GUYANA’S senior national women’s football team – The Lady Jags – will have to wait a little longer than anticipated for their clash against Puerto Rico, in the final round Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Olympic Qualifier, after the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) received communiqué of the match being postponed.The CFU Women’s Olympic qualifiers Final Round was scheduled for October 2-4 at a venue that was still to be determined, after Guyana, Jamaica and Puerto Rico had qualified for the ‘four-team playoff’ by coming out on top of their respective groups.
The ‘Lady Jags’ clinched their berth into the final round by conquering Group Four that comprised Cuba and St Kitts and Nevis while Puerto Rico played undefeated against Haiti, Grenada and Aruba in Group 1.
Jamaica, who were placed in Group 3 with the Dominican Republic and Dominica, also qualified after dominating their group.
Information reaching the GFF stated that part of the postponement was due to the fact that the Group 2 winners have not yet been decided since the group match is yet to be played.
Initially, St Lucians were identified as the hosts of Group 2 and to also play alongside Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and the Cayman Island.
Unfortunately, according the document, the CFU is yet to also find a host for the final four-team playoffs. The GFF had shown interest in hosting the matches, but the steep cost attached was a factor in the Lady Jags not having a chance to make history in front of their home fans.
However, the CFU said that they have received communications from interesting parties who have shown some willingness to host the Group.
As such, according to the CFU, a final decision will be determined shortly which will see the Group being rescheduled for late October or the first week of November.
In the final round, the four teams will play a single-elimination tournament. The two finalists and the winner of the third-place match will qualify for the 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship as CFU representatives.
Should the Lady Jags finish within the top three, they will face the likes of USA, Canada, Mexico and two representatives from the Central American region.