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19
Tue, Mar

Young Warriors tangle with Grenada.
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The quest to reclaim dominance in regional football will begin this evening at 6pm when a new-look T&T Soca Warriors team will take on Grenada at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain Couva.

Strangely T&T has not beaten the ‘Spice Men’ for the past 12 years, with the last two meetings between the teams ending in similar 2-2 draws in St George’s. Yesterday, the Grenadians who were scheduled to arrive in T&T for a pre-game training session, had to be placed on another flight due to protest action by the airline.

They are likely to arrive just in time to head straight on the pitch, where an anxious bunch of TT players, being led by captain Sheldon Bateau will await them. The central defender said because we have a young squad, it will be a difficult match for them.

He believes the Grenadians are ideal opponents in the country’s rebuilding stage since the Spice Men drew with the Warriors at home the last time the teams met. “Now we have them at home here, so we need to win this game. We are considered the big dogs in the Caribbean so Grenada will be coming 200 percent, but the guys will be ready to respond. We are just ready to give that good showing to the fans and build that confidence in them” Bateau explained.

Assistant coach Stern John said it will be an opportunity for the young lads to show themselves and get a taste of international football. According to John “We want to go out and give a good account of ourselves.

We want to play good football, football that we know we can play and what we have been playing for the past couple of months, and get a good result.”

T&T Football Association president David John-Williams scuffed at resistance to have Grenada as opponents, saying the Grenadians have kept us out of two Gold Cups in the past.

Meanwhile an Under-20 Women’s match between the T&T team and a Select XI, scheduled to be played at 4pm was cancelled to allow the field to be in the best condition for the TT/Grenada game.