Jamaica centre-back Allyson Swaby looks to Italian challenge
REIMS, France — Facing familiar foes on the biggest stage of one’s career can send the emotions spiraling out of control.
Ask Reggae Girlz defender Allyson Swaby, as she prepares to line up against Italy in their second Fifa Women’s World Cup Group C encounter here.
Swaby is one of three Reggae Girlz players that ply their trade professionally in the Italian league alongside many of those she is expected to face in today’s contest.
Both Swaby and Trudi Carter represent AS Roma, while Toriana Patterson plays at Pink Sport Time, which makes for an interesting competition should all three be installed in the Hue Menzies-coached side against the Italians.
The game is scheduled for 6:00 pm (11:00 am Jamaica time) at Stade Auguste-Delaune.
While having an idea of what the Italians have to offer, Swaby is cautiously optimistic in her approach to the game.
“It’s comforting and obviously nerve-wracking to be able to go out and play somebody you have faced before, you obviously have an idea of what you are going to see, but at the same time, I know they are good players and I rank them all very highly.
“So there is a bit of having to respect and not fearing the opponent at the same time, so for me it’s remembering things about these players, but also this is them in a new environment, the national team environment can be different from the club environment,” Swaby shared.
“So, obviously using what I know, but approaching it with a fresh mind that we have seen film of them as a new collective group and I think we have prepared really well as far as assessing them as a unit and because of that it helps because I am comfortable with them as individuals and also understanding them as a group,” she added.
Italy, with three points, are now in a great position to progress to the knockout stages and victory against the Reggae Girlz would assure that.
But the Jamaicans took some positives from their first-ever World Cup game and will be looking for an improved performance to get a favourable result as they seek to keep their hopes alive.
Though the number 16-ranked Italians are overwhelming favourites, Swaby believes her 53rd-ranked team possess enough quality, and as such, stands a grand chance of upsetting the applecart.
Brazil continue to head the group with a better goal difference over Italy and Australia with the pointless Reggae Girlz at the foot of the standing.
“I definitely think we are more comfortable now because of a lot of the errors that we made (in the opening game) we were able to see on tape and they are fixable. There was nothing that we can’t control, so being able to look back and see that a lot of the things that led to our downfall are easily controllable definitely is going to give us confidence moving forward.
“We know that they are going to want to possess and that they are going to be really compact defensively. So for us just being able to capitalise on any chances and opportunities that we get…we don’t know how many there will be, but just to make sure we are efficient with those chances and limiting their chances obviously,” she noted.
That said, the 22-year-old centre-back continues to relish being on the world stage with her Reggae Girlz teammates, including younger sister Chantelle Swaby as the first Caribbean team to do so.