Two-time defending champion Jamaica will begin its quest for a sixth overall Caribbean Cup title against French Guyana on December 8, a day after the tournament finals start with a doubleheader featuring Haiti vs. Trinidad, and host Antigua vs. the Dominican Republic.
The complete schedule for finals of the 17th biennial championship, to be played December 7-16, was released Tuesday by the Caribbean Football Union and features a match on the final day of group play between five-time champion Jamaica and Cuba, which has reached the semifinals in each of the last six tries.
Besides crowning the regional champion, the tournament decides the Caribbean's four berths in next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup.
This year's finals includes all four teams that have won the Caribbean crown, eight-time champion Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, 1993 winner Martinique and 2007 champion Haiti.
Six of the eight participants have finished in the top four except the Dominican Republic and French Guyana, which is making its first appearance in the finals since 1995.
Antigua, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Trinidad will contest Group A at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John's, while Group B with Cuba, French Guyana, Jamaica and Martinique will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the semifinals and qualify for the Gold Cup.
FIRST ROUND
Group A - At St. John's, Antigua
Friday, December 7
Haiti vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 5 p.m. (6 p.m.)
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Dominican Republic, 7 p.m. (8 p.m.)
Sunday, December 9
Dominican Republic vs. Haiti, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
Tuesday, December 11
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Dominican Republic, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Haiti, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
Group B - At North Sound, Antigua
Saturday, December 8
Martinique vs. Cuba, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Jamaica vs. French Guyana, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
Monday, December 10
Cuba vs. French Guyana, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Jamaica vs. Martinique, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
Wednesday, December 11
French Guyana vs. Martinique, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Jamaica vs. Cuba, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
SEMIFINALS* - At St. John's, Antigua
Friday, December 14
Group A winner vs. Group B runner-up, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Group B winner vs. Group A runner-up, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
FINALS - At North Sound, Antigua
Sunday, December 16
Third Place
Semifinal losers, 4 p.m. (5 p.m.)
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m. (7 p.m.)
*Order of matches subject to change
Caribbean Cup Finals (All times U.S. Eastern; local times in parentheses).
T&T to open Caribbean Cup finals vs Haiti.
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Men’s team will begin its quest for the 2012 Caribbean Cup title with the opening fixture of the tournament against Haiti at the Antigua Recreation Ground, St John’s on December 7th.
This was announced by the Caribbean Football Union on Tuesday following the completion of Groups Six and Eight in the semi-final round of the qualification.
T&T are in Group A along with hosts Antigua/Barbuda, Haiti and Dominican Republic while defending champions Jamaica have been placed alongside Cuba, French Guyana and Martinique in Group B.
Besides crowning the regional champion, the tournament decides the Caribbean's four berths in next year's CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Final match will be played on December 16th.
This year's finals includes all four teams that have won the Caribbean crown, eight-time champion Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, 1993 winner Martinique and 2007 champion Haiti.
Six of the eight participants have finished in the top four except the Dominican Republic and French Guyana, which is making its first appearance in the finals since 1995.
T&T head coach Hutson Charles will resume preparations with a squad later next week and the TTFF is currently in discussions with some of the overseas-based players likely to be recalled for the Finals.
“It’s a pretty decent group which I expect us to be able to come out of and get to the semi-finals,” Charles told TTFF Media.
“It’s not going to be easy by any means and we have to get a strong as possible squad for the Finals and also ensure that we have a fair preparation heading into the first game against Haiti. They want to win it and qualify for the Gold Cup just as badly as we do and the same goes for the hosts Antigua and Dominican Republic,” he added.
Team captain Jan Michael Williams echoed similar sentiments looking ahead to the tournament.
“We knew all along that we would have to face one of the better teams in the Caribbean and in this case we have been grouped with Haiti. But in saying that we are also aware that Dominican Republic and Antigua will not be teams that we can take for granted.
Their football has been on the improve and we have to take the same approach into this Finals as we have in the recent games which is to stay focused and try to lift our performance game by game,” said the W Connection custodian who has conceded two goals in the six matches played so far in the qualifying matches.
“We know what is ahead of us at this point and our ambitions remain the same which is to qualify for the Gold Cup and at the same time get to the Cup Final and try and win it,” Williams stated.
Group A which includes T&T will be contested at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John's, while Group B will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound.