CFU Women World Cup Qualifier …
A CONFIDENT Guyana women’s football team will face Suriname in a Group `A’ fixture of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s World Cup Qualifier at the GCC ground, Bourda, from 15:30 h today. The local team which is made up of 15 North America-based players of Guyanese parentage as well as seven locally based players will be beaming with confidence going into today’s game.

In an international friendly three-team series last December, the North America-based side prevailed over the Dutch team by a 2-1 margin, but brushed aside the locally based Guyanese team 5-0.

However, the locally based Guyanese team ended in the runner-up spot by defeating their Dutch neighbours 2-0.

That friendly was used by the Guyana Football Federation to identify a squad of players for the current CFU World Cup qualifying tournament and between the North America-based organising committee and the locally based one, a squad of 22 players was finally selected for the Group `A’ preliminary round.

Based on what was showcased by Suriname and St Vincent and the Grenadines in the opening fixture of the Group’s preliminary round matches, the locals are very optimistic that they can win the group and qualify for the CONCACAF round which begins in another month’s time.

In an invited comment, Technical Director of the local `Lady Jaguars’ Mark Rodrigues said he is sure that the Dutch team will come with a different style of play today, as they were defeated by both the North America-based Guyanese players and the locally based one in December of last year.

He said he is expecting a change in their tactical approach to the game and has a plan worked out on how to deal with that. “They are a quality team and we’re excited about playing them.” He stated.

Meanwhile, Suriname’s head coach Eduard Redjosentono informed that his charges did not play to their full potential on Wednesday when they faced St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the GCC ground in the opening fixture of Group `A’.
He, however, added that he decided to rest two of his main players for the more important encounter against hosts Guyana today, since, according to him, “Guyana is a much bigger threat than St Vincent.”

In the three-team friendly last December, Guyana’s Ashley Rodrigues who has been named captain of the Guyana team for today’s match was awarded the highest goalscorer award of that tournament with three goals to her name, while another Guyanese, Nikkiti Persaud was voted Most Valuable Player-of-the-Tournament and team mate Ronetta Alberts was voted Best Goalkeeper.

Alberts might be the only local player to start in the Lady Jags’ line-up this afternoon.

In the tournament last December, Suriname’s lone goalscorer was Mervil Blatz who forced a controversial penalty in her team’s game against St Vincent on Wednesday and her team captain Aisa Smith converted the penalty.