US-based Trinidad and Tobago under-20 men's football team forward Tyrell Moore says the young Soca Warriors are ready to make their mark at the Concacaf under-20 championship qualifiers and advance to the next phase of the competition.
T&T begin their quest to progress to this year's Concacaf under-20 men's championship when they meet St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) from 7 pm on Friday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo. Canada and Dominica will get the qualifying action in group D underway with their encounter which kicks off at 4 pm on Friday.
With only the winners from the six qualifying groups advancing to the Concacaf under-20 men's championship to join the six-highest-ranked teams: US, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, Moore said it is time for T&T to show their worth to Concacaf and local football fans.
"I am ecstatic right now. I am ready to go and give a good performance for my country and show that we are not to be messed with," Moore told the media, during the team's training session at The UWI on Thursday morning.
"This is the moment where we can show what type of country we are in terms of our fighting will and the things we have to bring to the table to take us to victory."
Like ten of his teammates in the T&T under-20 squad, Moore suited up for a T&T team that battled against Concacaf powerhouse teams such as Canada and the US at last year's Concacaf under-17 men's championship in Guatemala. T&T advanced to the last 16 stage in the under-17 tournament, but Moore believes the under-20 crop has the ability to go further.
"I think we can take it all the way and make it out of this group. We will see what happens from there," Moore said. "We will go to the next part of (this Concacaf championship) and try to win it all. I think with this team we have right now, we can take it all the way."
Moore's call for the "undying support" of the T&T public was echoed by coach Brian Haynes, who promised to put on a good show for the fans.
More importantly, though, Haynes said his immediate focus is squarely on the encounter against SVG, as he sees it as a potential catalyst for the following games against Dominica and Canada.
"I am happy we are at home. I am happy that we will be playing a game that starts the ball rolling for us," Haynes said.
Again, Haynes stressed the importance of his team's stability at the back – even as he alluded to a horror ten-minute period that saw the young Soca Warriors conceding three quick goals in a 3-1 friendly loss to Jamaica's under-20 team on February 1.
"We don't want to give up any goals. We have to win the first game and set ourselves up for the rest of the tournament.
"Personally, when we start looking ahead without looking at what is in front of us, we trip up. I want to make sure we take a look at what is in front of us for the first game and then we will look at the next game. I really don't want to put undue pressure on them."
And while Haynes says he respects the SVG team, he said his team cannot defer from their mission to get three points.
"We cannot take SVG for granted, because when you do that you lower your standards," Haynes said.
"You can win or lose a game with a lack of concentration. It is going to be important for us to do that. We have to make sure we respect the opponent, but at the same time, we have to show what we can do."
Haynes said his team's strengths are their athleticism and their skill, and he believes their size in the midfield and defensive positions can give them an edge as well.
However, he said, "As far as I am concerned, all of those things mean nothing until we play the game."
On the eve of the qualifiers, Haynes remains coy on his team's chances of progressing to the next phase.
"I am confident we can advance from the group, but I am not going to tell you why," he said.
"We are not one of the seeded teams so we have to make sure we do the business to get there."
SOURCE: T&T Newsday