Jamaica goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer celebrates the team's victory over Mexico in their opening Concacaf Women's Championship Group A fixture at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey last year. (Photo: Observer file)
Jamaica’s safe pair of hands
REBECCA Spencer, the first-choice goalkeeper for Jamaica’s senior women’s football team, says she and the rest of the Reggae Girlz are determined to demonstrate to fans across the world that their team is the greatest they’ve ever had and that they possess the potential to do miracles at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
The ninth Fifa Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, got underway on July 20 and will run until August 20.
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At the previous edition Jamaica created history by becoming the first Caribbean country to qualify for a Women’s senior World Cup competition. However, Jamaica failed to proceed beyond the group stage of the 2019 tournament after going winless in their three group matches, with Havana Solaun scoring the lone goal of the campaign.
Spencer, who is also the goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Women’s Super League, has never competed in a global event, therefore the Fifa Women’s World Cup is unquestionably her pinnacle achievement.
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Reggae Girl Rebecca Spencer practises during a training session at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.Photos: Observer file
Spencer, who is eligible to play for Jamaica through her grandparents, made her senior international debut with the senior Reggae Girlz in 2021 and was instrumental in the team’s second-consecutive World Cup qualification as she displayed her goalkeeping skills with zeal, particularly at the Concacaf Women’s Championship in Mexico.
“Personally, I want to have the best competition of my life,” Spencer said.
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“Obviously, I’m 32 years old and not getting any younger but nothing phases me in any situation. Obviously, I’ve had a lot of experience playing in England for so long and I hope I can bring that experience to the World Cup and help the team.
“So I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully I can just do my job and be there for the team, and the rest of the team will put their best foot forward as well. Like coach said, our team is probably the best we’ve ever had so I’m really excited about what we can do in these games,” she added.
SPENCER…personally, I want to have the best competition of my life.
Spencer, who came through the ranks at Arsenal and has had brief periods with both Birmingham City and French club ASJ Soyaux, believes that experience will be crucial in helping them achieve their goal at this global event.
“Obviously, preparing for the World Cup has its challenges. It’s been difficult for the last year or so with Jamaica, trying to secure fixtures and, with the rest of the team, just keeping everyone together. And I think we all understand that we’re all in this together, and I’m very confident in myself and the team,” Spencer told the Jamaica Observer.
“We had got a tough group but in Concacaf and we it through, we had a tough group there, too so I think, you know, we’re going to thrive off of the pressure and hopefully we can, you know, surprise a few people when we get out to Australia. But I know that the girls always tell me of their experiences, and there’s a big difference from what it was then to what it is now.
“So, you know, hopefully it puts us in good stead with a better group of players and I think, and like coach said, with the better experienced players now in the team we can all pull together and bring our experiences together for this World Cup,” expressed the English-born Spencer.
Jamaica’s World Cup campaign kicks off this morning at 5:00 am against Francis. In their remaining Group F games they will face Panama and Brazil.
Spencer believes that with the skill on the Jamaican side the Reggae Girlz will be able to break out of the group for the first time.
“The training has been of the highest quality. I think we’ll get out of the group and then [move on] from there so it’ll be a lot of rough [experiences] but I am fully confident that we can get out of this group with this group of players,” Spencer said.
“Obviously, we realise that each team will be challenging and, as I already stated, it would be difficult because France is a very good team — the same as Brazil and Panama. They will be a tremendous test for us. So, you know, I think we just have to prepare for each game independently,” she continued.
