CONCACAF

Jamaica claim place in 2002 FC Women's Gold Cup finals August 19, 2002 – Despite playing with 10 players for 85 minutes, Jamaica gritted out a scoreless draw with Haiti in the second leg of the Group B final in the Caribbean Zone, in the process earning a spot in the finals of the 2002 FC Women's Gold Cup.Jamaica took a precarious 2:0 lead into Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince, after early goals from Tamara Honeywell and Alicia James gave the Reggae Girlz the first-leg victory.Jamaica also went to Haiti missing two influential performers, Honeywell and defender Fern Maxwell, dropped from the side for disciplinary reasons. Facing a tough crowd on the road, the job got even more complicated after just five minutes, when Nicole Berwise was sent off for two bookable offences in the span of less than a minute.But Jamaica's defence held firm, and by the second half had gained control of the match as they held on for the draw and advancement to the Women's Gold Cup finals, which this year are also serving as the CONCACAF qualifiers for FIFA Women's World Cup 2003 China PR. "No praise can be too high for the girls," Jamaica coach Christopher Bender told The Jamaica Observer. "... It was difficult to play even with 11 versus 11 in tough conditions, but the will and character of the girls prevailed."Jamaica moves into Group B for the Women's Gold Cup, based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, where they join the hosts, Costa Rica, and the winner of the Caribbean Zone playoff between Suriname and Haiti, to be played next month. Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti (Attendance: 5000)   Haiti 0 Jamaica 0 Haiti Montinard, Gina Alsaint, Monique Badio, Fritzca (Felix, Yvette,65) Marseille, Kencia (Jeanluis, Elirose,72) Pierre, Sainte-Anne (Pierre, Judith,46) Nord, Marie Viola Teleus, Mirande Janvier, Nadege Bien-Aime, Myrlande Gilles, Marie-Denise Hilaire, Fernande   Booked Hilaire 23'; J Pierre 63'; Jeanluis 79' Jamaica Thomas, Nikkeshi Mairs, Bernadette Wilson, Alicia Reid(Nordia ,55), Lewis, Philisha Sinclair, Geneva Duncan, Denise Hue, Diana (McGregor, Jodi-Ann, 85) Berwise, Nicole Depass, Michelle Falconer, Hishamar James, Alicia   Booked Berwise 4'; Hue 44'; Sent off: Berwise 5'   Referee Varnette Laing (Bahamas)