In a release on Tuesday, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) communicated they have shortlisted 21 locally-based players as preparations begin for Guyana’s participation in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Challenge Series Tournament, scheduled for April, 2018.
Among those selected are two Goalkeepers, six Defenders, nine Midfielders and four Forwards from five GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres.
Squad: Goal Keppers: Natalie Nedd (Fruta Conquerors), Ruth George (Fruta Conquerors); Defenders Odessa Romeo (Guyana Defence Force), Shania Riley ( Fruta Conquerors), Veyansa Hope (Kuru Kuru Warriors), Samara Rodrigues
The Lady Jaguars will begin their campaign against Grenada on April 25 at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Trinidad & Tobago
(Kariburi Village), Cloetta Dublin (Guyana Defence Fore), Anastacia Horsham ( Fruta Conquerors); Midfielders: Jimmaica Hunte (Fruta Conquerors), Shennel Daniels (Fruta Conquerors), Lakeisha Pearson ( Fruta Conquerors), Shamika Marcus (Foxy Ladies), Shontel Greene (Foxy Ladies), Siacy Adams (Foxy Ladies), Tiandi Smith (Foxy Ladies), Jalade Trim (Kwakwani Strikers), Izannah Rogers; Forwards: Sasha James (Fruta Conquerors), Annalisa Vincent (Port Kaituma), Kendra Thomas ( Guyana Defence Force), Sherrilyn Kingston (Demerara Queens).
Additionally, Tricia Munroe, GFF’s Women’s Development Officer, said Guyana is using this tournament as preparation for the CONCACAF Qualifiers, scheduled for May 2018, and the final squad will include overseas-based players
“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 the international “Lady Jags” programme was re-launched last weekend and he is looking forward to have integration of the international players.
“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 locally-based squad will train twice weekly beginning tomorrow and will focus on technical and tactical skills and fitness.
Guyana has been placed in Group E of the five-group tournament with Suriname and Grenada and will have its first match against Grenada on April 25 at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Trinidad beginning at 16:00hrs.
Second match is scheduled for the April 27 at 16:00hrs against Suriname and willface host Trinidad and Tobago on the April 29 from 17:30hrs.
The format includes four teams placed in five groups. The matches in each group will be played in Round Robin format, each team playing one match against each of the other teams in the same group.
The tournament will be held from the April 18-29 and will be played in St. Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago
The other groups 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 Group D: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Curacao, Montserrat.
