http://thevincentian.com/u-footballers-overcome-problems-to-prevail-p8419-139.htmVincy Heat U23 Footballers Overcome Problems To Prevail
"We are capable of competing and possibly beating anyone we take on right now,” U23 coach Wade ‘Elbir’ Jackson said, one day after returning from Puerto Rico where the team topped Group Four of the CFU Olympic Qualifiers.
By virtue of this win, the team advanced to the semi-finals of the CFU Qualifiers, where they will take on Haiti on August 14th, 2015 for a place in the final and a berth into the CONCACAF play-offs, with Qualifications for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games at stake.
The U23s played to a 2-2 draw with host Puerto Rico, and beat regional power house Trinidad and Tobago 5-3, after a serious of problems on their way to the tournament.
According to the coach, the team left here on Monday for Barbados to go through what was expected to be an easy process of obtaining visas from the US Embassy. This was not to be! It took them four days to make it into Puerto Rico after problems encountered at the Embassy.
There were similar problems faced by both Trinidad and Suriname, resulting in the latter being forced to withdraw from the tournament.
Visas granted, the team headed for Miami, where they had to spend a night in the airport before flying out the next day for Puerto Rico.
"The guys had to sleep on the floor, coiled up in chairs or on bags to pass the night; they kept their motivation by dancing to Vincy Soca music to keep themselves warm because it was really cold as well,” the coach said.
The team arrived in Puerto Rico, according to Jackson, just hours before the match, occasioning a pre-match ‘meeting on the run’.
And after setbacks and inconveniences, the players took to the field with such confidence and commitment that he knew they were going to give a good showing, Jackson said.
In that match, which ended 2-2, Puerto Rico twice went ahead through Cooper Nungent in the 10th minute and again with Joseph Marrero in the 75th , only for Solomon (12) and Oalex Anderson (80) minute to draw level.
"If we had lost that game 2-1, I would have been disappointed, but could not have asked for more from these guys….they really gave it their all,” coach Jackson admitted.
In the second match, from a 4-0 lead at half time, SVG conceded three goals in the second period of play, but came away eventual winners, 5-3.
While admitting that it was too many goals to let in, Jackson said that fatigue had eventually set in, plus there was a critical injury concern.
"Our top defender Danroy Edwards had picked up an ankle injury, but because of his importance to the team, we just could not take him off, but we were never in any danger of losing that game….we always had everything under control…yes they got some late goals, but two of those goals were rebounds from goalkeeping saves”, a confident Jackson said.
The Vincentians were piloted to victory by Tevin Slater with a hattrick ( 17, 38, 85) Anderson (19) and UK-Based Bard Miguel ( 42), while T&T got goals from Ricardo John (64, 88) and Akeem Roach (75).
Jackson and his team are looking forward to meeting Haiti, since many of the U23 were part of the U17 team which was hammered 6-1 by the Haitians in Trinidad, in 2008.
The team returns to training next Thursday.