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Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-15 girls team will face Chile and Equatorial Guinea in the Junior Olympic Games in Singapore from August 12 to 15.

This was determined at the draw for the event which took place on Tuesday at the Singapore PSA Building Auditorium and was attended by team coach Marlon Charles.

While the Olympic Football Tournaments comprise 28 male and female teams, the junior competition, to run from August 12 to 25 at Singapore’s Jalan Besar Stadium will involve players born between January 1 and December 31, 1995 and consist of two six-team tournaments for both boys and girls.

The six sides in each tournament are divided into two groups, with the top two finishers from each advancing to the semi-finals.

Ten of the teams involved were nominated by their confederation while the UEFA duo qualified through a mini-tournament.

On the girls’ side, Asian representatives Iran lock horns with Turkey and Papua New Guinea in Group “A”, while Group “B” features Chile, Equatorial Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago, the hosts to September’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

The Iranians take on Turkey in the curtain-raiser, while Trinidad and Tobago kick off Group “B” against Chile seeking to make a name for themselves on the international stage.

T&T Director of Women’s Football Even Pellerud said the tournament would serve as a good entry to international competition for the players. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for our girls to get that early exposure at the international level.

For a lot of them this will be their first international game away from home and while the intention would be to get positive results, there are several other aspects which should serve to auger well for the future of these players,” Pellerud said.

Some members of Pellerud’s current Under-17 team preparing for the World Cup here in September are also part of the U-15 squad which has been in training for close to six months.

Junior Olympics Girls’ Draw:

Group A: Turkey, Iran, Papua New Guinea.
Group B: Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, Equatorial Guinea.