20-year-old islander and footballer Dennisa Pineda joined the Senior National Female Football team in Belmopan City to face off against the national football team from Bermuda. The two friendly matches were scheduled for July 11th and 14th at the Football Federation of Belize Stadium. The island’s goalkeeper and her team played their best, securing a 2 to 0 victory in their first match. However, Bermunda managed to claim a similar win in the second match.
Friendly matches, including those against Bermuda, were not just games but a crucial part of the team’s training and preparation for future tournaments. Assistant Head Coach Joseph Waight of Team Belize, known as the Lady Jaguars, highlighted the team’s consistent training and focus on offensive gameplay. Co-captain Mikhalia Bowden stressed the team’s serious approach to these matches, recognizing their role in honing the team’s skills and strategies.

Pineda expressed her honor in representing her island home with the senior football team. She called on all islanders and Belizeans across the country to support them. Pineda is familiar with the senior female team, having played with the Lady Jaguars in February 2022 during the CONCACAF Women’s Championship in San Salvador, El Salvador. She also represented the country abroad in El Salvador in July of 2023 with the University of Belize Black Jaguars. At that time, the Belizean female team joined more than 1,700 athletes as they competed in the VIII Juegos Deportivos Universitarios Centroamericanos (Central American University Games).

With experienced players like Pineda, San Pedro footballers said the Lady Jaguars have a good chance to represent Belize well at home and abroad consistently. The Belizean football community has praised the Lady Jaguars’ positive results over the years and is eager to see them continue to shine in future tournaments as they represent their country.