Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

JAMAICA'S REGGAE Girlz will make a last-ditch effort to make it to the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China when they face Mexico in the third-place playoff game of the CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup today at the Home Depot Centre in Carson, California.

The Girlz now find themselves in a tough spot following a 4-0 pounding at the hands of 1998 champions Canada on Wednesday. Canada qualified for one of the two automatic spots along with the defending champions United States, who beat Mexico 2-0. The winner of the Mexico-Jamaica match will face Japan (the fourth-place finisher from the Asian Confederation) in a home-and-away playoff.

Despite the setback, Reggae Girlz technical director Vin Blaine has reported that the mood in the camp is still a positive one.

In Good Spirits

"We are still pretty much in good spirits. The Canada game is gone and we can't do anything about that, so now we are just looking forward to the Mexico fixture," Blaine said.

The coach believes that Mexico, while posing a tough challenge, may be a better match-up for Jamaica in terms of their playing style. "It will still be a tough game but I think they suit us better because they should give a bit more space and are a bit less physical," he said.

"I'm a bit more confident than I was against Canada. They had more experience and size than we did and we got a little caught up playing their game," he said. The Jamaican squad will also be bolstered by the return of striker Venicia Reid who missed the Canada game due to suspension on cards. Players Yolanda Hamilton, Omolyn Davis and Hishamar Falconer, who ply their trade at the Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky, will also be available for the game after recently joining the squad.