Trinidad and Tobago U-17s welcome tough task in final round of Concacaf U-17 qualifiers

TRINIDAD and Tobago under-17 women’s football team coach Ayana Russell said her charges are eagerly looking forward to the final round of 2025 Fifa Under-17 Women’s qualifiers where this country will host one of the groups from March 31-April 5 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Balmain, Couva.

In the final round of the Concacaf qualifiers in group C, TT will tackle powerhouse team USA on March 31, before playing El Salvador on April 2 and then Honduras on April 5. All matches are currently scheduled to kick off at 7 pm. In this final round, the three group winners will advance to the October 17 to November 8 Under-17 World Cup in Morocco, with the best second-placed team also advancing to the prestigious global tournament.

Despite being drawn against a US outfit that finished third at the 2024 Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup and a Honduras team that defeated TT in the first round of qualifying, Russell said her team is fully embracing the challenge.

“These are the teams we want to play against in order to see where we’re really at,” Russell told Newsday, in an interview on March 1. “A couple years ago, Caribbean teams were beating us and we weren’t even able to get the opportunity to reach this stage. Any group we would have been placed in would have been a tough task.”

Though TT will begin their campaign with what is expected to be a tough examination against the US, Russell said there will be no added pressure on her team to deliver.

“This is what we want. This is what the girls have been working for. Playing the US at any level is tough. At the end of the day...they know the task at hand and it’s just about focusing on where we’re at and focusing on coming up with the best game plan to play the US.”

As many as ten players from TT’s under-17 squad that featured in the first round of Concacaf qualifying in Couva from January 27-31 were picked for the under-20 team that played in the first round of the under-20 World Cup qualifiers from February 21-25.

TT’s under-20 campaign started brightly when star forward Orielle Martin scored a brace in a 3-0 victory over Bermuda, but it ended on a disastrous note as the hosts were dumped from the competition when Canada hammered them 12-0 in what was a must-win match.

With the under-17s resuming training in Couva on March 1, Russell was asked if anything was done to lift the morale of the team and reassure them ahead of the final round of qualifiers. Russell said it was important for the girls to understand that their footballing journey and the technical staff’s long-term vision for the team had only just begun.

“We had our individual and team reflections and then when we meet again as a group we’ll probably do some work with the mental coaches.

“That group, within those (ten girls), for the most part, everybody could play in the next under-20 cycle,” she said.

“It’s just about getting them to trust the process. The likes of Canada at under-20 level, most of those young girls are already playing at a very high competitive level.

“That’s where we’re trying to go. It’s just about getting them to understand where we’re at and what is needed for them to get to that next level. As a staff, we have explained that to them.”

Russell said it was a reality check for the players as they now understand why coaches emphasise things such as nutrition, rest, maturity and other factors which may be taken lightly.

“Sometimes you tell them, but really and truly...you have to experience it to see what’s being said. I think that awareness now in terms of their decision-making off the field. I think that can only do well for them going into the next phase of qualifying.”

After tussles with the US and El Salvador, TT will engage the Honduras team which pipped them to spot in their first-round qualifying group after a tense encounter on January 31. Honduras won that encounter 1-0.

Russell said her team learned many lessons from the clash.

“That (first) game against Honduras in the first round of qualifying was an emotional game. I think with the opportunity to play them again, I think the experience we got from before with a game like that, we have to start and focus more on our objectives and not play their game.”

Russell said the team will be training for five days a week leading up to the final round, and expects the Tobago-based players and at least four foreign-based players to join the training squad by next weekend. The deadline for the team’s selection is March 21 and Russell said she and her technical staff are always looking to strengthen in every area of the pitch.

She said there are no real injury concerns and defender Kaitlyn Darwent is expected to make a full recovery after suffering a leg injury during the meeting with Honduras.

At the moment, it seems Russell will again be without the services of Pleasantville Secondary star Nikita Gosine, who pulled out of the 21-player squad for the first round of qualifying after her initial selection due to a family matter.

“I’m not aware of any conversations (between the management team and the Gosines). I can really speak for myself. There was no communication there,” Russell said. “The focus is about getting the players who want to represent the country involved. I don’t believe any further communication was had.”

When her players step out for battle on March 31, Russell wants them to seize the moment.

“I’m very excited for the young ladies because it’s an opportunity for them to play at the highest level and to play against the best. It’s really an opportunity I can’t wait for.”