This country’s Women’s Soca Warriors returned to the training field yesterday at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo in preparation for their Caribbean Football Union Women’s Olympic qualification for Rio de Janeiro 2016 in St Lucia.
The T&T women are expected to kick off Caribbean Football Union Women’s Olympic qualifiers against Antigua & Barbuda, Cayman Islands and St Lucia in Group Two next week at the end of which the top team along with the other group winners One (Aruba, Grenada, Haiti, Puerto Rico); Three (Dominica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Suriname) and Four (Cuba, Guyana, St Kitts/Nevis) will advance to CFU finals from which three teams qualify to the 2016 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship from February 10-21 in Houston, USA next year.
The national women’s team is being coached for the third time by USA-born Randy Waldrum, who is expected to return to T&T by the weekend, and in the meantime, former national Olympic team player and US-based women’s coach Anthony Creece, who has been appointed assistant and was in charge of the Chancellor Angels during the Women’s Professional League will oversee the team’s preparations.
Former T&T senior men’s goalkeeper Clayton Ince has been named as goalkeeper coach while Claire George is the equipment manager, and Sharon O’Brien as manager while a trainer and physiotherapist will join the team staff soon.
According to manager O’Brien, only 15 players have been invited for training to date and includes Kimika Forbes, Tenesha Palmer, Nicolette Craig, Arin King, Karyn Forbes, Anique Walker, Tasha St Louis, Janine Francois, Dernelle Mascall, Mariah Shade
Ahkeela Mollon, Khadidra Debesette, Khadisha Debesette, Lauryn Hutchinson and Annalis Cummings
O’Brien also disclosed that the fixtures for the tournament have not been confirmed to date by CFU while at the eight-team Concacaf final round event, the top two finishers in the tournament will qualify for the 2016 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament that will run from Aug. 3-20 in six Brazilian cities including the host city of Rio de Janeiro.
The Warriors invited to train are: Kimika Forbes, Tenesha Palmer, Nicolette Craig (goalkeepers), Arin King, Khadisha Debesette, Lauryn Hutchinson, Annalis Cummings (defenders), Karyn Forbes, Khadidra Debesette, Janine Francois, Dernelle Mascall, Tasha St. Louis (midfielders), Anique Walker, Mariah Shade and Ahkeela Mollon (attackers).
Injury List: Maylee Attin-Johnson and star attacker Kennya “Yaya” Cordner.
FULL FIXTURES FOR CARIBBEAN QUALIFICATION
Top 3 CFU teams qualify for the CONCACAF Final Round in USA next year.
Group 1, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
21 Aug - Haiti v Aruba
21 Aug - Puerto Rico v Grenada
23 Aug - Haiti v Grenada
23 Aug - Puerto Rico v Aruba
25 Aug - Grenada v Aruba
25 Aug - Puerto Rico v Haiti
Group 2, Castries, Saint Lucia
28 Aug - Trinidad & Tobago v Antigua & Barbuda
28 Aug - Saint Lucia v Cayman Islands
30 Aug - Trinidad & Tobago v Cayman Islands
30 Aug - Saint Lucia v Antigua & Barbuda
01 Sep - Antigua & Barbuda v Cayman Islands
01 Sep - Saint Lucia v Trinidad & Tobago
Group 3, San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic
21 Aug Dominican Republic v Dominica
23 Aug Dominican Republic v Jamaica
25 Aug Jamaica v Dominica
Note: Suriname withdrew
Group 4, San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic (*Note, Groups 3 and 4 played at same venue)
21 Aug Guyana v Saint Kitts & Nevis
23 Aug Cuba v Guyana
25 Aug Cuba v Saint Kitts & Nevis
CFU - Final Round
02 Oct Winner Group 1 v Winner Group 4 (Winner qualifies for CONCACAF Final Round)
02 Oct Winner Group 2 v Winner Group 3 (Winner qualifies for CONCACAF Final Round)
04 Oct Loser Match 1 v Loser Match 2 (Winner qualifies for CONCACAF Final Round)
04 Oct Winner Match 1 v Winner Match 2