added Blaine in explaining what the team will do in lieu of the disposed evening session.

And the morning session, by Blaine’s tone, appeared to have achieved its goals and he left the venue after a near two-hour exercise a happy man.

“The girls looked sharp in training this morning (yesterday) in the tactical preparation, if they took 10 shots on goal I think they scored eight,” he said.

Jamaica, to assure progression to the CONCACAF finals, must top these Zone E play-offs and Blaine is wary of the implications should the team falter, but remains confident nonetheless.

“We don’t know the opponent, but if we go out there and execute and use the ball, we should get by.

“We have to win to guarantee that we go through… if we come second, we have to worry about what goes on in the other group, and we don’t want to do that,” he explained.

The other group, which is Zone F, will see Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Guyana and Cuba do battle.

The winners of the two groups will gain automatic qualification to the CONCACAF championship, with the best second place across the zones advancing as the third team from CONCACAF.

And captain Trudi Carter, who distinguishes herself as a midfield maestro of the women’s game in Jamaica, is bubbly but businesslike going into today’s match-up.

“We’re very confident and the girls look very confident in training and it’s now for us to go out there and do our best…

“We can be the first team to qualify for a women’s World Cup for Jamaica, but we have to push and do the hard work,” she noted.

Meanwhile, the Haitian camp has noted their respect for the Jamaicans, but warns that the ball is round and could bounce in anybody’s favour.

“Jamaica is the best team here, but nothing is sure… we are going to play and the best team (on the day) will win,” said Chery Pierre, Haiti’s physical trainer.