Tasha St Louis: Game of our lives.
By: Ian Prescott (Express).[/size]
Tasha St Louis looks to clash with Mexico.
"This is the most important game of our lives. We have to win it," top Trinidad and Tobago player Tasha St Louis said of today's CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Mexico, which takes place from 8.30 p.m. (T&T time) at Tropical Park Stadium, South Miami.
The winner of the elimination match earns a trip to the Home Depot Center, California, for a semi-final meeting with two-time World Cup winners, the United States.
"Everybody on the team can play the game. We will do well. Once we get past the first leg with Mexico, I think we have a chance to go to the World Cup, because even if we don't beat the USA, we can still finish third and play a playoff with Japan, who we should beat."
St Louis rarely makes predictions, but she has been brimming with anticipation for days before tonight's match.
She thinks Trinidad and Tobago's national women's football team, the "Soca Princesses", are going to shock a Mexico squad who have played many warm-up matches and are better prepared than their Caribbean opponents going into the tournament.
St Louis has adopted a "no matter" attitude to her team's inadequate preparation, which was only made worse when the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) agreed to allow them to leave home just two days before the tournament.
"We never get to play warm-up games anyway. So, that is not a big issue for us. We know what Mexico is capable of and what we have to do to beat them. We haven't played together since the last tournament, but I know what these girls can do. I play with some of them and once we play up to our potential, we can win this game."
St Louis is Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy combined for the Soca Princesses. Playing since she was nine, St Louis is the most naturally skilled of the T&T players, picking up some of her experience on the Carenage Recreation Ground, playing against her cousins Kerry Baptiste (San Juan Jabloteh) and Christon Baptiste (Defence Force), both Trinidad-based professional players.
A national footballer since 17, and playing her second CONCACAF Gold Cup, St Louis has made her name, but she has also remained with local champions Real Dimension, mainly to lend experience to the younger players, although she knows she should be playing at a higher level.
Last year, St Louis scored 22 goals for Indiana FC in the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPFL) lining up against top women players in the USA.
Earlier this year, she transferred to the New England Mutiny, before returning to Trinidad and Tobago at the end of the US season in August to play with Real Dimension.
St Louis knows that the younger T&T players will be looking up to her along with the likes of Darcel Akheela Mollon, number one goal-scorer in junior college in the United States two years ago with 56 goals and 23 assists for Young Harris, Leslie Ann James and keeper Lisa Jo Ramkisoon, who are also in their second Gold Cup.
"First I am looking for performance from the girls on the team ... winning will come after. We are looking for performance first. Some of the girls are still maturing and are playing their first Gold Cup. This will be a growing experience for them, but they have the ability to do well," she said with confidence.
St Louis said that although the national team will not have much fan support at the tournament, she believes that all that will change should they come back successful.
"We already know what to expect from the people of Trinidad and Tobago. I can't even say fans, because we don't have many of them. We usually expect a certain amount of people to support us and that is that.
"It is true that we have not achieved much yet, but we expect much more support from our country. It should not be a case where we go out and qualify for a World Cup for people to jump on the bandwagon. Like any other team, we are the representatives of Trinidad and Tobago and we are going out there to do the best for this country. They should support us only for that alone."
2006 CONCACAF WOMEN’S GOLD CUP™ SCHEDULE
First Round – Tropical Park Stadium; Miami, Florida
19 November 2006
PANAMA – JAMAICA (17:00)
R: Kari SEITZ (USA)
A1: Cynette JEFFREY (GUY)
A2: Beverley GRANT (BRB)
FO: Shane DESILVA (TRI)
19 November 2006
MEXICO – TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (19:30)
R: Maria Cecibel ORTEGA (SLV)
A1: Denise ROBINSON (CAN)
A2: Milena LOPEZ (CRC)
FO: Dianne FERREIRA-JAMES (GUY)
Semifinals – The Home Depot Center; Carson, California
22 November 2006
CANADA – PAN/JAM (16:30)
USA – MEX/TRI (19:00)
Finals – The Home Depot Center; Carson, California
26 November 2006
Third Place (15:00)
Championship (17:30)
