Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior men’s team will begin their qualification for the 2012 Caribbean Football Union Cup against Anguilla at Warner Park, St Kitts/Nevis on October 10, 2012.
This was revealed in an advisory from the Caribbean Football Union on Monday. Initially the qualifying group was scheduled for September but a change has come about which would now have the matches played between October 10-15 which are FIFA match dates.
French Guiana has replaced St Martin. T&T will also face French Guiana on October 12 and St Kitts/Nevis two days later.
The group winner will advance to round two in Cuba from which two teams will advance to the Caribbean Cup Finals in Antigua later this year. Only defending champions Jamaica and hosts Antigua are already through to the eight-nation Finals.
The Caribbean Cup serves as a qualifying tournament for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup with the teams vying for four spots out of the Caribbean.
T&T interim head coach Hutson Charles will be monitoring the progress of the home-based players at the start of the TT Pro League next month and will also consider his options involving some of T&T’s overseas-based pros.
“The dates have been pushed back because initially we were expecting this tournament to be played in September. It means we have a few extra days but still our preparation will remain on stream because these matches are important for the team to be able to come together more as a unit as we look ahead to the later matches,” Charles told TTFF Media.
“We need to get past this first round by topping the group. Getting to the CONCACAF Gold Cup is big on our agenda at this stage,” Charles added. T&T will play a friendly away to Puerto Rico in September.