T&T Women Warriors coach Kenwyne Jones said he was very pleased with the overall display of his team in their 13-0 win over Turks and Caicos. The teams met in the 2022 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Group F Qualifying Series at the Turks & Caicos National Academy in Providence on Saturday.
With the win, the Women Warriors moved to the top of the five-team round-robin pool with a maximum of nine points from three matches, two ahead of Guyana, who was held goalless at home by Nicaragua on Friday night ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with T&T at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago on Tuesday from 6 pm.
With only the pool winner advancing to the next phase of CONCACAF Women’s qualifiers, T&T will go into the match against the Guyanese needing only a draw to top the group and move on to the next stage.
Jones commenting on the win said, “I’m glad, I’m pleased with the performance of the team. We had a mandate not to score more goals to get on top by goal difference. But to win the game, firstly. And also I was just more concerned in the way that we perform to win the game.”
Looking ahead to the Guyana match and what the lopsided win against cellar-placed Turks and Caicos meant for the team Jones said, “Maybe the important thing was to win the match because in this stage of the game, the competition, it is about the three points.
You know, a draw would not have been good enough at least for us and we must continue the form that we have and keep building in the performances that we have.
And I know that you know, once we performed in the right manner the goals will come. It’s not a matter of going out there and being flustered about how many goals you need to get but you know, it’s about the performance and the way we play the way, and the mentality we’re trying to develop and the command we are trying to have.
“You know, we could enjoy this victory here for 25 minutes, but it’s back down. The team is already in recovery about to have dinner and we’re going to continue to do a little bit more recovery tonight and be prepared to leave Turks and Caicos tomorrow (Sunday) and be on our way home.
With regards to his decision to rest some of his regular starters like goalkeeper Kimika Forbes, defenders Rhea Belgrave and Victoria Swift and attacking duo Amaya Ellis and Asha James, Jones said, “Based on how they match our schedule at no point in time during this block of games that we’ve had now and the one previously, we’ve gotten the maximum amount of days in between matches. We knew that it would have been a challenge in getting two Turks & Caicos because of the flight routes.
“Also, with the time in some of the players were coming into the squad and the fact that we have two games in such a short space of time. It’s something that we have to deal with. Also, for the bigger of the two games, as its labelled, we wanted to be able to allow players to get some game time in because going on, you know, on what not only to Guyana but in the hope that we have of the goal of getting to the Women’s Championship we need everybody to get game time so that we can have a deep squad that is accustomed to the way that we have to play, not only in training but also in matches.
Focusing on Guyana Jones said they are looking forward to the match as a squad.
He added, “We want to develop our mentality and our style of play and our standards, and we want to be able to keep that no matter who we play against.
“The entire squad has to know that we play in a certain manner, and no matter who steps in at any point in time, even though they have, you know, the individual characteristics, the team’s DNA has to remain.
“Of course, we know no game in any round of World Cup qualifying is easy and going forward to Guyana, of course, it’s built up as now the clash of the top two, but at the same time we’re not too concerned, you know about all the noise on the outside.
“We’re concerned about how we get focused for the match ahead after taking care of business today (Saturday).
“Like I previously said we’ve already started our different elements of recovery, and to prepare to be able to leave here tomorrow (Sunday) to come back to Trinidad and Tobago to be able to play the match.
“The attitude is one that you’re looking for and professionalism from the team is something that I stand for as it’s something that we try to maintain throughout the squad, and I know for sure that will happen with every step that we take.
Asked his thoughts on the Guyana team and if he will play for a draw with his team now top of the group by two points Jones said drawing match is not what he is about.
He stated, “We want to win every game in this round of qualification. Thankfully, we continued the way that we started as the aim was always to get better and stronger with each performance. “Also, thankfully, no as well we’ve had a few additions, not all the additions that we wanted to have so far, but the sport itself is getting deeper and stronger and you know, that puts us in a good place for when we go on to the Guyana match and beyond tactically.
SOURCE: T&T Guardian