Solaun completes Reggae Girlz squad

National senior women's football team coach Hue Menzies has named 26-year-old midfield playmaker Havana Solaun as the final addition to his 23-member squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Menzies named 22 members of the squad on Wednesday, waiting for FIFA clearance for Solaun ahead of tomorrow's deadline for submission. Solaun was born in the USA and had previously represented that nation at the Under-17 and Under-23 level in international football. This meant that the Jamaica Football Federation had to make a special request to FIFA to have her represent the Reggae Girlz at the World Cup. She had, however, played in a recent international friendly game against Chile at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in St James on Sunday, March 3. Solaun was introduced as a second-half substitute in Jamaica's 3-2 win that night.

Special Player

Assistant coach Lorne Donaldson, speaking on Girls Sports Club on Hitz 92 FM on Wednesday, described Solaun as a special player and said she would add quality to the squad.

"There are players and there are special players for positions we need, and she fills one of those roles," Donaldson said. "In the Number 10 role, we need somebody to play behind (Khadija) 'Bunny' Shaw that can do that very well. She's a quarter-back or a point-guard. She's a top player we need in the middle to pull the strings and set the tone, and she brings that."

The FIFA Women's World Cup takes place in France from June 7-July 7, with the Reggae Girlz making their debut at the tournament against Brazil in Grenoble on June 9.