WOMEN’S U-20S OFF TO CURACAO FOR QUALIFIERS
WOMEN’S U-20S OFF TO CURACAO FOR QUALIFIERS
Trinidad and Tobago’s Women’s Under 20 Team will depart for Curacao today to contest the Concacaf Women’s Under 20 qualifiers Group D action from April 15th.
The T&T team, under head coach Dernelle Mascall, will begin their quest on Saturday against the Cayman Islands from 3:00pm (local and TT Time) at the Rignaal Jean Francisca Stadium in Willemstad. Group D also comprises Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico. Antigua and Barbuda recently withdrew from the tournament.
T&T faces Guadeloupe on Tuesday at 3:00pm local time and Puerto Rico on April 19th at 6:00pm.
Following round robin play, the six group winners will advance to the 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship, joining the region’s top two ranked nations, United States and Mexico.
The 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship is scheduled to take place May 24 – June 3, 2023, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The eight-team competition will qualify its top three finishers (finalists and third place match winner) to next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
Mascall will be looking to guide the team through to the next stage and is optimistic of their chances of advancing.
“We believe that the squad selected is made up of the best players available to us at this time. We managed to get a fair amount of screening done at the start after which we brought the players together to begin specific preparations before cutting to the final squad,” Mascall explained.
“All in all I have to give credit to the players for their commitment and enthusiasm over the entire preparation phase. We have also included a few players who came through the High Performance U-15 program as they have shown a lot of maturity and progression.
“Now it’s about getting these ladies to settle down as quickly as possible in a new environment when we arrive there. I know they are all very eager to do their best and represent the country to the best of their ability.”
The squad include five overseas-based players including attacking duo Athena and Nikita Jackson from Keller High School, Texas. Also in the mix is experienced midfielder Marley Walker of James Island Charter High School of Charleston, Canadian-based Cicely-Ann Spencer Wickham of St Robert Catholic High School, Ontario and goalkeeper Sophia Keel of South Torrance High School, California.
The TTFA also wishes to thank the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago (SPORTT) and the Ministry of Sport and Community Development for its support through a financial contribution towards the team’s participation at these qualifiers in Curacao.
See the Full Squad List below
