U-23 footballers clash with C/Rica

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Under-23 football team will continue their preparations for the 2004 Athens Olympic qualifiers against their Costa Rica counterparts at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya, Tunapuna from 7.30 pm. And the Trinidad and Tobago squad, which will be led by W Connection midfielder Silvio Spann, will be gunning for revenge after they were beaten 3-0 by the “Ticos” in Costa Rica last August. TT, who replaced striker Sean Cooper on the 18-man team with left-back Anton Joseph yesterday, will rely heavily on the front-line of Andre Toussaint and Kendall Davis, as well as on seasoned players Nigel Daniel, Kerry Baptiste, Lyndon Diaz and Josh Johnson. Jan-Michael Williams and Daurance Williams will compete for the starting spot between the uprights. According to team coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier: “We know there are players in our team who  are capable of giving a good account for the country.”

Charles-Fevrier, speaking before yesterday’s training session at Macoya added: “We want to use this match to improve our play for the later matches in the Olympic qualifiers so I am expecting us to give a good fight.” The Costa Ricans arrived in Trinidad yesterday morning, with coach Rodrigo Kenton commenting that the match is an important friendly. “We know Trinidad and Tobago is a team of skilful players and we expect them to be more aggressive at home,” he said. In related news, Sunday’s scheduled friendly match between Trinidad and Tobago and Peru has been postponed as the South Americans were unable to field a senior squad for the match.

TT U-23 Team: Jan-Michael Williams, Daurance Williams (goalkeepers); Julius James, Anton Joseph, Errol Charles, Lyndon Diaz, Nigel Daniel, Ronald Primus, Shelton Williams (defenders); Silvio Spann (captain), Kerry Baptiste, Michael Celestine, Josh Johnson, Devon Caseman (midfielders); Kendall Davis, Kerron Phillips, Andre Toussaint, Kevon Carter (strikers).