PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Pro League champions Joe Public left here Monday for Guatemala City, intent on rescuing their fading fortunes in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Whipped 5-2 by Mexico’s Santos Laguna last week, Joe Public will face CSD Municipal in a Group B match, day two encounter on Thursday, desperately hoping they can come away with full points to get their campaign back on track.
And with both sides having lost their opening match, a victory will be crucial when the game kicks off at 10 pm at the Mateo Flores National Stadium.
“We were beaten in our first match at home so we now have to get three points on the road and get ourselves back in contention to advance to the next stage of the tournament,” said coach Derek King.
“We did not play to our expectations in the first match against Santos and we know that we will have to show much more discipline defensively if we want to get the required result in Guatemala.”
King said Joe Public were aware of what was required from them, especially playing away from home.
“The guys have played away from home before and we know that we have to do much better in terms of keeping our shape and tighten up our defence while putting away our chances,” he said.
“Hopefully we will be able to get it right this time which will be enough for us to get the required result.”
Joe Public will welcome back the defensive duo of Carlyle Mitchell and Jovan Morris, both of whom missed the match against Santos, and this will be a boost for the side.
Mitchell has recovered from a groin strain suffered while playing for T&T in a 3-1 loss to Jamaica on August 11 while Morris was suspended for the Santos match.
They have replaced Julien Landeau and Kenaz Williams, who were unused substitutes in the Santos match.
Municipal are expected to be difficult opposition but are coming off a 2-0 loss to Xinabajul on Saturday.
SQUAD – Glenroy Samuel, Trent Noel, Makan Hislop, Nigel Daniel, Kieon Goodridge, Kerry Baptiste, Hayden Tinto, Marcus Joseph, Kareem Young, Yu Hoshide, Micah Lewis, Marvin Phillip, Carlyle Mitchell, Jovan Morris, Jason Springer, Gayson Gregory, Akim Toussaint, Kareem Moses.