Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Football => Topic started by: Tallman on April 17, 2019, 09:38:25 PM
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Trinidad and Tobago drawn in Group B of CONCACAF Caribbean Men’s Olympic qualifiers
TTFA Media
Trinidad and Tobago has been drawn in Group B of the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying tournament. This country will come up against US Virgin Islands, Cuba and Barbados. This is the Caribbean phase of qualifiers from which the leading teams from four groups will advance to the CONCACAF Final Round following which the top two nations will qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.
Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica Haiti and Antigua & Barbuda were pre-seeded into positions A1, B1, C1, and D1 respectably, as the 4 top Caribbean teams on the FIFA- Coca Cola Ranking for the draw which took place on Wednesday morning.
The competition will be played in a group stage phase for the Caribbean and in a home-and-away series for Central America. Two teams from the Caribbean and three teams from Central America will qualify to the Men’s Olympic Qualifier final round.
The preliminary round of the Men’s Olympic Qualifier will take place in four venues in the Caribbean and in the six PMA’s from Central America from July 17 to July 21, 2019.
For the Caribbean, the Qualifying Group Phase will be staged in four (4) host countries. It will consist of four (4) groups of four (4) teams. The four (4) winners of each group will advance to a final play-in matches and the winners of the two play-in matches will qualify to the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying final stage.. In Central America, a home-and-away series will be play between the six (6) participating teams. The three winners of each series will qualify to the Men’s Olympic qualifier. The preliminary round will be played in the same window of July 17 to July 21, 2019.
The 2019 Championship will be the 15th edition of the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the quadrennial international age-restricted football tournament organised by CONCACAF to determine which men’s under-23 national teams from the North, Central American and Caribbean region qualify for the Olympic football tournament.
The eight berths were allocated to the three regional zones as follows:
• Three teams from the North American Zone (NAFU), i.e., Canada, Mexico and the hosts United States, who all qualified automatically due to them being the only teams in the region
• Three teams from the Central American Zone (UNCAF)
• Two teams from the Caribbean Zone (CFU)
Football at the Olympics is an older tradition than the World Cup and it will return for the 27th time when the 2020 summer tournament rolls round. Some of the world’s most iconic footballers have graced the Olympics, including Lionel Messi, Neymar, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo.
A total of 16 teams will compete in the men’s football section of the 2020 Olympics.
Japan qualify automatically as hosts and they will be joined by 15 other national teams drawn from around the world.
The top four teams from the UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualify, with three coming from the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations and three more qualifying from the AFC U-23 Championship.
Two teams will represent South America in the tournament with the CONMEBOL pre-Olympics tournament deciding which and two teams will also qualify from the CONCACAF region in Central and North America.One team from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) will reach the Olympics.
The Americas have dominated the latest Olympic football tournaments.
🇦🇷Argentina – 2004, 2008
🇲🇽Mexico – 2012
🇧🇷Brazil – 2016
The women’s football section will see 12 teams compete for gold, but qualification is somewhat different to the men’s.
Japan qualify as hosts and they are joined by Brazil, who won the 2018 Copa America and New Zealand, who won the 2018 OFC Nations Cup.
Three more teams will be drawn from the 2019 Women’s World Cup, two from the CONCACAF qualifying championship and two from the AFC qualifying tournament.
One team will come through the CAF qualifying tournament and another will be decided in the CAF-CONMEBOL (Africa-South America) play-off.
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T&T start Olympic qualifiers in July but neither coach nor squad in place; ex-TD advises TTFA to turn to minor leagues.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has been advised to turn to ‘minor leagues’, as the chronically under-prepared local football body is tasked to build a team from scratch to compete in the 2020 Olympic qualifying series, which kicks off in three months. The TTFA does not have a National Under-23 Team in training and is yet to even appoint a coach.
Trinidad and Tobago are drawn with the US Virgin Islands, Cuba and Barbados with only the winner advancing to a Caribbean play-off to determine the two regional representatives for the final Concacaf qualifying round. Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago are the four Caribbean seeds.
In the end, the top two Concacaf under-23 football nations will advance to the Japan Olympic Games.
The TTFA has made a habit of sending out hastily thrown together teams in the past two years, often to disastrous effect—as the Women’s Senior and Men’s National Under-20 Teams can testify. At present, the Men’s National Under-17 Team are in a similar boat as Head Coach Stern John was given just six weeks to screen and prepare for their Brazil 2019 Under-17 World Cup qualifying campaign.
However, according to a former TTFA technical director, the future National Under-23 coach’s job moves from very difficult to nigh impossible when you consider that there has been no competitive football over the past five months for players over the age of 17.
And due to teething problems in the formation of a new TTFA-run ‘T-League’—which has absorbed Pro League and Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) clubs—the senior domestic football calendar remains in paralysis and can be postponed till as late as September this year.
The former technical director suggested that the TTFA, which banks as much as US$1 million or TT$6.7 million a year from the FIFA Forward Programme alone, may be best served turning to the minor league competitions they usually warn players to avoid like the plague.
“My suggestion is they need to have someone put together an age group minor league tournament,” said the former technical director, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It is absolutely crazy that you might have no league football until September and it is a disaster for our football.
“If they don’t want to use the minor league route, they can create a pool of players and split them between north, south, east and central [and Tobago]; and from those games you can choose players.
“I hope this will be discussed soon. But if the local league starts in September, how can we possibly compete?”
Wired868 understands that Technical Director Anton Corneal and TTFA Board Member Richard Quan Chan recommended Club Sando and Naparima College Head Coach Angus Eve and Police FC Head Coach Richard Hood for the posts of National Under-23 head coach and assistant coach respectively. However, the TTFA is yet to act on that advice.
It is uncertain what remuneration package might be offered to the Under-23 coaching staff. At present, the National Under-17 staff, which includes assistant coaches Kenwyne Jones and Caleb De Souza, is working pro bono.
TTFA President David John-Williams and General Secretary Camara David did not respond to questions from Wired868 on the local football body’s plans for the National Under-23s.
The 28-year-old David, who was controversially appointed as general secretary in February after moonlighting in the role for at least two months prior, has ordered technical staff members not to speak to the media without his explicit permission.
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https://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/local/teams-grounded/article_440af802-80e1-11e9-80fe-335945252c51.html
It appears the the the men and women teams would not be able to make it. The men in more doubtful because the qualifying is in July.
UNLESS a sponsor comes forward with US$165,000 in the next two weeks, Trinidad and Tobago teams will not participate in upcoming men’s and women’s Olympic football qualifying competitions.
Yesterday, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) director Richard Quan Chan announced at an Ato Boldon Stadium media briefing that the local governing body was having difficulty funding the two national teams.
In the absence of government funding, there TTFA was also unable to garner support from the business sector. An effort to get Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee to help was also unsuccessful.
Quan Chan hinted it might not be feasible to prepare a men’s Under-23 team at this stage. The men’s competition begins in July. The women’s competition starts in October. None of the teams are currently in training.
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Terrible.
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Beyond terrible.
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Well at least they not homeless .... as we have the Home of Football, nah. The Venezuelans have Irwin Park (with help), our youths have the Ato.Help soon come. Maybe the past ex-pros can carry them. ::)
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Anybody have a rich uncle to sponsor the teams? Call 911-Lindsey Gillette.
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TTFA prioritize eight other competitions over CONCACAF Men’s U23 Olympic Qualifiers for 2019
TTFA Media
The TTFA has regrettably withdrawn its participation from this year’s CONCACAF Men’s U23 Olympic Qualifiers and has decided to focus its resources on other competitions for the rest of 2019.
The financial difficulties of the FA have been no secret to the public with a debt of over 5 million USD and most recently, the freezing of the bank accounts. Despite these turmoil times, the TTFA with the support of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has managed to successfully field teams in all of the competitions thus far for the 2019 Competitions calendar.
With the limited funding available, and eleven (11) national teams to service, the TTFA has taken the decision that in moving forward we must not increase the debt of the FA and thus we must prioritize which tournaments are a MUST to participate in. According to FIFA Statues, Member Associations are mandated to participate in a maximum of TWO competitions for a period of four consecutive years to keep its FIFA membership status. Over the last 15 years, the TTFA has been ‘biting off more than it can possibly chew’ by competing in every single competition with little regard for its financial obligations and thus running up this mammoth of a debt.
The CONCACAF Men’s U23 Olympic Qualifiers has proven to be the most difficult competition to qualify for, as only a maximum of two countries from the region will qualify for 2020 Tokyo. Additionally, given the lack of resources and preparation of the team, the TTFA felt that it would be unfair to the Republic to send an unprepared team to a participate in the tournament.
The TTFA remains committed to the development of our football and thus has pledged its funds to the following competitions for the rest of the year:
- CONCACAF Gold Cup 2019
- CONCACAF Boys Under 15 Championships
- CFU 2019 Under 14 Girls Challenge Series
- CFU 2019 Under 14 Boys Challenge Series
- CONCACAF Under 17 Women’s Championships
- CONCACAF Under 20 Women’s Championships
- CONCACAF Nations League
- CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifiers
In light of this position, the TTFA sees the light at the end of the tunnel as we expect to open the highly anticipated ‘Home of Football Project’ later this year with a grand 72-room hotel and a Sports and Entertainment Centre. It must be noted that FIFA mandates ALL of its members to use its FIFA Forward monies to construct these facilities FIRST, before it can be used for other activities.
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Steups
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Where does it say Hotel ?
( for projects tailored according to the member association’s approved contract of agreed objectives, and in particular relating to football infrastructure (e.g. pitches, technical centres, training grounds, stadiums and headquarters). We had how many stadia , specific to football, even if in need of repair ( a good grounds man). The government practically give you a stadia to conduct technical, and administrative exercises and duties. Where does it say Accommodations FIRST ?
then i) Projects may include other development areas provided that the member association has at least one stadium/pitch allowing international matches to be played, suitable association headquarters, and a functioning technical centre.
Look you dun do yuh do..fix the fields please, before yuh put we in thicker bamboo. Last time the ATO Boldon stadium flooded. Hope it's now repaired.
A. Financial entitlements
1) An investment of USD 6,000,000 per member association for the four-year cycle to support operational needs and development projects whilst an additional USD 1,000,000 is allocated to those member associations with an annual revenue of USD 4 million or less in order to support their travel and equipment needs.
a) Up to USD 1,000,000 per year for operational/running costs:
i) USD 500,000 released in January each year for day-to-day activities, administration and running costs.
ii) Up to USD 500,000 paid in July each year, provided that the member association fulfils up to ten specific activities during the year (USD 50,000 per activity). These activities include:
(1) organising men’s, women’s and youth competitions (two age groups for both girls and boys) – each competition should involve at least ten clubs for at least 90 matches and for at least six months each year;
(2) having active men’s, women’s and youth national teams – each one participating in at least four matches per year;
(3) having a functioning and regularly updated IT player registration and competition management system (provided free of charge by FIFA if needed); and
(4) having men’s and women’s refereeing programmes.
b) USD 2,000,000 over the period of the whole 2019-2022 cycle for projects tailored according to the member association’s approved contract of agreed objectives, and in particular relating to football infrastructure (e.g. pitches, technical centres, training grounds, stadiums and headquarters)
i) Projects may include other development areas provided that the member association has at least one stadium/pitch allowing international matches to be played, suitable association headquarters, and a functioning technical centre.
c) Up to USD 200,000 per year for travel and accommodation, and up to USD 200,000 per four-year cycle for football equipment for those member associations needing the most assistance:
i) A member association is identified as needing the most assistance provided that its annual revenue does not exceed USD 4 million (reflected in the annual statutory audit report of the previous year and submitted to FIFA by 30 June each year).
2) Up to USD 1,000,000 for zonal/regional associations will be released to the respective confederations in January of each year provided that the zonal/regional association is recognised by the confederation and organises at least one women’s, two boys’ and two girls’ competitions (for national teams or clubs).
3) USD 12 million for each confederation per year, with the funds automatically released in two biannual payments in January and July each year.
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TTFA decision against Government policy
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday)
BRIAN LEWIS, president of the TT Olympic Committee (TTOC), said yesterday the decision of the TT Football Association (TTFA) to withdraw the national men’s Under-23 team from the Concacaf qualifiers goes against Government’s policy.
In a media release on Sunday night, the TTFA withdrew the TT men’s team from the qualifiers, claiming financial difficulties.
“The Concacaf Men’s U-23 Olympic Qualifiers has proven to be the most difficult competition to qualify for, as only a maximum of two countries from the region will qualify for 2020 Tokyo,” the media release said.
“Additionally, given the lack of resources and preparation of the team, the TTFA felt that it would be unfair to the (country) to send an unprepared team to participate in the tournament.”
Lewis, asked to comment via Whatsapp (he is currently abroad), said, “A number of countries consider Olympic football an essential aspect of their strategic development plan. The TTFA made their decision based on their strategic priorities.”
Lewis pointed out that any ramification for the men’s team withdrawal will have to be dealt with by Concacaf and/or FIFA.
The TTOC president referred to Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s 2019 budget presentation, saying “I recall the Minister saying that the Government is committed to Olympic qualification.”
Imbert, during the budget presentation, said, “all our national teams will be fully funded” and “our own expectation is for a significant medal haul at the 2020 Olympics”.
Ironically, Sports Minister Shamfa Cudjoe, commenting about a meeting with the TTFA last Friday, said on Monday, “that request was not made to us to provide funding because (the) TTFA would have taken that decision that the team was not ready.”
TTFA board member and Super League president Keith Look Loy and owner of local club Central FC and former Minister of Sport Brent Sancho, also weighed in on the matter, in separate telephone interviews yesterday.
According to Look Loy, “The TTFA should be ashamed to talk about the lack of preparation for the national teams because this is their fault. The teams (are) the responsibility and the property of the TTFA. If you’re not planning for national teams, then you cannot prepare your teams properly. You really need to have proper planning and implementation, particularly in a situation where you have limited resources. The TTFA has completely fallen down in this area.”
Look Loy, who is also the owner of FC Santa Rosa, said, “It is remarkable that the Board has not approved this prioritisation of tournaments. This is the work of the inner circle.”
A TTFA delegation comprising president David John-Williams, general secretary Camara David, board member Selby Browne and TT Women’s League president Sharon Warrick (who, according to Look Loy, was mandated to attend according to FIFA statutes), is in France for a FIFA congress today, two days before the start of the Women’s World Cup.
“These are the same men who abandoned our women’s team last year, when the players had to come out on social media and beg for help,” Look Loy said. “(They) have the gall to go and sit down in a conference. It’s a joke.
“The Minister of Sport said that the TTFA never asked for money to help with this Olympic qualifying. This is further evidence that the TTFA is playing games with TT football and the careers of our young footballers.”
Sancho, former TT central defender, commented, “It’s catastrophic that the young players cannot play. I’m involved in football because you want to see young people get the opportunity to advance in the sport and to move forward. One of the integral parts of the 2006 World Cup squad was being able to stay together from U-20 all the way through. I think that was a catalyst for us to qualify.
“I’m not (going to say) who’s wrong or right but I’m more concerned about the players,” he added. “It seems to me that despite whatever happens, I’m always concerned about the players and how it’ll affect (them). This scenario is not good for the players.”
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Brent you know DJW playing the arse. Who's wrong or who's right. What f--king shit is this. You know TTFA WRONG when it comes to the Olympic team.
But it appears like Selby Browne gone on the dark-side. This man was like a tick on cow backside when it come to the DJW movements with the TTFA. Now this man going France for the Women's WC. Tell we it eh so Selby. You mean to say we have to call you a sell-out. Geez.
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You could call him a prostitute, Deeks. Same ting
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You could call him a prostitute, Deeks. Same ting
Boy, I really hate to slam meh former QRC schoolmate. but a spade is a spade. Another QRC schoolmate called me, and he was utterly and totally pissed at Selby.
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Sancho concerned about players after U-23 withdrawal.
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday)
FORMER T&T central defender Brent Sancho is concerned about the players who may have been involved with the national Under-23 men’s football team, after the TT Football Association (TTFA) decided to withdraw the team from competing at the Concacaf Olympic qualifiers.
The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) preliminary round is carded from July 17-21. T&T, on April 17, were drawn in Group B with Barbados, Cuba and the United States Virgin Islands.
Four groups of four teams each will feature in the CFU preliminary round, with two teams advancing to the Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Championship, in Costa Rica, from October 3-15.
The TTFA were yet to select a technical staff, nor was a training squad chosen, before the announcement of the withdrawal was made via a media release on Sunday night.
Scouts from club teams are usually at Concacaf youth events, and Sancho was asked if T&T’s withdrawal will affect the chances of some players to secure trial stints, or even contracts, abroad.
“It would be a challenge for them,” Sancho said. “This is one avenue for them to be seen.”
Sancho also wondered about the current financial struggles which T&T sporting teams face as they seek support for overseas competitions.
“For me, in sport in general, I’m very concerned,” he said. “When you look at different sports where teams are not able to leave these shores to participate because of funding, it is increasing every day.”
He continued, “It’s an alarming issue. I understand there are challenges but you’re talking about the nation’s youth (and) giving them every opportunity to put themselves on the world stage. If we’re having these challenges throughout, then something is categorically wrong. Instead of everybody pointing the finger, we as a nation need to get ourselves together and sort this situation out.”
The TTFA, in its media release, said that one of its priorities would be the national women’s team quest for a spot at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Sancho, who served as Minister of Sport from January till September 2015, said, “What I don’t get is in 2015 we had an international women’s professional league that had tremendous success. Since then, it’s almost like the women’s programme went into a halt.
“I think they would have their challenges,” he continued. “We had a nice platform in 2015 and like everything just went into reverse. We’ve been down that road already.
“One thing we need to recognise is, as a sporting nation, we’ve punched above our weight. We are competing against some of the top countries of the world who invest very heavily in their programmes. We need every help we can get to qualify for any tournament.”
TT Super League president Keith Look Loy was blunt in his view of the women’s programme.
“The TTFA doesn’t care about football,” he said. “(The Under-15 team) can’t get a visa when they have to travel and they totally cut (the women’s team) loose and the girls were all over crying and begging for help.”
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Open Screening begins on July 31 for Women’s Olympic Team.
TTFA Media.
Opening Screening for the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Olympic team selection will commence on July 31st at the Ato Boldon Stadium from 4:30pm.
Head Coach Stefan De Four currently in Panama with the Women’s Under 17 team will oversee the screening upon his return to T&T.
“These sessions are opened to all senior and under 20 players who are eligible to represent the country in the Olympic qualifiers either through parentage or as a citizen and have an interest in doing so,” Defour told TTFA Media.
“We have players who are already in the system but these open screening sessions is for players who have an interest and want to make themselves available for selection.” Players are asked to walk with their training gear and those who have not yet represented the country are required to walk with a form of identification.
The 2020 CONCACAF Final Round of Olympic qualifying is scheduled to take place in February. Concacaf will release further details on the qualifying schedule in due course.
Meantime, open Screening for selection to the Elite Developmental Group for Under 12 girls will also continue this Saturday from 8:30am at the Ato Boldon Stadium. All players born on or after January 1st 2007 are invited and are required to walk with a form of identification, red shirt, black pants and black socks.
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It is a pity they left the men on the sideline.
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It is a pity they left the men on the sideline.
A pity? Yuh being reserved.
It's an outrage. It's a travesty. Remember the $$$ was there! And supposedly is still sitting there in government coffers begging for a good use.
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Open Screening begins on July 31 for Women’s Olympic Team.
TTFA Media.
Opening Screening for the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Olympic team selection will commence on July 31st at the Ato Boldon Stadium from 4:30pm.
Head Coach Stefan De Four currently in Panama with the Women’s Under 17 team will oversee the screening upon his return to T&T.
“These sessions are opened to all senior and under 20 players who are eligible to represent the country in the Olympic qualifiers either through parentage or as a citizen and have an interest in doing so,” Defour told TTFA Media.
“We have players who are already in the system but these open screening sessions is for players who have an interest and want to make themselves available for selection.” Players are asked to walk with their training gear and those who have not yet represented the country are required to walk with a form of identification.
The 2020 CONCACAF Final Round of Olympic qualifying is scheduled to take place in February. Concacaf will release further details on the qualifying schedule in due course.
Meantime, open Screening for selection to the Elite Developmental Group for Under 12 girls will also continue this Saturday from 8:30am at the Ato Boldon Stadium. All players born on or after January 1st 2007 are invited and are required to walk with a form of identification, red shirt, black pants and black socks.
How about they start by contacting players who's already in the system? Just a suggestion.
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Good that Anique Walker is back in the mix. Doh mix no moods, make sure she's on de plane.
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De Four sees positive signs with build ups ahead of Women’s qualifying campaigns
TTFA Media
Trinidad and Tobago’s preparations for upcoming Olympic Qualifiers is coming along and is expected to be boosted by the including of some past national players as well as new recruits discovered by two Combined held in North America over the past two weeks.
This is the update coming from head of the National Women’s program Stephan De Four who is currently overseeing the preparation of the Women’s Olympic team for qualifiers which will be hosted in Trinidad and Tobago in September as well as the Under 20 and Under 17 Women’s qualifiers later in the year.
Combines for North American-based players were staged in Atlanta and South Florida last week and another was held in New York a few days earlier.
“The Combines in New York and Florida turned out really well with some good numbers turning out. The one in Atlanta wasn’t great in terms of the turn out but we were still able to discover some talent there. Overall I would say it was a successful venture with these combines in the three locations because we have discovered some capable players in all age groups who are all committed and eager about representing Trinidad and Tobago,” Defour told TTFA Media.
“The important thing for us was finding new players and establishing a connection with them as they are all coming in with a good background having been enrolled in women’s soccer programmes in North America which means they have a good understanding of the game and have already been exposed to some level of training and development. We will continue to be in touch with these players with the idea of having the chosen ones come over to join the local group in preparations for the competitions we have coming up,” Defour added.
Regarding the upcoming Olympic qualifiers, Defour also commenced screening for home-based players and is continuing the process towards selecting a Women’s Team that will include senior players.
“The screening for Olympic team selection is ongoing. We had a good turnout in the first set of sessions and there was a solid turn out of current national players, players who have represented the national women’s programme in the past as well as players currently involved in the Women’s League (WOLF). I can tell you that we will have players involved who have played in the past but were not involved in recent campaigns. We are trying to select the best possible national teams to represent the country,” Defour stated.
T&T will host the Caribbean Group for the Olympic qualifiers from September 30th to October 8th. The other participating teams in the group include Aruba, Antigua/Barbuda, St Kitts/Nevis, Dominican Republic and Guyana. Only the Group winner will advance to the Final Concacaf round where they will join United States, Canada and Mexico along with two other Caribbean group stage winners and two teams from Central America. From that final round, the top two teams will advance to the 2020 Summer Olympics Women’s football tournament in Japan.
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De Four names Provisional 29 Player Roster for Olympic qualifiers.
TTFA Media.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic team head coach Stephan De Four recently invited twenty nine players for a residential training camp which is ongoing ahead of the CONCACAF Preliminary Women’s Olympic Tournament for Tokyo 2020, Caribbean Zone.
The four-nation group phase will take place at the Ato Boldon Stadium from September 30 to October 8th with hosts T&T taking on Aruba in its opening match at the Couva venue from 5pm on September 30th. All matches will be played at the Ato Boldon Stadium. The other competing nations are Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts/Nevis. Only the group winner will advance to the CONCACAF Final championship next year from which two of the eight teams will advance to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. So far, Canada, United States and Mexico are already through to the CONCACAF Finals.
De Four is expected to name his final roster on the weekend. He has already named experienced player Karyn Forbes as the team captain. Forbes, a veteran of the 2015 Women’s World Cup qualifying team, said she was expecting T&T to give a solid account at home but would avoid complacency.
“No doubt I think we have to potential but at the end of the day we don’t want to underestimate any team,” Forbes told TTFA Media.
“I think preparations have been good. It’s a new squad. At any point in life you have to have transition. With some of the new players coming in, we’ll be able to utilise them and have some fresh blood and help them (as experienced players) to grow.
“I think right now a lot is at stake especially where women’s football is concerned. I hope we can use this competition as an opportunity to make a statement and bring back the fun and bring back people out to watch women’s football,” she added.
The former US-based player touched on recently appointed head coach De Four who previously worked with Haiti’s Women’s Programme.
“Every coach is different but Stephan is very serious and we need someone who is serious and I’m elated to work under him.”
Forbes and her teammates were given first-hand tour of the TTFA Home of Football hotel on Sunday and she spoke of her anticipation of being able to utilise the facilities in the future.
“I think the initiative of having the Home of football is very good because it could really help the TTFA and help bring in funds to help the teams in the future. I know everything takes time so we have to be able to let everything take its due time and process. I am hoping as time goes on we will be able to utilise the hotel and gain some income from this hotel.
“It’s really good as having this facility will help us a lot. I have been traveling back and forth between Trinidad and Tobago. It’s really important that we have accommodation. Everything is near in terms of fields and the hotel,” Forbes said.
Forbes will be hoping to spur her side on with an opening win against Aruba next Monday in Couva.
Matches schedule with kick-off times:
Matchday 1: 30 September 2019
Matchday 2: 2 October 2019
Matchday 3: 4 October 2019
Matchday 4: 6 October 2019
Matchday 5: 8 October 2019
(Monday 30 September)
St Kitts & Nevis vs Dominican Republic, 2.30pm
Aruba vs Trinidad & Tobago, 5pm
(Wednesday 2 October)
Dominican Republic vs Aruba, 2.30pm
Trinidad and Tobago vs Antigua and Barbuda, 5pm
(Friday 4 October)
Antigua & Barbuda vs Dominican Republic, 2.30pm
Aruba vs St Kitts & Nevis, 5pm
(Sunday 6 October)
Antigua & Barbuda vs Aruba, 2.30pm
Trinidad & Tobago vs St Kitts & Nevis, 5pm
(Tuesday 8 October)
St Kitts & Nevis vs Antigua & Barbuda, 2.30pm
Trinidad & Tobago vs Dominican Republic, 5pm
Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Senior Team
Goalkeepers:
Malaika Dedier (St Augustine Secondary), Kimika Forbes (Millionarios FC—Colombia), Tenesha Palmer (Police FC);
Defenders:
Sydney Boisselle (York University—Canada), Khadisha Debesette (Club Sando), Amaya Ellis (University of Illinois—US), Nathifa Hackshaw (St Augustine Secondary), Liana Hinds (Sundsvall DFF—Sweden), Renasha Jones (Tobago Chicas), Janelle McGee (California Storm—US), Aaliyah Pascall (Club Sando), Tori Paul (Olympic High—US), Meyah Romeo (Monroe College—US), Meyah Romeo (Monroe College—US), Maria-Frances Serrant (St Augustine Secondary);
Midfielders:
Agape Alexander (Liu Brooklyn—US), Shanelle Arjoon (West Texas A&M—US), Karyn Forbes (Fjaroabyggo—Iceland), Janine Francois (QPCC), Asha James (Florida International University—US), Jasandra Joseph (Trincity National), Maya Matouk (University of Tampa—US), Nia Walcott (University of Maryland—US);
Forwards:
Faith Alexander (Pride Soan Club—US), Alexcia Ali (Pleasantville Secondary), Afiyah Cornwall (QPCC), Cayla McFarlane (Patdadores—US), Aaliyah Prince (North Texas State—US), Makayla Prince (Club Sando), Laurel Theodore (Roger State University—US).
Olympic Team Staff
Stephan De Four – Head Coach
Andre Salandy – Assistant Coach
Darrel Marcelle – Assistant Coach
Corbin Cooper – Assistant Coach
Desiree Sarjeant – Assistant Coach
Earl Carter – Goalkeeper Coach
Natalie Harper – Equipment Manager
Kern Meloney – Physio
Shenice Gittens – Physio
RELATED NEWS
Karyn Forbes to skipper T&T women footballers.
By Joel Bailey (newsday).
Coach De Four names 29 for training camp…
T&T women football team coach Stephan De Four recently invited 29 players for a residential training camp which is ongoing ahead of the CONCACAF Preliminary Women’s Olympic Tournament for Tokyo 2020, Caribbean Zone.
The five-nation group phase will take place at the Ato Boldon Stadium from September 30 to October 8 with hosts T&T taking on Aruba in their opening match on September 30, from 5 pm. All matches will be played at the Couva venue. The other competing nations are Dominican Republic, Antigua/Barbuda and St Kitts/Nevis. Only the group winners will advance to the CONCACAF Final Championship next year from which two of the eight teams will advance to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
So far, Canada, United States and Mexico are already through to the CONCACAF Finals.
De Four is expected to name his final roster this weekend, but he has already named experienced defender/midfielder Karyn Forbes as the team captain. Forbes, a veteran of the 2015 Women’s World Cup qualifying team, said she was expecting T&T to give a solid account at home.
“No doubt I think we have to potential but at the end of the day we don’t want to underestimate any team,” Forbes said.
“I think preparations have been good. It’s a new squad. At any point in life you have to have transition. With some of the new players coming in, we’ll be able to utilise them and have some fresh blood and help them (as experienced players) to grow.
“I think right now a lot is at stake especially where women’s football is concerned. I hope we can use this competition as an opportunity to make a statement and bring back the fun and bring back people out to watch women’s football,” she added.
The former US-based player touched on the work done by De Four, who replace Shawn Cooper as coach earlier this year.
“Every coach is different but Stephan is very serious and we need someone who is serious and I’m elated to work under him.”
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Wish the ladies well!
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De Four plans aggressive football for qualifiers.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).
T&T's Women's coach Stephan De Four plans to be aggressive in attack and relentless in the defence when the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers kicks off from Monday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.
However, De Four, was not naive about the possible challenges he intends to face, telling reporters at a press conference on Friday that he wished he had more time to counter these hurdles. He gave the assurance that he and his players will work within the stipulations but try and deliver for the country.
With just the top team advancing out of the group, the T&T team will begin their campaign against Aruba, in the feature match Monday at 5 pm, a game that will follow an earlier encounter between St Kitts/Nevis and the Dominica Republic.
They will next take the field on Wednesday at the same venue with a mouth-watering contest against Antigua/Barbuda from 5 pm, while the Arubans and the Dominican Republic team will clash at 2:30 pm in the first match.
De Four, who was flanked by his captain Karyn Forbes, called on the public to not be too judgemental as it is a young team which, he believes, has the potential to be on par with one the best T&T teams in the past.
"I see this group as being the next top group like Maylee and 'Yaya' and them. I see this group having these talents. Going forward is where the development aspects begin. We're looking to build for the next three years for the World Cup for the senior team," De Four explained.
According to De Four, they will respect their opponents, but not be afraid of them.
Meanwhile, Forbes told the media she hopes to motivate her players so that they can get the job done.
Like her coach, Forbes believes they did not have sufficient time to prepare for the tournament and said she hopes that her aggressive style of play, will help her players to perform similarly, as it is the style of football they will be seeking to play in any way.
Final Squad.
Goalkeepers:
1.Kimika Forbes (Millonarios FC, Colombia), 18.Tennesha Palmer (Police FC, T&T);
Defenders:
3.Amaya Ellis (Uni. of Illinois, USA, CB), 14.Karyn Forbes (CAPTAIN) (Fjaroabyggo, Iceland CB), 4.Maria-Frances Serra (St. Augustine Secondary, T&T, DF), 2.Meyah Romeo (Monroe College, USA, DF), 5.Liana Hinds (Sundsvall DFF, Sweden, RB), 6.Sydney Boisselle (York University, Canada, RB), 7.Khadisha Debesette (Club Sando, T&T, CB), 10.Janine Francois 1(QPCC, T&T, CB), 19.Tori Paul (Olympic High, USA, LB);
Midfielders:
8.Asha James (Florida Int’l Uni., USA, M), 9.Nia Walcott (Uni. Maryland, USA, M), 11.Maya Matouk (Uni. Of Tampa, USA, F/M), 12.Jasandra Joseph (Trincity Nationals, T&T, M);
Forwards:
15.Afyiah Cornwall (QPCC, T&T, F),13 Shanelle Arjoon (West Texas A&M, USA, F/M), 16.Kayla Prince (Club Sando, T&T, F), 17.Aaliyah Prince (North Texas State, USA F/M), 20.Cayla Mc Farlane (Patdadores, USA, F).
MATCHES
MONDAY (Sept 30)
St Kitts/Nevis vs the Dominican Republic: 2:30 pm
Aruba vs T&T: 5pm
WEDNESDAY (Oct 2)
The Dominican Republic vs Aruba- 2:30 pm
T&T vs Antigua /Barbuda - 5pm
FRIDAY (Oct 4)
Antigua/Barbuda vs the Dominican Republic- 2:30 pm
Aruba vs St Kitts/Nevis- 5 pm
SUNDAY (Oct 6)
Antigua/Barbuda vs Aruba- 2:30pm
T&T vs St Kitts/Nevis- 5 pm
TUESDAY (Oct 8.)
St Kitts/Nevis vs Antigua/Barbuda- 2:30 pm
T&T vs the Dominican Republic - 5 pm
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T&T shutout Aruba 3-0 in Olympic opener.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Trinidad and Tobago skipper Karyn Forbes and her teammates got off to a dream start in their 2020 Olympic Games quest with a 3-0 win over Aruba in the opening CONCACAF qualifier at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
However, after Nia Walcott gave them the perfect start with a goal after just two minutes, coach Stephan De Four and the home fans had to wait for over an hour to celebrate another goal.
Substitute Afiyah Walcott finally gave them another reason to celebrate in the 73rd minute as T&T went up 2-0 before Janine Francois sealed the item on the stroke of full time.
In the opening game, the Dominican Republic and St Kitts and Nevis played to a goalless draw.
FINAL: Aruba Women 0-3 Trinidad and Tobago. Goals scored by Nia Walcott (2'), Afiyah Cornwall (73'), and Janine Francois (91').
Teams
T&T XI: Kimika Forbes, Karyn Forbes (captain), Meyah Romeo, Maria-Frances Serrant, Liana Hinds, Kadisha Debesette, Nia Walcott, Janine Francois, Summer Arjoon, Dennecia Prince, Tori Paul.
ARUBA XI: Leticha Loopstok, Shagira Robert, Roxanne Henriquez, Jorainne Wester-Maduro, Michelle Werleman, Johanna Ruitebeek, Arlene Henriquez, Inga Fradl, Zahira Van Der Linde, Nicole Saladin, Astariah Tromp.
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago goal scorer Nia Walcott (centre) is congratulated by teammates during Olympic qualifying action against Aruba in Couva on 30 September 2019.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/CA-Images/Wired868)
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WATCH: Highlights of Trinidad and Tobago Women's 3-0 win over Aruba. Goals scored by Nia Walcott (2'), Afiyah Cornwall (73'), and Janine Francois (91').
https://www.youtube.com/v/7Tm-mg7e9sg
WATCH: Post-match comments from Head Coach Stephan DeFour after Trinidad and Tobago Women's 3-0 win over Aruba.
https://www.youtube.com/v/mLLGUmqNzt0
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O.k. I bordering on 300lb so my intention is not to fat shame on a personal level eh, but as fat guy dat coulda move...even with CP, I felt bad for and proud of dat keeper at d same time....if dat make sense :-\ :-\ ??? :applause: :applause:
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What ignorance I seeing here? That is NOT how you address/attack an indirect free kick inside the penalty area! Whaaaat?!!!! That was piss poor.
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Forbes: We need to win the group.
T&T Guardian Reports.
T&T's Women football captain Karyn Forbes intends to lead her team to its second win of the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers against Antigua/Barbuda on Wednesday from 5 pm, at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.
The Soca Princesses, in their opening game, clobbered Aruba 3-0, courtesy goals from Nia and Afiyah Walcott, and another from Janine Francois on the way to their victory. And with their focus being to win the group, which will enable them to advance, Forbes said they will be going out to win again.
She did not comment on the team's performance Monday against Aruba, saying they got a win which was a good start for her and the team. She told Guardian Media Sports that the technical staff will have video reviews on each game they play, and during those meetings, we will decide on the areas that the team need to work on and improve.
"But I think we need to work on our transition from defence to attack and vice versa. Also, I think we also need to score our chances early so that we can put our opponents on the back foot," Forbes explained.
Yesterday coach Stephan De Four was expected to conduct his first video review of the opening game against Aruba, and only at that time, will the team be aware of the approach or strategy that will be undertaken this afternoon against Antiguan and Barbuda.
Today's game will be preceded by a 2:30 pm match-up between Aruba and the Dominican Republic at the same venue.
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Forbes, Walcott keep Soca Princesses unbeaten.
By Rachael Thompson-King (Guardian).
Captain Karyn Forbes and Nia Walcott each netted a double to help T&T secure its second consecutive win as its quest to reach the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, remains on course.
On Wednesday, the Soca Princesses met Antigua and Barbuda in the Concacaf Women's Qualifying Tournament and emerged with a convincing 5-0 victory at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.
T&T, who is aiming to top the group, went on the attack early and had Walcott open the scoring with a goal in the 13th minute. The visiting team though down, adjusted quickly defensively and did well to restrict the host team heading into the half with a 1-0 deficit until Karyn Forbes put the host team further ahead.
The experienced Forbes was accurate from the penalty spot, sending T&T's second item past goal-keeper Nikisha Samuel in added-on time (45+2), to hold a 2-0 advantage at the break.
In the second half, T&T continued to dominate play and increased its lead to 3-0 with Forbes connecting her second item in the lopsided encounter in the 74th.
Six minutes later, Aaliyah Prince (82nd) put in another goal for the Soca Princesses to see T&T go up 4-0. Walcott returned in the 89th to put the icing on the cake for T&T.
The local team opened the Qualifiers positively, with a 3-0 victory over Aruba on Monday, thanks to goals from Nia and Afiyah Walcott, and Janine Francois.
In the earlier match, Dominican Republic earned full points against Aruba with a 3-0 victory. In the opening round, Dominican Republic was held to a goalless draw with St Kitts and Nevis.
T&T will next play St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday at the same venue from 5 pm.
FINAL: Trinidad and Tobago Women 5-0 Antigua and Barbuda. Goals scored by Nia Walcott (13', 89'), Karyn Forbes (45'+2 penalty, 74'), and Aaliyah Prince (82').
(Team)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-3-3): 1.Kimika Forbes (GK); 4.Maria-Frances Serrant, 5.Liana Hinds, 7.Khadisha Debesette, 2.Meyah Romeo; 14.Karyn Forbes (captain), 9.Nia Walcott, 15.Afiyah Cornwall (6.Sydney Boisselle 73); 17.Aaliyah Prince, 16.Dennecia Prince (11.Maya Matouk 46), 13.Shanelle Summer Arjoon (20.Cayla McFarlane 66).
Substitutes: 18.Tenesha Palmer (GK), 3.Amaya Ellis, 8.Asha James, 10.Janine Francois, 19.Tori Paul,
Coach: Stephan De Four
Referee: Ekaterina Koroieva (USA)
Concacaf Women’s Olympic qualifiers
(Wednesday 2 October)
Dominican Republic 2 (Dayari Balbuena 7, 69), Aruba 0 at Ato Boldon Stadium;
Trinidad and Tobago 5 (Nia Walcott 13, 89, Karyn Forbes 45+2 pen, 74, Aaliyah Prince 81), Antigua and Barbuda 0 at Ato Boldon Stadium.
Upcoming Fixtures
(Friday 4 October)
Antigua & Barbuda vs Dominican Republic, 2.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Aruba vs St Kitts & Nevis, 5pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
(Sunday 6 October)
Antigua & Barbuda vs Aruba, 2.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Trinidad & Tobago vs St Kitts & Nevis, 5pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Tuesday 8 October)
St Kitts & Nevis vs Antigua & Barbuda, 2.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Trinidad & Tobago vs Dominican Republic, 5pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.
Match Highlights - T&T Women's 5-0 win over Antigua/Barbuda (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFmMuSi4Evc)
De Four - We'll bring the excitement back to Women's football (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOOJFlSvpTo)
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WATCH: Highlights of Trinidad and Tobago Women's 5-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda. Goals scored by Nia Walcott (13', 89'), Karyn Forbes (45'+2 penalty, 74'), and Aaliyah Prince (82').
https://www.youtube.com/v/OFmMuSi4Evc
WATCH: Post-match comments from Head Coach Stephan DeFour after Trinidad and Tobago Women's 5-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda.
https://www.youtube.com/v/oOOJFlSvpTo
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1. How many journalists were in that room? Not many. Not good.
2. What's Anique Walker's status with respect to participating in this qualification effort? Mariah Shade?
3. A bit of rust and lack of sharpness is evident. Looking forward to seeing those issues addressed. Despite that, it's also evident that there is a common understanding in attacking movements and that is promising ... although against better versed opponents the quality of passing will have to be even more refined.
4. A good barometer of "things" is Fuentes' engagement with the press conference, even when he is silent (body language etc.) ... I am finding myself enthusiastic to hear what Stephan DeDour has to say. Nice vibe coming through.
5. It would have been insightful to hear who the coach's specific foreign targets are for inclusion.
Congrats to the team!
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2. What's Anique Walker's status with respect to participating in this qualification effort? Mariah Shade?
Not sure what's going with Anique. I understand that in the past she was disillusioned with the program. Don't know if it's still the case.
Mariah Shade is recovering from surgery for a chronic tailbone/coccyx fracture.
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2. What's Anique Walker's status with respect to participating in this qualification effort? Mariah Shade?
Not sure what's going with Anique. I understand that in the past she was disillusioned with the program. Don't know if it's still the case.
Mariah Shade is recovering from surgery for a chronic tailbone/coccyx fracture.
Her participation at club level encouraged me to think that she's feeling it again. She offered a lot to the NT in the prior cycle and it would be "ah niceness" if she has the desire to bring us joy again.
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A coach with plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okEQyPaM41k&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR15h0m4g1WHRrE0-zoX4Xl6cTcskCimeTaH0hAe0bEvC4VAB5PoKv069c0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okEQyPaM41k&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR15h0m4g1WHRrE0-zoX4Xl6cTcskCimeTaH0hAe0bEvC4VAB5PoKv069c0)
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T&T women slip up in Olympic qualifiers.
By Rachael Thompson-King (Guardian).
T&T’s women’s team suffered their first loss in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifiers on Sunday, falling to a 4-1 defeat to St Kitts and Nevis in their Group A match at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva.
The visitors got the win by putting on a good offensive effort while suffocating the attack of the host team, who entered the third-round match unbeaten after upstaging Aruba 3-0 in their opener before comfortably defeating Antigua and Barbuda 5-0.
The Karyn Forbes-led T&T team could not restrain Phoenitia Browne, who netted a hat-trick in the one-sided affair to see St Kitts and Nevis move into the top spot on the five-team table the Dominican Republic, both teams on seven points each but with St Kitts and Nevis having a better goal difference. T&T dropped to the third spot, staying on six points from three matches.
The visiting team, who were coming off a 6-1 whipping of Aruba on Friday after being held by the Dominican Republic to a goalless draw last Monday, got on the scoreboard in just the sixth minute thanks to Ellie Stokes.
The lead doubled in the 13th minute after Browne connected from the penalty spot. She returned ten minutes later to put her team further ahead 3-0 and they held on to that advantage at the end of the first half.
On the resumption, Dennecia Prince managed to pull one back in the 59th for T&T. She hoped this would ignite the national team’s comeback but it never materialised.
The final goal of the evening came in the 84th from Browne, who beat T&T keeper Kimika Forbes, who had shut-out performances in T&T’s previous two matches, to complete a good day.
In the opening match of the double-header yesterday, Antigua and Barbuda earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over Aruba.
Action in the qualifying tournament continues tomorrow, with T&T taking on the Dominican Republic at 5 pm, following the match-up between St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda from 2.30 pm.
Team
Trinidad and Tobago: 1.Kimika Forbes (GK); 4.Maria-Frances Serrant, 5.Liana Hinds, 7.Khadisha Debesette, 2.Meyah Romeo; 14.Karyn Forbes (captain), 9.Nia Walcott, 10.Janine Francois; 17.Aaliyah Prince, 19.Tori Paul, 20.Cayla McFarlane.
Substitutes: 18.Tenesha Palmer (GK), 3.Amaya Ellis, 6.Sydney Boisselle, 8.Asha James, 11.Maya Matouk, 12.Jasandra Joseph, 13.Shanelle Arjoon, 15.Afiyah Cornwall, 16.Dennecia Prince.
Coach: Stephan De Four.
Standings
Place Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 St Kitts/Nevis 3 2 1 0 10 2 8 7
2 Dom Republic 3 2 1 0 4 0 4 7
3 T&T 3 2 0 1 9 4 5 6
4 Antigua/Barbuda 3 1 0 2 2 8 -6 3
5 Aruba 4 0 0 4 2 13 -11 0
Upcoming Fixtures
(Tuesday 8 October)
St Kitts and Nevis vs Antigua and Barbuda, 2.30pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;
Trinidad and Tobago vs Dominican Republic, 5pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.
St Kitts' Head Coach Post Match Reactions after win over T&T Women (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okEQyPaM41k&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR15h0m4g1WHRrE0-zoX4Xl6cTcskCimeTaH0hAe0bEvC4VAB5PoKv069c0)
T&T Head Coach's Post Match Reactions after defeat to St Kitts/Nevis (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3UmSp9yyZM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3X5yKvdxEc9sy4ZB2A-Z4wrRoVlbnul-CR7t-EhvQ_M3wgJyJ9eK3BuGg)
Highlights - St Kitts/Nevis' 4-1 win over T&T in Women Olympic Qualifier (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSdxqKChQE0&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3f8AB9zsRzR832fABZ3OfI2MIF5NGH2Kt54NtOTX5kTvarIMO5RE0jucE)
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St. Kitts was the match to win to put the tournament to bed. Phoenitia Browne was the same player who scored against T&T last year at the same venue. The Kittitians didn't lose that match either. This was the first true test of the tournament.
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St. Kitts was the match to win to put the tournament to bed. Phoenitia Browne was the same player who scored against T&T last year at the same venue. The Kittitians didn't lose that match either. This was the first true test of the tournament.
This result was not unexpected. One could have seen from the first game vs Aruba (highlights only) that this TT team did not have what it takes to compete on the international stage.
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Not only losing but being dominated 4-1 to St Kitts, no one should be surprised this has been the usual type of results in men and women football these last couple years. T&T football is now in a new phase and allyuh should get used to it..this is the consequence of electing DJW as head of football as bad choices from the top lead to poor football system then poor football on the field
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Licks from every age group come down.
If DJW organize ah snakes and ladders team we go get we arse cut in that too
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"From Caribbean champions in 2014 to runners-up in 2018, the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Team are in danger of failing to book one of three regional qualifying spots for Concacaf in 2019, despite having home advantage."
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Home for football though.
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Home for football though.
Speaking of which, did you see/hear that crass joker's conduct while he was giving the Barbados FA delegation a tour of the facility and standing next to a bed.
"Yuh could bring wifey."
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Licks from every age group come down.
If DJW organize ah snakes and ladders team we go get we arse cut in that too
The trouble is that the only thing he might be able to win is an election. And that is poison.
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Is it a coincidence St Kitts coach is also outta Texas. I wonder if anybody have been giving her strategies. Everyone learns from someone or something ;)
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Home for football though.
Speaking of which, did you see/hear that crass joker's conduct while he was giving the Barbados FA delegation a tour of the facility and standing next to a bed.
"Yuh could bring wifey."
Lol he really said that? Didn't mean to laugh but not the best professional conduct when hosting delegates esp if media was around.
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https://www.youtube.com/v/lih08TexfsI
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Home for football though.
Speaking of which, did you see/hear that crass joker's conduct while he was giving the Barbados FA delegation a tour of the facility and standing next to a bed.
"Yuh could bring wifey."
Lol he really said that? Didn't mean to laugh but not the best professional conduct when hosting delegates esp if media was around.
@1:53
There was also the "I don't give a shit."
Buffoon ah tell yuh, buffoon!
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2. What's Anique Walker's status with respect to participating in this qualification effort? Mariah Shade?
Not sure what's going with Anique. I understand that in the past she was disillusioned with the program. Don't know if it's still the case.
Mariah Shade is recovering from surgery for a chronic tailbone/coccyx fracture.
Her participation at club level encouraged me to think that she's feeling it again. She offered a lot to the NT in the prior cycle and it would be "ah niceness" if she has the desire to bring us joy again.
Probably cause she'd have to sacrifice her job status in order to train consistently with the national team.
Also, because of the uneven foundation of the TTFA towards women's football isn't attractive to her I believe.
It's a lot to give up for the sake of the sport given there's no respect given to the women's programme for way too long
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(https://www.socawarriors.net/images/stories/walker_anique_qpcc_vs_police_fc_2019-06-29.jpg)
No words needed.
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WATCH: Highlights of Trinidad and Tobago Women's 4-1 loss to St. Kitts Nevis. Goals for St. Kitts Nevis scored by Ellie Stokes (6') and Phoenitia Browne (13', 23', 84').
Dennecia Prince salvaged a goal for T&T with a masterful strike (59').
https://www.youtube.com/v/JSdxqKChQE0
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Home for football though.
:rotfl: :rotfl: leh we be serious nah he had to be drunk when he thought about this whole home of football nonsense. right now T&T not even home of passing the ball properly
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Soca Princesses must win vs DR.
By Rachael Thompson-King (Guardian).
Coming off its first loss in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifiers on Sunday, T&T women's footballers will look to bounce back against a tough opponent in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva from 5 pm.
It will not be an easy task against the only other unbeaten team in Group A but the Stephen De Four-coached national team has no plans to give up without a fight.
"We are going to come out our hardest and fight them. We are not going to go there and lay down, we are going to finish the tournament strong," said De Four in the post-match conference following T&T's 4-1 defeat to St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday at the Couva venue.
"It's not the result we wanted. We started the game very slow. We got caught with some easy goals at the beginning of the game. When you go three goals down quickly, it's very difficult to get out of it."
The national team went down three goals in the first half. The second half saw a much improved defensive play from the host team, who was able to pull a goal back thanks to Dennicia Prince but leading player for St Kitts and Nevis, Phoenitia Browne sealed the deal with her third item of the match. The other goal was scored by Ellie Stokes.
"St Kitts played a very good game. The striker on top was a very good player she held up the ball well. We just did not start as fast as I wanted them to start at the beginning of the game and that basically cost us the game," said De Four.
"Our second half was a much better showing. We came out with a little more energy which we didn't have in the first half. They took the game to St Kitts in the second half.
"This is one game one this is football it happens. We can't stop and we are not going to stop are going to keep this programme moving."
De Four will be looking to his players, who are being led by captain Karyn Forbes, to carry-over this level of play into their match and execute the game-plan this afternoon from the kick-off.
They are all fully aware of the adjustments that must be made so as not to suffer a similar fate against the previous leader of the group, who slipped to the second spot on goal-difference four compared to the new head of the five-team table, St Kitts and Nevis' eight. Both teams are on seven-points.
T&T, who is currently third place in the standings with six points, is still in with a chance to seal one of three regional qualifying spots for CONCACAF but there must be an improvement on both ends of the field.
"I think we have a good resilient team here, the mix with the seniors and younger players," said De Four. "We're going to come out and finish the tournament strong. Never let up!"
Today's matches
St Kitts and Nevis vs Antigua and Barbuda, 2.30 pm
T&T vs Dominican Republic, 5 pm
Standings
Place Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 St Kitts/Nevis 3 2 1 0 10 2 8 7
2 Dom Republic 3 2 1 0 4 0 4 7
3 T&T 3 2 0 1 9 4 5 6
4 Antigua/Barbuda 3 1 0 2 2 8 -6 3
5 Aruba 4 0 0 4 2 13 -11 0
RELATED NEWS
De Four promises T&T fight in elimination match
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).
Concacaf Women Olympic Qualifying Championship
STEPHAN DE FOUR, coach of the T&T women football team, promises that his squad will put up a fight against the Dominican Republic today, in their final match of the Concacaf Women Olympic Qualifying Championship Caribbean Zone Group A.
T&T were spanked 4-1 by St Kitts/Nevis, on Sunday, in the latter game of a double-header, at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. Antigua/Barbuda pipped Aruba 2-1 in the earlier meeting.
St Kitts/Nevis, who lead the group with seven points (and a goal difference of plus-eight) will meet Antigua/Barbuda (fourth placed with three points) in the first of back-to-back games at Couva today, from 2.30 pm, with TT (six points) opposing the Dominican Republic (seven points) from 5 pm.
A St Kitts/Nevis victory will guarantee them top spot in Group A and a place in the 2020 Concacaf Women Olympic Qualifying Championship (venue and dates are yet to be determined).
T&T will have to beat the Dominican Republic and hope that St Kitts/Nevis fail to defeat Antigua/Barbuda in order to finish first in this group.
In Sunday’s match, St Kitts/Nevis broke the deadlock in the sixth minute courtesy Ellie Stokes, who collected a pass from midfield, held off her marker and slotted a right-footed shot to the right of goalkeeper Kimika Forbes.
Centre forward Phoenitia Browne extended the lead in the 13th, with a penalty to the left of Forbes after a handle-ball infringement.
Ten minutes later, Browne netted St Kitts/Nevis’ third, with an opportunistic strike from the left which went in, via the body of Forbes.
Dennesia Prince pulled one back for T&T in the 59th, with a right-footed strike, from the edge of the penalty box, which rebounded off the bar and landed over the goalline.
But Browne ensured that there was no way back for the hosts when she completed her hat-trick in the 84th, after chipping a right-footed effort over the advancing Forbes.
Looking ahead to today’s match against the Dominican Republic, De Four said, “We’re going to come out and fight it. We’re not going to just lay down.”
During the post-game media conference on Sunday, De Four said, “We have a good resilient group. I told them we’re finishing the tournament strong.”
Asked what will be next for the team if they fail to progress today, De Four responded, “This is a building phase for us. We just have to keep getting players involved, get more games and keep the players together.”
De Four lamented the lack of intensity by the T&T team during the early stages of Sunday’s match.
“It’s not the result we wanted,” said De Four, who was appointed T&T women coach in June. “We started the game very slow.
“It’s a team that’s rebuilding so we’re trying to give every player a chance to play,” he added. “We have a lot of youngsters in the team, mixed with senior players. We got caught with some easy goals in the beginning and, to go three goals down that easily, it’s very difficult to get out of it.”
T&T defeated Aruba in their first match 3-0 last Monday and Antigua/Barbuda 5-0 on Wednesday.
Deborah Baclawski, the St Kitts/Nevis coach, commented, “I’m very proud of the team for their discipline. We knew that T&T would be a tough opponent. We watched their first two games and we knew that they would bring everything to us. I’m proud of our team for their organisation and perseverance.”
Concerning today’s contest against Antigua/Barbuda, Baclawski said, “I have to keep reminding them that they have a game (today). We have to make sure that we remain focused.”
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Waste ah time coach.
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Waste ah time coach.
Sam, Sam. You resurrect? I am slowly agreeing with you. Let's see after these NL games. Stay cool. Go fly a kite in the savannah!
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Do trini coaches ever ask attacking players to try to smother counterattacks or track back...we see dat at all levels, 2-4 players being asked to shoulder all the defensive responsibility. :yellowcard:
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And just like that, Trinidad and Tobago Women's 2020 Olympic Qualifying campaign has come to an end.
St. Kitts and Nevis 10-0 Antigua and Barbuda.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EGYqn42XYAEE8Er?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)
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FINAL: Trinidad and Tobago 0-0 Dominican Republic
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T&T women lose out on Olympic berth.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).
T&T’s women’s footballers were left heartbroken long before they took the field in what should have been a crucial CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier against the Dominican Republic at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Monday.
The match ended 0-0 but T&T were instead left to rue their under-par performance against St Kitts/Nevis on Sunday, where they were thrashed 4-1, a result which meant they had virtually surrendered the lone spot to advance from the group.
With six points heading into yesterday’s encounter, T&T skipper Karyn Forbes and her teammates needed St Kitts and Nevis to be either lose or be held to a draw against Antigua and Barbuda yesterday, while T&T themselves needed to win handsomely.
However, St Kitts and Nevis women did not cooperate and put tears in the Soca Princesses’ eyes by hammering Antigua and Barbuda 10-0 in the opening match-up yesterday. In any event, the T&T women later failed to honour their part of the responsibility after being held to a goalless draw.
St Kitts and Nevis were led by a hat-trick from Cloey Uddenberg in the 8th, 21st and 36th minute, as well as double strikes from Brittney Lawrence in the 63rd and 71st minutes and Phoenetia Browne in the 38th and 48th.
Entering the match with a one-point difference on the T&T women, Josanna Williams quickly handed St Kitts and Nevis the advantage with her item in the fourth minute and literally opened the floodgates thereafter, as they scored goals at will. The other St Kitts and Nevis goal came from Caroline Springer in the 58th.
In their encounter, T&T created a few attempts at goal but could not get the ball in the back of the net.
The result meant St Kitts and Nevis, who had won their first-ever game against a T&T team, won the group with 10 points while the Dominican Republic finished second with eight points. T&T secured third spot with seven points.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-1-4-1): 1.Tenesha Palmer (GK); 4.Maria-Frances Serrant, 7.Khadisha Debesette, 5.Liana Hinds, 2.Meyah Romeo; 12.Jasandra Joseph (19.Tori Paul); 15.Afiyah Cornwall (14.Karyn Forbes), 9.Nia Walcott, 8.Asha James (17.Aaliyah Prince), 13.Shanelle Summer Arjoon; 16.Dennecia Prince.
Head Coach: Stephan De Four
Dominican Republic (4-3-3): 1.Claudia Torres (GK); 18.Alicia Victoria (13.Alexa Pacheco), 3.Denny Vargas, 2.Lissy Sanchez, 6.Gabriella Marte; 14.Kristina Garcia, 7.Winibian Peralta, 8.Nicole De Jesus; 11.Alyssa Oviedo, 9.Daphne Fernandez (5.Brieana Hallo), 17.Dayari Santos (15.Jazlyn Oviedo).
Head Coach: Kenneth Zremeta
RESULTS
St Kitts/Nevis 10 v Antigua/Barbuda 0
T&T 0 v Dominican Republic 0
Final Standings
Teams P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1.Saint Kitts/Nevis 4 3 1 0 20 2 +18 10
2.Dominican Republic 4 2 2 0 4 0 +4 8
3.T&T 4 2 1 1 9 4 +5 7
4.Antigua/Barbuda 4 1 0 3 2 18 −16 3
5.Aruba 4 0 0 4 2 13 −11 0
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And just like that, Trinidad and Tobago Women's 2020 Olympic Qualifying campaign has come to an end.
St. Kitts and Nevis 10-0 Antigua and Barbuda.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EGYqn42XYAEE8Er?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)
bu
we hit antigua 5 and they could double it ..... ah that victory over us was not a fluke does st kitss have lots of us based player in the team ?
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De Four spoke very optimistically about rebuilding but that was largely cast in the context of rebuilding a team as it remained on a competition footing. Now that elimination has occurred, he may be faced with the crude awakening that doesn't place a high premium on the WNT ... that is, until the next competition is lurking around the corner.
I suggest strongly that the players from the retiring generation of players take full ownership of the destiny of women's football, not just to protect their legacy but to push the game. Football played by women is a specialized area of the game and the Toms, Dicks and Harrys of the world need to be made to understand how the thing should be run.
Nothing will change if the retiring generation of players are not invested activists and decision-makers.
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Let me ask you all something, did we win anything since DJW became prez of t he federation, anything on any level be it male or female?
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Let me ask you all something, did we win anything since DJW became prez of t he federation, anything on any level be it male or female?
Dennis win more than DJW.
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Trini locals i swear have a real complex, they like to think more of themselves than they actually deserve credit for. I was in trinidad recently and the people are so aloft and extremely self important with no real care for that country, it’s all about what their country can do for them and never the other way around.
I could actually see why they are so insecure around foreigners including their own people (expats) who no longer lives there. expats are actually more patriotic than the trinis who live there and wants better for the country, not saying that there aren’t locals who are patriotic, but they’re in the minimum.
I listened to my cousins and how they blame the govt for every little thing that goes wrong, even though for the most part govt ministers are very hard at work trying to fix what they can with minimal resources, and when i asked them how many of them or their friends actually volunteer their time to a worthy cause they all went mum.
as it stands, the new federation (if they’re able to dethrone DJW) has to pair up with a sister federations in europe or south america if they are to get football academies build and staffed with well trained coaches, they also need loads of sponsorship to get that league up and running well. i don’t envy those who’s coming to the hot seat because that’s what it’s going to be, a very hot hot seat after DJW gets off it, but that’s what’s needed to restart TT football. no more local coaches those guys are poisonous.
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It appears that none of our national coaches want to shoulder the blame when our teams—men, women and boys—fall short or turn in poor performances. It’s always the players, the schools, the clubs and now TT WOLF at fault. 🔥🔥 🔥
https://wired868.com/2019/10/12/warrick-de-four-should-look-in-the-mirror-for-cause-of-womens-olympic-fiasco-not-blame-wolf/
In one ball Susan Joseph-Warrick bowl ah whole over. Stumps flying!
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It appears that none of our national coaches want to shoulder the blame when our teams—men, women and boys—fall short or turn in poor performances. It’s always the players, the schools, the clubs and now TT WOLF at fault. 🔥🔥 🔥
https://wired868.com/2019/10/12/warrick-de-four-should-look-in-the-mirror-for-cause-of-womens-olympic-fiasco-not-blame-wolf/
In one ball Susan Joseph-Warrick bowl ah whole over. Stumps flying!
Plain talk, proper response.
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It appears that none of our national coaches want to shoulder the blame when our teams—men, women and boys—fall short or turn in poor performances. It’s always the players, the schools, the clubs and now TT WOLF at fault. 🔥🔥 🔥
https://wired868.com/2019/10/12/warrick-de-four-should-look-in-the-mirror-for-cause-of-womens-olympic-fiasco-not-blame-wolf/
In one ball Susan Joseph-Warrick bowl ah whole over. Stumps flying!
Plain talk, proper response.
While the current TTFA admin and coaches must take responsibility for this debacle, there is some truth in their defense. The quality of players our pro-league producing is not up to par for our national team to face regional teams. In past, TT team has won the CFU Cup on a couple of occasions using mostly local players. And that was before the pro-league. We have not won a CFU championship since the pro-league started. Correct me if I am wrong on that.
That is as far as I will defend them. This year because of the confusion brought in by DJW and the proleague, TT football had to play in a minor league. TTFA not in charge of the proleague. The proleague and the TTFA can't get themselves together. What were the women doing? The women are an after-thought. They were doing practically nothing. No intensive competition. They tried an intensive preparation for the tournament but they got schooled by St. Kitts. And that team was coached by a woman from the US. Pushing some wood in the fire. So Mr. Defour and the TTFA ..... own up.
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U.S. women shut out Haiti to open Olympic qualifying
Associated Press
HOUSTON -- Christen Press scored the opening goal off a shoeless assist from Lynn Williams and the United States beat Haiti 4-0 Tuesday in its opening match of the CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying tournament.
The U.S., which won the Women's World Cup last summer, extended its unbeaten streak to 24 games dating to a loss to France a year ago.
Press' goal came in the second minute on a cross from Williams, who had lost her cleat in her run up the field. It was the 52nd international goal for Press.
Williams added a goal in the 67th minute on a header off a corner kick from Megan Rapinoe. Lindsey Horan came off the bench and scored on her first touch in the 73rd minute and Carli Lloyd capped it with a stoppage-time goal.
It was the first competitive match for U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski, who took over when Jill Ellis stepped down last year.
Lloyd made her 15th start in Olympic qualifying, passing Abby Wambach for most in team history. Rapinoe, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA World Player of the Year, played off the bench in the second half.
An announced crowd of 4,363 attended the game, which was hit in the first half by a sudden downpour at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The United States looked rusty at the start and Haiti appeared to tie the score with a goal in the 18th minute, but it was called back. Then the top-ranked Americans simply wore down their opponents in the second half.
Eight teams are playing in the tournament, with the title match set for Feb. 9 in Carson, California. The top two finishers will earn berths to the Tokyo Games this summer.
The United States and Haiti were in the same group with Costa Rica and Panama, which played in the early match Tuesday. Costa Rica won 6-1.
The U.S. has qualified for every Olympics since women's soccer was introduced in 1996. The team has five consecutive titles in the qualifying tournament.
Six teams have already made the field for Tokyo: Japan, Brazil, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden and New Zealand.
Haiti advanced to the tournament by winning its qualifying group in the Caribbean region.
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Costa Rica power past Panama to open CWOQ.
CONCACAF.COM
HOUSTON, Texas – Melissa Herrera’s brace helped power Costa Rica past Panama 6-1 to open Group A of the 2020 Concacaf Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship on Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The 6-1 final scoreline was also the same result in the only previous CWOQ meeting between the two nations during the 2004 CWOQ.
Costa Rica enjoyed a blistering start and Herrera handed the Ticas a 1-0 lead in just the 9’ by finishing into an open net after a great team build-up.
Six minutes later in the 16’ the lead was doubled to 2-0 when Panama GK Yenith Bailer fouled Maria Paula Salas in the area and Raquel Rodriguez calmly converted the spot kick.
But right before halftime in the 45’, Katherine Castillo gave Panama a big boost with an excellent right-footed strike to cut the Costa Rica lead to 2-1.
Costa Rica looked to take back control and regained a two-score lead with a magnificent right-footed volley from Shirley Cruz in the 67’ to make it 3-1.
That was the start of an onrush of late goals, with Priscilla Chinchilla’s inch-perfect header in the 70’ and composed finishes from Herrera in the 72’ and Maria Elizondo in the 83’ to complete the scoring.
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Haiti scored a goal off of a corner to tie the game 1-1
Unfortunately the AR flagged for offside, erroneously. You cannot be offside direct from a corner. It was a shame. Haiti were holding their own.
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US 1 Costa Rica 0 FT
Mexico 1 Dominican Republic 0 HT
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Dominican keeper made a stellar save but hit his head on the upright in the process. Hoping there are no consequences. Mexico has added to the scoreline by being superior in attacking dead balls aerially. DR scored a well-executed penalty. Technical. 3-1 with about 15' to play.
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DR will lose this match, but not their ambition. They are a U-23 squad with 8 players attached to European clubs.
4-1. Scoreline is a lil exaggerated. Last goal was a penalty that Mexico required two attempts on goal to convert it. Last play of the game.
Our U-23s should be in Mexico competing.
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Saw the second half of US v CR. The score line is deceiving. CR should have gotten a point. But fitness, strength, speed and pragmatism got the US the victory.
On a side note the TT US 23 never got a chance to qualify for this tournament.
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Saw the second half of US v CR. The score line is deceiving. CR should have gotten a point. But fitness, strength, speed and pragmatism got the US the victory.
On a side note the TT US 23 never got a chance to qualify for this tournament.
A message to be hammered consistently. Attempts at justification aside, the way that was handled was a self-inflicted wound. One of several.
Yeah, Costa Rica had 4 attempts on goal in roughly 4 minutes in the opening minutes of the second half. A draw would have made things interesting.
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Canada 2 El Salvador 0
Honduras 3 Haiti 0
Once again a Caribbean team suffers for off the field occurrences. In this case logistics and COVID protocols resulted in Haiti starting the match 10 v 11 with a make-do defender.
It was about halfway through the half before they were allowed to play 11 v 11 and by then the score was 2-0. They experienced visa delays with the Mexican embassy, they had a late arrival in Mexico City and then had to negotiate onward travel to Guadalajara in addition to COVID testing.
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Pretty sad considering Haiti does not have a COVID issue really. Mexico (host) and Honduras do. Yet it is Haiti who ended up playing with 10 players due to Covid.
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That is indeed f**ked up.
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That is indeed f**ked up.
To compound the matter, there were as many as 5 or 6 projected starters who could not play.
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That is indeed f**ked up.
To compound the matter, there were as many as 5 or 6 projected starters who could not play.
No wonder conspiracy theories are always alive and kicking. The guy who started in goal was not bad at all. He almost saved the first goal penalty. And I have doubts on the penalty also. I did not realize that this was going on in the first half. I saying why the hell they playing so defensive. Their forwards have some speed. Actually, one guy had a great shot saved by the Hondo keeper.
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That is indeed f**ked up.
To compound the matter, there were as many as 5 or 6 projected starters who could not play.
No wonder conspiracy theories are always alive and kicking. The guy who started in goal was not bad at all. He almost saved the first goal penalty. And I have doubts on the penalty also. I did not realize that this was going on in the first half. I saying why the hell they playing so defensive. Their forwards have some speed. Actually, one guy had a great shot saved by the Hondo keeper.
It was a mess all round. The player who started in goal is actually an outfield player, not a regular GK. So he is the one that absorbed those opening goals prior to the regular GK being able to come on the field. Haiti only had three subs who were eligible to enter the match.
Reminds me of something.
I coached an official match away in which I either had ONE sub or no subs (doh recall right now because effectively it was like having none ... I think we had two keepers who could travel and an early injury that reduced us to 11). But I knew the opponent fairly well and I knew how we needed to approach the game. We were obligated to play that match.
The first item to overcome was the psychological hurdle and to instill an element of belief and there's nothing better to do that than scoring a goal. The opponent was gracious at the onset off the field, but obviously self-assured. My players went out, did precisely what I asked them to do and within the first 20 minutes we scored two goals with no response from the home team although they had an early opportunity to take the lead. Those goals transformed the game. There were well-crafted goals generated in the run of play.
You should have heard what was going on in the other technical area and among their ample bench. Their players on the field were rattled. Ultimately, we were severely PUNISHED for our exuberance and the match ended disproportionately in the home team's favor and with me playing with 9 or 10 (injuries).
The opposing coach was still making subs deep into the match. Human nature and competition stimulates some interesting reactions.
But you know what, none of the players were deflated on the way home because of how they exceeded the circumstances in what was really an exercise in resilience and a life lesson. I was very proud of the players but not thrilled about the broader legacy of the match.
Interestingly, the opposing coach was HIGHLY criticized by other coaches for the way in which he conducted himself off the field and for the values/culture he instilled in the players on the field to stage their comeback.
I never uttered a word of protest to him. The score is documented, but those first 20-25 minutes are not documented in terms of contextualizing how players react to adversity.
This is a moment in which Haiti is experiencing unrest and delivering at this tournament would be injections of positivity for Haitians everywhere. I am impressed with their coach who really handled ALL of the circumstances and challenges with dignity.
Conspiracy? That fundraising fete match might have aided in their demise.
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That is indeed f**ked up.
To compound the matter, there were as many as 5 or 6 projected starters who could not play.
No wonder conspiracy theories are always alive and kicking. The guy who started in goal was not bad at all. He almost saved the first goal penalty. And I have doubts on the penalty also. I did not realize that this was going on in the first half. I saying why the hell they playing so defensive. Their forwards have some speed. Actually, one guy had a great shot saved by the Hondo keeper.
In the Mexico-DR match, when the Dominican keeper fouled the Mexican attacker, he had body language that was suggesting that he was going to save the penalty. He blocked the shot but failed to hold onto the ball and Mexico scored off the subsequent attempt. You could tell how invested the GK was in preserving the scoreline.
I think there are going to be more GK stories of note during this tournament.
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El Salvador 1 Honduras 1
Haiti 0 Canada 0
Costa Rica 0 Mexico 3
Dominican Republic 0 United States 4
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Haiti's bench is still thin with just 5 additional players and no substitute goalie. However, the trap was set to catch Canada rushing in. The Canadians avoided yet another setback from Haiti.
I think Haiti is favored to beat EL Salvador but this may be too little too late as Canada and Honduras are likely to settle for a low score or worse, a draw making the Haiti vs. El Salvador match nearly irrelevant.
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Haiti's bench is still thin with just 5 additional players and no substitute goalie. However, the trap was set to catch Canada rushing in. The Canadians avoided yet another setback from Haiti.
I think Haiti is favored to beat EL Salvador but this may be too little too late as Canada and Honduras are likely to settle for a low score or worse, a draw making the Haiti vs. El Salvador match nearly irrelevant.
Man, it's painful to see this playing out as it is. Talented team that may not see the light of Tokyo.
I like Webens and this is just unfortunate.
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Mexico 1 United States 0
Costa Rica 5 Dominican Republic 0
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So can Haiti sneak in, or they already out ?
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So can Haiti sneak in, or they already out ?
Still a chance. I think Honduras needs to defeat Canada and Haiti needs to defeat El Salvador and surmount Canada's goal tally. Subject to correction, I think Haiti needs to score 6 goals without response. Thing is El Salvador can also move on if they score 5 goals without response. Each goal conceded complicates the mission.
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So can Haiti sneak in, or they already out ?
Still a chance. I think Honduras needs to defeat Canada and Haiti needs to defeat El Salvador and surmount Canada's goal tally. Subject to correction, I think Haiti needs to score 6 goals without response. Thing is El Salvador can also move on if they score 5 goals without response. Each goal conceded complicates the mission.
El Salvador 2-1 Haiti.
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So can Haiti sneak in, or they already out ?
Still a chance. I think Honduras needs to defeat Canada and Haiti needs to defeat El Salvador and surmount Canada's goal tally. Subject to correction, I think Haiti needs to score 6 goals without response. Thing is El Salvador can also move on if they score 5 goals without response. Each goal conceded complicates the mission.
El Salvador 2-1 Haiti.
Yeah, disappointed in Haiti. Really thought they could have sneaked in.
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U.S. men's soccer fails to qualify for Olympics thanks to embarrassing goalkeeper mistake
Henry Bushnell - Yahoo Sports
The men's soccer competition at the Olympics is far from the most prestigious international tournament. But failing to qualify can be both a worrying omen and program stain.
And fail to qualify is exactly what the U.S. men did on Sunday – for the third consecutive Olympic cycle.
A 2-1 loss to Honduras in a decisive semifinal will extend their Games absence to at least 16 years.
A mostly-under-23 American B-team, as required by competition rules, was outplayed by an under-23 Honduran squad and deservedly beaten.
A costly goalkeeping error
The deciding goal, though, came via a fluky, inexcusable mistake. U.S. goalkeeper David Ochoa played a costly pass directly onto the goalscoring foot of Honduran attacker Luis Palma. The ball ricocheted off Palma's boot and into a gaping net.
Ochoa, who'd been excellent throughout the tournament, was distraught after the game, walking around the pitch with his hands over his head.
As he crouched alone, Palma, the Honduran goalscorer, and Ochoa's club teammate two season ago, came over to console him.
Honduras had scored a few minutes before halftime to take the lead. Ochoa's gaffe doubled the lead early in the second half.
U.S. midfielder Jackson Yueill, a 24-year-old reserve with the senior national team, pulled the U.S. back to within one with a 25-yard firecracker.
But the young Americans couldn't find an equalizer. And just as they did in 2012 and 2016, they fell short of the Olympics. Honduras qualified in their place. Either Mexico or Canada will claim the second North American spot Sunday night.
Contextualizing the U.S. qualifying failure
An Olympic qualifying failure is nowhere near on par with the USMNT's 2018 World Cup qualifying failure. But the Games are often seen as a barometer of youth development. Failures in 2012 and 2016 were alarming signs of insufficient progress.
This failure is slightly different – slightly. Youth development on the men's side has improved in recent years. A bevy of under-23 American stars are now playing at some of the world's biggest clubs. Weston McKennie is at perennial Italian champion Juventus. Christian Pulisic is at English Premier League power Chelsea. Tyler Adams is at RB Leipzig in Germany. Gio Reyna is also in Germany at Borussia Dortmund. The list is extensive, and growing, seemingly by the month.
Those players weren't part of this Olympic qualifying team. Because the Olympics are considered a youth event, and occur outside an official international window, professional clubs aren't required to release their players to Olympic teams. Very few over in Europe did. Many of those promising young stars were with the senior USMNT, beating Jamaica and Northern Ireland in friendlies this week.
Even some MLS teams didn't release players. One of them, Atlanta United's Miles Robinson, tweeted after the game: "Wish I coulda been there."
And so this was something of an under-23 B-team. Pulisic and others might have played at the actual Olympics. This squad, however, was comprised of mostly MLS youngsters.
Still, though, the U.S. was favored to qualify, and should have. This is a failure, an unvarnished failure. It's a missed opportunity, and another blemish on an awful half-decade for American men's soccer.
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US missed quite a few chances. But the Honduras defended like the Warriors at Couva. Good Luck Hondo.
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Why FIFA blocks the U.S. men's national team from playing for an Olympics spot
Kevin Baxter (LA TIMES)
A U.S. national team featuring 15 players off European megaclubs such as Barcelona, Manchester City, Chelsea and Roma beat Northern Ireland on Sunday in a friendly, the soccer equivalent of an exhibition game. Teenager Gio Reyna scored the first goal and Christian Pulisic, the youngest player to ever captain the men’s national team, scored the second as the U.S. beat a European team at home for the first time in six years.
Four hours after that game ended, another U.S. national team kicked off in Mexico needing a win to qualify for the Tokyo Games. That team featured only three players from outside MLS, including a goalkeeper who has made just one MLS start. That team lost to Honduras and the U.S. failed to make the Olympic cut for the fourth time in five tries.
Which begs a simple question: Why was the A team in Europe playing a relatively meaningless friendly while a lesser team was in Mexico losing to Honduras in a game that meant everything? The answer isn’t as simple, but it has a lot to do with FIFA, the governing body for global soccer.
For starters FIFA required those big clubs to release their players to their senior national teams because Sunday’s game took place during an official match window set aside for international competition. But they weren’t required to release their players to events such as Olympic qualifying, which FIFA classifies as an age-group tournament. Even Atlanta United, an MLS club with close ties to U.S. Soccer, declined to let three of its age-eligible players go to the Olympic qualifying event.
While the women’s Olympic tournament, which debuted in 1996, has always been considered a major championship open to the best players in the world, that is more a product of FIFA’s long-held disdain for the women’s game than it is an attempt to raise the profile of the tournament. FIFA has long conspired to make sure the men’s Olympic event pales in importance to the World Cup, although the two competitions have a common beginning.
FIFA actually managed the 1920, ’24 and ’28 Olympic tournaments, which were amateur events that proved so successful the winners were considered “world champions.” But the International Olympic Committee opposed opening the competition to professionals, so FIFA took the sport out of the 1932 Games in Los Angeles to create and promote its own tournament, the World Cup.
Soccer returned to the IOC’s calendar in 1936, under FIFA’s direction, yet by then the World Cup had eclipsed the amateur tournament and the Olympics have never regained the prestige it once had — and both the IOC and FIFA share the blame for that.
By clinging to strict rules banning professionals into the 1980s, the IOC effectively kept the best players in the world out of its event, allowing the World Cup to become the globe’s largest and most important sporting competition. And FIFA intended to keep it that way, so when the IOC voted to allow professional players for the 1984 L.A. Games, FIFA watered down the competition by placing restrictions on who could participate.
It codified that in 1992 by turning the Olympic tournament into an age-group competition, limiting rosters to players aged 23 and younger, with three over-age exemptions. The IOC, it should be noted, didn’t protest, fearing that a World Cup-level event during the Games would overshadow traditional Olympic sports such as track and field, gymnastics and swimming.
But while some nations have figured out how to make that work — Argentina won back-to-back gold medals in 2004 and 2008, and Mexico has made the knockout round in seven straight World Cups while qualifying for six of the eight Olympic tournaments in the U-23 era — the U.S. has not.
Not only did the Americans miss the 2018 World Cup, but they’ve played in the Olympics just once since 2000 and have won just four matches in the Summer Games since 1992. Not exactly the kind of resume that cries out “soccer nation.”
However, Sunday’s loss to Honduras — a country that qualified for four straight Olympics and two of the last three World Cups — will sting more than the rest.
With the likes of Pulisic, Reyna, Sergiño Dest, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah all age-eligible for Tokyo — provided they were able to secure release from their clubs, the final FIFA-constructed hurdle — the Americans would have entered the Games as medal favorites.
Now they’ll be watching on TV instead. And that will leave a mark, said World Cup veteran Stuart Holden, who, in 2008, scored the game-winning goal in the last Olympic match the U.S. won.
“You think about the opportunities we have to play in a tournament that replicates the World Cup, but also where we actually get to play in games that mean something against top teams from all around the world. That doesn't happen other than the World Cup,” said Holden, now a Fox Soccer commentator. “The Olympics is that other opportunity that is a truly global tournament.”
Lionel Messi’s only international title came in the 2008 Olympics. Neymar delivered a gold medal for Brazil eight years later.
“Some of the best players to ever have played the game have played in the Olympics,” Holden said. “It actually kind of infuriates me that people just write it off as 'Well, the Olympics doesn't really matter.’ It definitely matters because of that opportunity. Imagine we could roll out a team with our best under-23s. We'd be up there for the first time ever, when it comes to a global tournament, with one of the best five teams going to the Olympics. That's putting yourself in a conversation with Germany and Spain and Brazil, Argentina.”
On Sunday, expecting a U.S. victory, Holden broke out the Olympic jacket he wore during the Beijing Games, hoping to feature it during the Fox broadcast. Instead, he put it back in storage after the loss to Honduras. But the experience of those Games remains fresh, and Holden is sorry this year’s team won’t get the chance to make memories of its own.
“That stacks up with my best lifetime achievements,” said Holden, who won two MLS Cups, a Gold Cup and played in a World Cup match. “I remember walking out representing the United States in the opening ceremony, and you're walking with the best athletes from all other sports, and it's really such a unique opportunity, where sports collide.
“You feel like you're representing Team USA. It was just such a special moment. I had a wave of emotions, anger, frustration, disappointment [that] these guys will miss out on that opportunity. It means so much to go to the Olympics.”
Apparently not to FIFA.
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Honduras playing all over Mexico. Ref awarded a dubious (at best) PK, now Honduras losing they head.
1-1 83 min
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I'm sure Canada is gonna bring Buchanan next WC qualifying rounds.
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I'm sure Canada is gonna bring Buchanan next WC qualifying rounds.
Buchanan is a good player. Has a hard shot. It is hard to decipher Canada. They fell short. Get pass El Sal and tied with Hondo. Then they came up against the Mex. roadblock. I would be surprised if he was not drafted into the Canada senior team.
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BFA officials say the door is open for all eligible players
https://www.loopnewsbarbados.com/content/bfa-officials-say-door-open-all-eligible-players
In recent weeks, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and the Jamaica men’s senior national football team have decorated sports pages and conversations across the globe.
The topic of discussion has been their major recruitment of European professional footballers for their 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup assignments.
Some popular names from the English Premier League have been mentioned by the JFF, names such as; West Ham United’s Michail Antonio, Everton’s Mason Holgate and Nathan Redmond of Southampton.
The biggest name must be former England Youth international Demarai Gray, formerly of Leicester City but now a key member of the German outfit Bayern Leverkusen.
According to news reports, more popular names from the professional circuit are scheduled to join the “Reggae Boyz” roster, which will be reminiscent of the 1998 FIFA World Cup squad, which went to France with seven players from the English professional leagues, who received eligibility through their Jamaican heritage.
This recent buzz in the regional football circuit has encouraged other nations to enhance their scouting in an effort to be competitive in the confederation but most importantly to make a major tournament.
Barbados has not been excluded from that group and in recent years, we have acquired the likes of Hallam Hope and Krystian Pearce from England, Nick Blackman who is based in Israel and most notably, the son of former West Indies Cricketer Emmerson Trotman- Ryan who plies his trade in the Netherlands.
Coach of the men’s team Russell Latapy, said as long as the players abroad are eligible to represent Barbados, they will receive that opportunity.
Speaking to Loop News, coach Latapy said any players coming into the squad must be the right players who can fit into the environment and make a positive contribution on the field and in the dressing room, but the most important aspect is; they must be better than who we already have.
“I don’t think we have enough money at the BFA that we can be bringing in players for leisure; we just can’t afford it.
Plus I believe some of the young players we have are very talented players and given the right guidance, the right development, the right opportunities and the most important, the right support, they can go onto have fantastic careers as professionals and national team players,” said Latapy.
The former Trinidad and Tobago international was full of praise for his players’ hospitality and professionalism towards the new Tridents, as he saw it as a necessary component to the performance of the newcomers and subsequently the team.
President of the Barbados Football Association and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Randy Harris explained that Jamaica's situation is not a universal one and the individual immigration laws of a country determine who is eligible to be a citizen of their country.
President Harris said before a person can play for a country, they must be a citizen of that nation.
“In order for one of these players to be a citizen of Barbados, their parents will have to be citizens firstly.
Immigration from Barbados [to England] started in the late 50’s and basically some of those players are now grand-children and great-grand-children of the Barbadian immigrants.
It puts us in a different situation to Jamaica, where once there’s Jamaican heritage, that player can become eligible at once.”
Harris expressed gratitude to the Barbados Immigration Department for their services to the BFA, especially their role in assisting with the logistics of the citizenship arrangements and ensuring all eligibility bases are covered.
The President of the BFA reiterated that as long as the parent of the player has Barbadian citizenship via any means; and has the documentation to prove it then they may apply for citizenship.I
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WATCH: Olympic Football Tournaments Draw
https://youtube.com/v/yRbv1Ct_BPc