… confident of doing well
THE Guyana national Under-17 footballers depart the country today for the Dominican Republic where they will participate in the CFU round two World Cup qualifiers, beginning on Wednesday. The 20 players and five officials were in high spirits on the eve of their departure after concluding their final training session yesterday. Head coach Sampson Gilbert told Chronicle Sport that he is expecting a good performance by the team that will see them through to the CONCACAF finals set for Jamaica next year. “The team is well prepared in terms of tactical awareness, technical skills, physical fitness and mental toughness and with the spirits high I expect positive results,” the ‘dreadlocked’ Gilbert boasted.
The composition of the squad is diverse with players coming from as far as Canada, Kamarang and Lethem and the appointed captain is defender Mark Walton of Fruta Conquerors.
The full squad: Goalkeepers: Jamal Booker (Buxton Utd) and Julius Griffith (West Dem.); Defenders: Mark Walton (captain, Fruta Con.), Dicquan Vancooten (Conquerors), Marlon Lashley (East Coast), Emitt Leacock (East Coast) and Randy Persaud (Northern Rangers); Midfielders: Pernell Schultz (Conquerors), Khaneil Caesar (Canada), Domini Garnett (Grove), Rolex Martin (Lethem), Mohammed Ali (Berbice), Andrae Hector (Den Amstel),Tariq Dakhil (GFC) and Kahlil Ricketts (Canada); Forwards: Jordan Roberts (Canada), Kerwyn Benjamin (Pele FC), Tyson McNaughton (Kamarang), Selwyn Williams (Renaissance FC) and Sherwin Lewis (Berbice). Head Coach, Sampson Gilbert, Asst. Coach, Herbert McPherson, Goalkeeper Coach, Andrew Hazel, Physiotherapist, Lindley Langhorne and Manager, Carlos Bernard.
Guyana is grouped with Haiti, Barbados and the host country with the top two sides of the round-robin competition advancing to the CONCACAF Finals from which the top four countries will qualify for the World Cup Finals to be played in Mexico next year.