Under-17s aim to attack Cubans

Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-17 footballers will be going into an all out attack mode on Friday when they face their Cuban counterparts in the return leg CONCACAF/Caribbean Football Union (CFU) World Championship qualifying match at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 5 pm. The team, coached by Nigel Grosvenor let up two late goals to go under 3-1 in the first leg in Havana last weekend and must now win by three clear goals to advance. If the scores are tied at the end of regulation time, full extra time will follow and penalty kicks if required. The squad, skippered by Naparima College midfielder Javed Mohammed, has resumed training and will continue with a session at the St Anthony’s College ground today.

“The boys know what is required of them. The only problem we are facing is that they are so keen to do well and they know they cannot afford to slip up and that’s puts some extra pressure on us,” Grosvenor said yesterday. “We will give it our best shot because we have to score three goals. It is going to be an all out attack for us but at the same time cannot let them score,” he said. Should TT get through this tie, they will then advance to Group “A” of the CONCACAF final round series along with hosts Costa Rica, United States and the winners of the Central Zone Triangular One (El Salvador/Guatemala/Nicaragua). The top team from Group “A” and “B” will advance to the 2005  World Under-17 Championship in Peru while the runners-up of the two groups will meet in a play-off for the final spot.

Fyzabad Composite stopper Ronald Joseph has been added to the roster while Carlon Hughes has also been recalled.  Friday’s match will be the first of a double-header with T-T Under 20s meeting their Cuban counterparts from 7 pm. The homesters have a 3-2 lead after the first leg in Havana. Under-17 Squad —  Kevin Mussio, Javed Mohammed, Stefan Delas, Jerome Williams, Matthew Batholomew, Kyle McIvor, Lester Peltier, Nyron Orr, Khaleem Hyland, Shastri Spencer, Nigel Thomas, Brendon Boucaud, Marvin James, Kurt Williams, Michael Brown, Silas Spann, Qian Grosvenor, Jevon Morton, Ronald Joseph, and Carlon Hughes.