NEWS coming out of Cuba last night that Guyana clipped Puerto Rico 1-0 and hosts Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago ended 1-1, catapults Jamaica’s Reggae Girlz to the CONCACAF Women’s Finals set for Panama in March.

Jamaica, competing in Zone E, progressed as the best runner-up team from across the two zones of their CFU  Under-20 World Cup qualifying tournament in the Dominican Republic with six points from three matches.

Jamaica ended second after losing their opening game 0-1 to Haiti, who topped the group with maximum nine points. Deciding against a meek surrender, the Young Reggae Girlz rebounded with  wins over the Cayman Islands (2-0) and the hosts Dominican Republic (4-0).

Cayman finished third on goal difference to hosts Dominican Republic, who both ended with a point each.

With  their fate in the hands of the final outcome in Zone F in Cuba, the ball bounced favourably for the Girlz, who would have advanced as the best second-place team with a draw in any of yesterday’s games.

The results in Havana mean that Cuba progressed to the CONCACAF play-offs as group winners on five points, followed by eliminated Trinidad on four, with Puerto Rico and Guyana in that order with three apiece.

Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti will now join the USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and hosts Panama in the eight-team CONCACAF championships, from which the top three finishers will advance to the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup slated for Japan in the summer.