Central FC head coach Terry Fenwick must do without the services of former Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 World Cup defender, Uriah Bentick, when the “Couva Sharks” contest the Group stage of the 2015 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship, which serves as the qualifier tournament for the CONCACAF Champions League.
The 26-year-old Bentick picked up a knee (ligament) injury during a training session last week, forcing Fenwick to summon 27-year-old Kevon Villaroel, who has Caribbean Club Championship and CONCACAF Champions League experience with ex-employers Puerto Rico Islanders of the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Villaroel completed the Central FC 18-man squad, which includes goalkeepers Jan-Michael Williams and Javon Sample; defenders Akeem Benjamin, Kaydion Gabriel, Keion Goodridge, Marcelle Francois and Elton John; midfielders Marvin Oliver, Jamal Jack, Nathaniel Garcia, Jason Marcano, Ataullah Guerra, Sean de Silva, Leston Paul and Darren Mitchell; and forwards Willis Plaza and Dwight Quintero.
Fenwick, who only returned as Central coach last month in a shock move by the club to shift Serbian Zoran Vranes into the role of technical director, said, “The 18 (players) that I am taking are a work in progress. Our players are lacking in fitness and there is a divide in their working as a team. I am not just about having two or three players standing out. We need a much more rounded team performance. It’s also about getting team spirit and performance up, so that we do well.”
Central, making their debut at the CFU Club Championship, must travel to Guyana in Group 1 and will face Suriname powerhouse Inter Moengotapoe on 17 April and host team Alpha United on 19 April at Providence Stadium. Alpha and Inter Moengotapoe will meet in the opening group match on 15 April.
Central qualified for the CFU Club Championship by finishing as runners-up in last season’s Digicel Pro League championship behind champions DIRECTV W Connection, who will host Group 2 of the 2015 CFU Club Championship in Trinidad at the Ato Boldon Stadium. Both Central and Connection – already caging the top two positions in the ongoing 2014-2015 DPL – have also qualified for the 2016 CFU Club Championship.
Connection, three-time CFU Club champions, will host Guyana Defence Force on 15 April, Antigua & Barbuda’s SAP FC on 17 April and Jamaica’s Waterhouse FC on 19 April.
Haiti meanwhile, will host Groups 3 and 4. (See full Group stage schedule and times below)
The semi-final and final rounds will be contested between May 22-24 to decide the Caribbean Club Champions and determine the three Caribbean berths at the 2015-2016 CONCACAF Champions League.
Central will travel to Guyana on Tuesday and will be based at the Windjammer International Cuisine and Comfort Inn in Georgetown for the duration of the Group stage.
Fenwick, who has ample experience at the Caribbean and CONCACAF tournaments during his time as coach of San Juan Jabloteh, said he is very cautious of his opponents such as Alpha United who strengthen up for such tournaments as the CFU Club Championship.
But the Central FC coach said that arriving in Guyana on Tuesday prior to their opening match on Friday and being able to witness the opening match between host team Alpha United and Suriname’s Inter Moengotapoe on Wednesday, allows him the opportunity to get a better understanding of his opponents.
“It (the schedule) worked out very well in that aspect where we get to actually see the opponents before we actually meet them,” ended Fenwick.
Following the Caribbean Club Championship Group stage, Fenwick and Central must quickly refocus on the Digicel Pro League championship, where the league leaders are hoping to stay ahead of defending champions and second-placed W Connection to win the title for the first time in only their three years of existence.
And with Central’s foreign nationals: Guyana national team goalkeeper Akel Clarke, Jamaican international Upston Edwards, Liberian midfielder Borfor Carr and Ghanaian forward Michael Yaw Darko left behind, managing director, Kevin Harrison, said it has balanced out well for the club with the focus also on the domestic league crown.
GROUP STAGE
GROUP 1 (GUYANA), Providence Stadium
April 15, 2015
Alpha United (GUY) vs Inter Moengotapoe (SUR)—4 pm
April 17, 2015
Inter Moengotapoe (SUR) vs Central FC (T&T)—4 pm
April 19, 2015
Alpha United (GUY) vs Central FC (T&T)—4 pm
GROUP 2 (TRINIDAD), Ato Boldon Stadium
April 15, 2015
SAP FC (ATG) vs Waterhouse FC (JAM)—5:30 pm
W Connection (T&T) vs Guyana Defence Force (GUY)—8 pm
April 17, 2015
Waterhouse FC (JAM) vs Guyana Defence Force (GUY)—5:30 pm
W Connection (T&T) vs SAP FC (ATG)—8 pm
April 19, 2015
Guyana Defence Force (GUY) vs SAP FC (ATG)—3:30 pm
W Connection (T&T) vs Waterhouse FC (JAM)—8 pm
GROUP 3 (HAITI), Complexe Sportif Des Cays
April 15, 2015
Montego Bay United (JAM) vs Club Sportif Moulien (GLP)—3:30 pm
America FC (HAI) vs SV Excelsior (SUR)—6 pm
April 17, 2015
Club Sportif Moulien (GLP) vs SV Excelsior (SUR)—3:30 pm
America FC (HAI) vs Montego Bay United (JAM)—6 pm
April 19, 2015
SV Excelsior (SUR) vs Montego Bay United (JAM)—3:30 pm
America FC (HAI) vs Club Sportif Moulien (GLP)—6 pm
GROUP 4 (HAITI), Stade Sylvio Cator
April 15, 2015
Helenites Sporting Club (VIR) vs Unite Sainte Rose (GLP)—4 pm
Don Bosco FC (HAI) vs Lyford Cay FC (BAH)—6:30 pm
April 17, 2015
Unite Sainte Rose (GLP) vs Lyford Cay FC (BAH)—4 pm
Don Bosco FC (HAI) vs Helenites Sporting Club (VIR)—6:30 pm
April 19, 2015
Lyford Cay FC (BAH) vs Helenites Sporting Club (VIR)—4 pm
Don Bosco FC (HAI) vs Unite Sainte Rose (GLP)—6:30 pm
Semi Final Round
May 22
Winner Group 1 vs Winner Group 2 (Semi Final 1)
Winner Group 3 vs Winner Group 4 (Semi Final 2)
Final
May 24
Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2 (championship match)
Loser SF 1 vs Loser SF 2 (third place play off)