THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Women Soca Warriors will be meeting Ecuador tomorrow, from 6 pm, for a spot in the 2015 FIFA World Cup in Canada.
The game, carded for the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, is the second leg of a FIFA World Cup play-off. The first leg ended in a goalless draw in Quito, Ecuador on November 8.
Here is a look at Tasha St Louis who plays as a midfielder on the Trinidad and Tobago women football team....
The eldest member of the Trinidad and Tobago “Women Soca Warriors” is Tasha St Louis, who have been a mainstay in the national team’s midfield for over a decade.
The 30-year-old slimly-built midfielder has struggled lately with fitness, especially at the CONCACAF Women’s Championships in the United States, but she seems keen and ready for tomorrow’s showdown against Ecuador, with a place at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada at stake.
According to the soft-spoken St Louis, “qualifying for the World Cup will mean a whole lot to me because I have been playing for over a decade.”
The Carenage resident continued, “I think this is one of the opportunities we have been working hard for so many years and this is one of the greatest opportunities. I think this is one of the historic moments I will be waiting for.”
At the inaugural Women’s Caribbean Cup here in Trinidad in August, St Louis walked away with the Golden Boot award as the leading goalscorer with seven — a hat-trick in the 10-rout of St Kitts/Nevis on August 20, one against Antigua/Barbuda on August 22 and a treble against Martinique two days later.
St Louis has been involved in the failed campaigns for places in the 2003 Women’s World Cup in the United States, the 2007 edition in China and the last showcase event, in 2011, in Germany.
But the fact that top CONCACAF team Canada are the host nation, has freed up three available automatic spots, which were taken by the United States, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Trinidad and Tobago, who finished fourth in the CONCACAF Championships, were held to a goalless draw in Ecuador, and both teams will be battling tomorrow, with the aggregate winner progressing to the World Cup.
“I think that the opportunity that we have are the three (automatic) spots that are available,” she said. “I think that’s one of the greatest opportunities that we’ve ever had to qualify for the World Cup.
She added, “I think that our chances, with the calibre of players that we have right now, I think that we will pull off the job in qualifying for the World Cup.”
A TT player since the age of 17, was asked about her greatest football achievement.
“My biggest achievement playing football, I would have to say, signing my first professional contract (with New Jersey Wildcats in the US in 2004).
“Also the last tournament that we won here in Trinidad,” she noted, “those are my two biggest moments and (they are accomplishments) I would not forget.”
She also had a stint with Sunnana SK in Sweden in 2009.
As far as her favourite teams (club and country), St Louis said, “I like two teams, Barcelona and Arsenal. Those (are) the two teams that I admire. They play similar ways.”
And, with regards to the teammate she admire the most, she stated, “the player who surprised me the most on the field, I would say Arin King, because she came into this team with something I guess we probably were missing in our defence. That knowledge to read the game and the aggressiveness.”