EDINBURG, Texas -- Jamaica can reach the 2018 concacaf Women's Championship semifinals on Thursday night, but it will need some outside help to do so.
The Reggae Girlz (1-0-1, 3 points) have two routes to the final four in Frisco, Texas. A win over Cuba in its their Group B finale against Cuba (0W-0T-2L, 0) at H-E-B Park, combined with either a Costa Rica (1W-0D-1L, 3) draw or loss to group-leader Canada (2-0-0) will boost them. The Jamaicans also can move by playing the Cubans to a draw, coupled with a Costa Rica loss.
If Jamaica and Costa Rica tie, the Central Americans will reach the semifinals due to superior goal differential (plus seven to minus one).
The Jamaicans pulled off the upset of the tournament on Monday night, surprising the Costa Ricans, who reached the 2015 Women's World Cup, 1-0. Khadija Shaw scored the lone goal while goalkeeper Sydney Schneider was superb, making five saves.
These two Caribbean rivals have never met in the CWC, but have played each other twice prior this year.
Cuba recorded a 1-0 win in the CFU Women's Challenge as Maria Perez scored on April 22.
Jamaica secured a 6-1 victory during CWC Caribbean qualifying on Sept. 2 as Chinyelu Asher and Shaw tallied twice and Lauren Silver and Jody Brown scored once. Perez found the net for Cuba.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Costa Rica faces Canada.
