Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Women’s Team had their first training session at the Training Centre (Centro de Capacitación, CECAP) in Mexico City earlier today.
Head Coach Randy Waldrum conducted a training session which lasted for just over an hour this morning as the team settled in following its arrival on Thursday night. The team is staying at the Fiesta Inn.
Team manager Vernetta Flanders said the players were in good spirits and focused on making full use of the training camp there before departing for Ecuador on November 5th.
“The girls are in good spirits. The head coach had his first session earlier today and it’s been pretty decent for us here so far. I think the players are all focused on the task at hand. Some of them have been to Mexico before for previous international matches so it’s just a matter of getting in the preparations before we head to Ecuador in a few days,” Flanders said.
Team captain Maylee Attin-Johnson said she was quite pleased with the facilities.
“We have settled in really well. We are two hours behind so we are still trying to adjust to the time zone,” she told TTFA Media.
“Training went well this morning. The altitude is a bit challenging but with the right attitude our body will get used to it leading into the Ecuador match.”
The players also received their allowances for the CONCACAF Championship which ended last week, as well as the Mexico training camp and the first leg in Ecuador, prior to their departure on Thursday evening. The funding was provided by the Ministry of Sport.
Aside from the T&T versus Ecuador playoff, Italy, Netherlands also defeated Scotland 4-1 on aggregate this week and will now face Italy in another playoff in November for the final European ticket to Canada.
The Ivory Coast qualified for the World Cup on Saturday with a goal six minutes from time to defeat South Africa 1-0 and finish third at the African championship in Windhoek, Namibia. For the Ivorians, it was a welcome reprieve after losing to Cameroon on a 118th-minute goal in the African semifinal.
Nigeria won the African championship for the ninth time with a 2-0 victory over Cameroon, who both qualified by reaching the final.
The official draw for the Women’s World Cup is scheduled for December 6th in Ottawa. The tournament will take place from June 6th to July 5th in Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.