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
week," 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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