By Rawle Toney in Houston, Texas

GUYANA’S National Female football team, popularly known as the Lady Jags, arrived in Houston Texas ahead of their CONCACAF Olympic Qualifier match against Canada at the BBVA Compass Stadium tomorrow, with the team brimming with optimism.Canada, ranked #11 in the world by FIFA, and second behind world #1 USA in the CONCACAF Region, will be playing Guyana for the second time, doing so first at the 2010 Gold Cup in Cancun, Mexico, where they defeated the ‘GT’ women 8-0.
That year (2010) Canada won the Gold Cup.
Guyana recently moved two places up the FIFA World Ranking to 89, but are still the lowest-ranked team in the tournament and, along with Puerto Rico, are making their debut at the event which will be used to select CONCACAF’s two representatives for the Olympic Games in Brazil.
Nonetheless, head coach Mark Rodrigues told Chronicle Sport that the ladies are full of optimism and welcome their ‘underdog’ status.
Clement Brown will serve as Rodrigues’ assistant; along with goalkeeping coach Richard Reynolds, Sheron Abrams as manager and physiotherapist David Lawrence.
“The legacy of the Lady Jags will continue to be written in Houston, Texas,” said the always smiling and humble Rodrigues.
Guyana have been placed in Group B of the tournament, along with Trinidad and Tobago and Guatemala, while World Champions USA head the perceived ‘Group of Death’ that also includes rivals Mexico, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica.
By virtue of defeating Jamaica 2-1 to finish third in the CFU tournament (behind winners Trinidad and second-placed Puerto Rico) in the Twin Island Republic, Lady Jags have qualified for their second CONCACAF tournament, making them the country’s most successful football outfit, given the fact that our men’s national team are yet to play in a major confederation championship.
Rodrigues’ squad is made of up of players who were standouts in the USA and Canada collegiate system who have gone on to play professionally across North America and Europe.
Meanwhile, CONCACAF has officially released the roster for the eight participating teams in the tournament.
The CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship Texas 2016 will qualify two teams directly for the 2016 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament.
Toyota Stadium in Dallas will host all Group A matches, while BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston will host all Group B matches, the semi-finals and the final.
The Championship will be televised across the region, including coverage on NBC Sports in English and Telemundo in Spanish, in the United States.

GUYANA
GK (3) – Derienne Busby (University of Evansville/USA); Ruth George (Lil Diva’s FC/GUY); Chante Sandiford (UMF Selfoss/ISL);
DF (8) – Briana DeSouza (Durham United FC/CAN); Kayla DeSouza (Durham United FC/CAN); Julia Gonsalves (University of Toronto/CAN); Kailey Leila (Unattached); Kelly Pelz-Butler (Unattached);
Leah-Marie Ramalho (Toronto Rangers SC/CAN); Justine Rodrigues (Unattached); Bria Williams (Vaughan SC/CAN);
MF (7) – Dana Marie Bally (York University/CAN); Mariam El-Masri (GS United/CAN); Olivia Gonsalves (University of Toronto/CAN); Alison Heydorn (Ann Arbor United SC/USA); Brittany Persaud (Unattached); Ashley Rodrigues (Tampa Bay Hellenic/USA); Ashlee Savona (Unattached);
FW (2) – Otesha Charles (Unattached); Calaigh Copland (Woodbridge Strikers SC/CAN);

CANADA
GK (3) – Sabrina D’Angelo (Western New York Flash/USA); Stephanie Labbe (Washington Spirit/USA); Erin McLeod (Unattached);
DF (5) – Josée Belanger (Orlando Pride/USA); Kadeisha Buchanan (West Virginia University/USA); Allysha Chapman (Houston Dash/USA); Rhian Wilkinson (Unattached); Shelina Zadorsky (Washington Spirit/USA);
MF (6) – Jessie Fleming (London Nor’West SC/CAN); Ashley Lawrence (West Virginia University/USA); Diana Matheson (Washington Spirit/USA); Rebecca Quinn (Duke University/USA); Sophie Schmidt (FFC Frankfurt/GER); Desiree Scott (Unattached);
FW (6) – Janine Beckie (Houston Dash/USA); Gabrielle Carle (Dynamo de Québec/CAN); Nichelle Prince (Ohio State University/USA); Deanne Rose (Scarborough GS United/CAN); Christine Sinclair (Portland Thorns FC /USA); Melissa Tancredi (Unattached)