The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has shortlisted 21 locally-based players for preparation for the upcoming Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Challenge Series Tournament, scheduled for April.
The players shortlisted are goalkeepers Natalie Nedd, Ruth George, defenders Odessa Romeo, Shania Riley, Veyansa Hope, Samara Rodrigues, Cloetta Dublin, Anastacia Horsham, midfielders Jimmaica Hunte, Lakeisha Pearson, Shamika Marcus, Shontel Greene, Siacy Adams, Tiandi Smith, Jalade Trim, Izannah Rogers and forwards Sasha James, Annalisa Vincent, Kendra Thomas and Sherrilyn Kingston.
The team will commence training from today and will focus on technical, tactical and fitness aspects of the sport. Guyana has been drawn in Group-E of the five-group tournament alongside Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada.
The Lady Jaguars will open their campaign against Grenada on the 25th April, 2018 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Trinidad and Tobago at 16:00hrs.
In their second match, the Guyanese will oppose Suriname on April 27th before concluding their group campaign against the host nation on the 29th of April.
According to an official release from the GFF, GFF’s Women’s Development Officer Tricia Munroe stated that the tournament is being used as preparation for the CONCACAF Qualifiers scheduled for May and that the composition of the final squad will feature overseas born and based players.
She added, “In keeping with the Technical Development Strategy, the provisional Team Guyana has 21 locally-based females, many of whom were taken from the GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres (ATCs). To increase our competitiveness in the tournament, Guyana will put forward the best team possible so the final 18 will comprise the most-talented local and overseas-based players. Guyana will also use this tournament as preparation for the CONCACAF Qualifiers so ensuring match readiness is key at this moment.”
Meanwhile Women’s International Team Coordinator, Paul Beresford, said, “This past weekend, as part of the “Lady Jags” re-launch, a mini camp was held in Toronto, which was attended by 19 internationally-based players. We are looking forward to integrating our internationally-based players with our Guyana-based players to produce a team that will not only be competitive and exciting to watch but will truly represent the diversity that is Guyana football.”
The other groups of the competition are GROUP A: St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, St. Lucia, GROUP B: Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Barbados, Cuba, GROUP C: Haiti, Martinique, USVI, Dominican Republic and GROUPS D: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Curacao, Montserrat.
