T&T Soca Warriors will come up against Central Americans Nicaragua in their final international friendly on Tuesday October 13 at home, prior to kicking off their 2018 Concacaf Semifinal Round Group C qualifiers away to Guatemala on Novermber 13.
Phillips noted that there was a possibility of facing other regional teams and even an African nation, but in the end it was decided that the Nicaraguans, who defeated Jamaica, 3-2 in Kingston, Jamaica in its Concacaf Third Round World Cup qualifier before losing 2-0 at home to be eliminated will be best suited ahead of T&T’s 2018 Concacaf Semifinal Round opener away to the Guatemalans, who play a similar style of football.
For the two friendly matches, Phillip said coach Stephen Hart is expected to call on most if not all his first choice players as the two matches and traveling arrangements will be similar to those for the World Cup qualifiers away to the Guatemala on 13 and then four days later at home against USA.
St Vincent and The Grenadines is the other team in the group from which the top two will advance to the six-team Concacaf Final round of qualifiers.
It was initially thought, the Stephen Hart-coached Soca Warriors preparations for the World Cup qualifiers would be derailed by its home-and-away Copa America 2016 playoff matches with Haiti.
The winner of the T&T and Haiti home-and-away series will qualify to next year’s Copa America Championship, the 100th edition, which will be held in the USA.
The 16-nation Centenario is scheduled to run from June 3-26 and includes the ten South American teams and six invited teams from Concacaf led by USA and Mexico, the recent Gold Cup winners.
The South American contingent includes Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay while recent Gold Cup runner-up Jamaica and Costa Rica have sealed places from Concacaf and will be joined by the winners of the T&T/Haiti, and Panama/Cuba home-and-away ties.
However, word reaching the T&TFA is that the Copa America tie will not be played until later in the year or even next year, giving Hart ample time to focus on his team’s World Cup qualifying Group C preparations.
Commenting on the team’s warm-up schedule, Phillips said, “We already have the warm-up encounter with Panama in Panama City finalised for October 8 and we will then return home for a mini-camp, similar to what will be done for the World Cup qualifiers ahead of the Nicaragua clash.”
“Like Panama, Nicaragua should provide us with a good test as we have observed their performances in the two matches against Jamaica and we expect a tough battle as well, one we should be ready for.”
Phillips also hinted that the match could be played at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, the venue of most of T&T World Cup qualifiers in the past.
In their last international outing, the the Soca Warriors squandered a 2-0 lead before drawing 3-3 with Mexico in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 4, less than two months after a 4-4 thriller at the Concacaf Gold Cup.
T&T drawn result improved coach Hart’s overall record to 12 wins, nine loses and five draws in 26 matches, and according to Phillips, the former Canada men’s coach is expected to sign on soon.
“At the moment he is much more focused on the team’s preparations for the warm-up matches and two World Cup qualifiers in place, but we at the T&TFA expect him to sign on soon.
In the two other World Cup qualifying series, Group A will comprise Gold Cup champions Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Canada while Group B consist of Costa Rica, Panama, Haiti and Jamaica, the Gold Cup runner-up.
At the end of the series, the he top two teams from each group will progress to the Hexagonal Concacaf Final Round to be played from November 7, 2016 to October 10, 2017 at the end of which the top three teams will qualify to the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia while the fourth placed team will advance to a continental playoff with the fifth placed team from Asia.
2018 Concacaf Fourth Round Group - Stage qualifying groups
Group A: Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Canada
Group B: Costa Rica, Panama, Haiti, Jamaica
Group C: USA, T&T, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Guatemala
T&T’s Group C fixtures
NB: Home team mentioned first:
November 13, 2015: Guatemala vs T&T
November 17, 2015: T&T vs USA
March 25, 2016: St Vincent and The Grenadines vs T&T
March 29, 2016: T&T vs St Vincent and The Grenadines
September 2, 2016: T&T vs Guatemala
September 6, 2016: USA vs T&T