Dose of ‘Double Swaby’ has Jamaica on cusp of Women’s World Cup history against Brazil

SYDNEY: Lennox Swaby couldn’t see who put the ball in the net to give Jamaica their first Women’s World Cup win, 1-0 over Panama. After the video board showed the replay, the fans surrounding him in the Perth stadium stands began to cheer and congratulate him.

One of his daughters — and yes, he had two on the field — had scored the goal.

“There’s hardly words to explain,” said Swaby, reached by phone Wednesday morning. “It’s just so real.”

On Wednesday night, Allyson and Chantelle Swaby and the rest of the Reggae Girlz were playing No. 8 Brazil in Melbourne for a chance to make more Jamaican soccer history.

A win would advance 43rd-ranked Jamaica past the group stage for the first time. Jamaica’s defense against Brazil was likely to rely once more on the Swaby sisters, a pair of defenders coach Lorne Donaldson likes to call “Double Swaby.”

Jamaica played No. 5 France to a 0-0 draw in their opener and both teams had four points heading to the last of the Group F games. Wedged between two top 10 teams, Jamaica needed a win or draw against Brazil to reach the knockout round.

“I think they’re gonna surprise the world,” said Lennox Swaby, a Jamaican who married an American and raised his family in Hartford, Connecticut

His daughters, called the “Swaby Babies” while growing up, have been playing side by side on Jamaica’s back line. They also played together on Jamaica’s 2019 Women’s World Cup team, which was the Reggae Girlz’ first time in the tournament.

“They are interchangeable, so I think it’s a fantastic thing for us,” Donaldson said.

Chantelle, 24, said after Jamaica’s opening draw against France in Sydney that she “never really ever thought in a million years” that she’d play alongside her older sister on the