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‘Lady Jags’ getting ready for Cuba clash
With yet another change to the schedule by the Caribbean Football Union for the Women
Locals two games away from qualifying for CONCACAF Gold Cup
By Franklin Wilson
With yet another change to the schedule by the Caribbean Football Union for the Women’s Gold Cup competition, Guyana’s ‘Lady Jags’ are fancying their chances of creating history yet again by becoming the first team to qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The Guyanese, by virtue of finishing as the runner-up team to Trinidad and Tobago in Group F advanced to the final round as did Haiti and Cuba who finished in that order in Group G.
The original plan was for the four teams to play each other with the top three moving on to the Gold Cup in the USA later this year, but the CFU announced that would no longer be the case. Trinidad and Haiti as group winners earned two of the 3 available spots with Guyana and Cuba now having to battle in a home and away tie for the final place.
The proposed dates are June 18 in Cuba and July 2 in Guyana. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport, Technical Director of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Women’s Programme Mark Rodrigues said that he has kept contact with all the players amid all the changes and they are gearing up for the imminent battle.
“The players have all been advised and kept up to date with the changes, and are ready to fly wherever they are requested based on priority.”
Rodrigues did point out that the biggest concern the players have is the amount of time off that they require especially when they have already taken so much time off from school and work.
They have been told that the Cuba games are priority. He also noted that several of the players will not be able to make the CAC Games, “They want to save their remaining time off for the Cuba matches and Gold Cup in Oct/Nov.”
The Technical Director also disclosed that two new players have been recruited but said the names will be disclosed later. One of the players will be playing the right back position and has blazing speed and skill. She is from the US and is a sophomore in College.
“I found her thru one of my College coaching contacts. The other is a quality player from Canada who is about to go to College and will be used as a substitute attacker. She was at the camp in Toronto.”
Kaieteur Sport was told that several of the players in Toronto who are on break from College and back home are playing together on the same team there, while others are playing at high levels for coaches that Rodrigues know personally, where they live. “They are all working hard at their fitness which we continue to be monitoring weekly,” Rodrigues noted.
As has always been the case, time and cost restraints will not allow the team to be encamped prior to the Cuba matches.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Guyana/Cuba tie will complete the eight-team Gold Cup field, joining North American sides Canada, Mexico and the United States, along with Central American qualifiers Costa Rica and Guatemala.
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