TT women face Cuba today

TT women football team interim coach Anton Corneal released his final squad for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) final round qualifiers, on Thursday night.

Seventeen of the 20-member squad are currently in Jamaica for today’s opening match against Cuba, at the National Stadium, Kingston from 4 pm (TT time). Hosts Jamaica will face Antigua/Barbuda from 6 pm.

Veteran winger Kennya Cordner, American-born defender Lauryn Hutchinson and United States-based defender/midfielder Naomie Guerra will join the team in time for their second match, against Antigua/Barbuda, on Wednesday.

“It’s a bit of a challenge but we’ll do our utmost best to work with what is there for us and go into the game in the best possible frame of mind,” said Corneal.

“There were challenges with flights, availability of players and of course the injuries. It is difficult to have a tactical session going into the first game so we are depending on videos of our opponents and preparing a suitable plan to exploit their weaknesses,” added Corneal, who is also the technical director of the TT Football Association (TTFA).

The evergreen Tasha St Louis is expected to captain the team which includes the majority of players from the recent Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Barranquilla, Colombia, in which TT placed fourth. TT will also play hosts Jamaica (August 31) and Bermuda (September 2).

The top three teams from the CFU final round will progress to the CONCACAF Women’s Championship in the US, from October 4-17.

The top three teams from the CONCACAF Women’s Championship will book spots at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, with the fourth-placed team expected to face the third-placed South American (CONMEBOL) team in a play-off, for a spot in France.

TT SQUAD –

Goalkeepers: Kimika Forbes, Saundra Baron.

Defenders: Jenelle Cunningham, Jonelle Cato, Arin King, Patrice Superville, Natisha John, Naomie Guerra, Lauryn Hutchinson, Rhea Belgrave, Ayana Russell.

Midfielders: Kennya Cordner, Karyn Forbes, Janine Francois, Liana Hinds, Kayla Taylor, Melissa Baynes.

Forwards: Tasha St Louis, Natasha St Louis, Aaliyah Prince.