Identical twin-sisters, Marissa and Maria Mohammed are among three newcomers eager to join the T&T national Under-20 Women’s team which will compete in 2006 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Final Round Qualification competition.
The 10-day tournament will take place at two venues in the state of Veracruz in Mexico from January 18 to 27.
T&T will compete in Group A with reigning champions Canada, host Mexico and Panama.
Group B, has El Salvador, alongside the USA Jamaica and Suriname and their matches will be played at the Rafael Murillo Vidal Stadium, in Córdoba during the first round from January 18 to 23.
The winners and runners-up of each group will earn a place in the event’s semifinals at Veracruz’s Luis Pirata Fuentes Stadium, on January 25, with the winners of those games earning a place as Concacaf representatives in FIFA’s U-20 Women’s World Championship in Russia from August 16 to September 2.
Concacaf’s third spot in the FIFA event will be determined by a third-place play-off game between the two losing semifinalists at the Luis Pirata Fuentes Stadium on January 27, before the two finalists meet for the Concacaf Women’s U-20 crown later in the day.
In addition to the Mohammed sisters, US Virgin Islands born, Shantel Subnaik, who like the Mohammeds were born to parents from south Trinidad, also has made her intentions clear on wanting to represent T&T women’s football team.
Marissa plays the midfield position at the University of Tampa, Florida, while her sister, Maria plays as a defender and a goalkeeper, and was named to the All-South Region Team.
Subnaik, a left sided player, also plays as a forward for her US University, Seton Hill.
Currently a squad of 27 players is training under national coaches Jamaal Shabazz, Marlon Charles and Izzler Browne, and will be trimmed to 22 to be joined by the Mohammed sisters on a week-long camp in Venezuela where they will play four matches.
While in Venezuela, the T&T girls are expected to play matches against the Venezuela Under-20 women’s team, the Venezuelan women’s league champions and a Universidad de Catolica women’s squad.
T&T training squad
Goalkeepers:
Kimica Forbes (Stokely Vale), Tricia Lawrence (St George’s College & Real Dimension), Gail Ann Thomas (Real Dimension) and Julie Ann Mc Dougall (St Clair Coaching School).
Defenders:
Ayana Russell, Kennya Charles (EL Dorado & Joe Public), Anastasia Prescott (Real Dimension), Christine Rose (Real Dimension), Simone Mason (Central United), Patrice Rose (Real Dimension), Tamar Watson (Real Dimension), Chazelle Dumas (St Clair Coaching School).
Midfield:
Dernelle Mascall (Petrotrin), Aveann Douglas (Joe Public), Karen Forbes (Stokely Vale), Joseann Boyce (Tobago Pheonix), Bianca Walker (St Joseph Convent & Real Dimension), Talisa Vire (Providence), Stephanie Barrow (Joe Public), Shanelle Warrick (Unattached), Jemilia Mathlin (Real Dimensions).
Strikers:
Kennya Cordner (St Clair Coaching School), Candace Edwards (Stokely Vale), Janine Francois, Dinelle Douglas (Real Dimensions), Kermica Alexander (Memphis), Ashley Alonzo (Providence).