Reach for the sky: Women Warriors must punish dismissive Ecuador

Wired868 is in Quito for the Trinidad and Tobago women’s FIFA Play Off first leg match away to Ecuador:

If Ecuador is gripped by women’s football fever, the country certainly has not shown it yet.

Tomorrow afternoon from 2 pm in Quito (3 pm TT time), Ecuador and Trinidad and Tobago will meet at the Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa in the first of a two-legged FIFA Play Off contest. The early indications are that it will be not played before a passionate sold-out crowd.

Match tickets are available for just US$2 while US$5 and US$10 will get you VIP sitting. To put that into context, a bottle of still water at the airport cost US$3 while a meal in the Quito city centre ranged from US$3.50 to US$7.50.

Photo: The Ecuador national women's team is on the verge of a maiden World Cup spot. But its players have not captured the hearts of their people just yet. (Courtesy El Comercio)
Photo: The Ecuador national women’s team is on the verge of a maiden World Cup spot.
But its players have not captured the hearts of their people just yet.
(Courtesy El Comercio)

Yet, even at those economical ticket prices, Ecuador defender Ligia Moreira still felt it necessary to plead for free admission for women and children tomorrow. Thus far, the Ecuador Football Federation has not responded publicly to the request.

But, even if the Trinidad and Tobago women are spared from an angry cauldron of emotion, there is no escaping the pressures of playing at altitude.

The Atahualpa Stadium, which is located at 2,782 meters above sea level, has humbled some of the toughest characters in the game with the likes of Argentina and Barcelona star Javier Mascherano forced to slink to the touchline for relief from oxygen tanks.

FIFA banned Ecuador from playing international games in Quito due to the physical strain on visitors and the lengthy period necessary for acclimatisation. But the world governing body eventually suspended its decision under pressure from the South American football body.

Medical research suggests that visitors need four to six weeks to properly acclimatise and no less than 14 days to shake off the effects of altitude.

However, the FIFA draw meant the self-declared “Women Soca Warriors” had only 13 days between their CONCACAF Third Place defeat to Mexico and the first leg of their upcoming Play Off contest.

Photo: The "Women Soca Warriors" enjoy a good result during the 2014 CONCACAF Championship. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: The “Women Soca Warriors” enjoy a good result during the 2014 CONCACAF Championship.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

By the time the women returned to Trinidad to see their loved ones and sort out the logistics of their adventure, they were down to 10 days.

“When we didn’t qualify, we immediately started going over plans for Ecuador and doing our research,” Trinidad and Tobago head coach Randy Waldrum told Wired868. “We were looking at training in Mexico City for a few days and then getting back down to sea level for two days to recharge. And then we will fly up to Quito as close to the game as possible.”


One medical opinion suggests that the human body does not immediately succumb to the effects of altitude, such as shortness of breath, and, therefore, teams can cheat the ill-effects by playing soon after their arrival.

The Trinidad and Tobago men’s team tried that tactic for a trip to Mexico City in 2000. But a Mexico team that was humbled 1-0 in Port of Spain, just three months earlier, were unstoppable at altitude as it romped to a whopping 7-0 win.

“Nobody has figured it out yet,” Waldrum admitted.

Even if the combination of altitude preparation followed by sea level training is the magical formula, it was not applied throughout Waldrum’s squad.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago head coach Randy Waldrum (right) speaks to his players during a practice session in the United States. (Courtesy TTFA Media)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago head coach Randy Waldrum (right) speaks to his players during a practice session in the United States.
(Courtesy TTFA Media)

Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Kimika Forbes, central defender Rhea Belgrave and full backs Brianna Ryce and Liana Hinds, midfielder Karyn “Baby” Forbes and teenaged attacker Anique Walker all missed the training camp in Mexico City as they could not get time off from their US universities. Ryce and Hinds, who featured in every single match at the CONCACAF Championship, will miss the first leg of the Play Off after being denied time off by their universities.

“The US-based kids (weren’t) able to miss that much school again,” said Waldrum. “We will bring them in to Ecuador right before the game at sea level and put a roster at 20 together.”

Yet again, the self-declared “Women Soca Warriors”, through little fault of their own this time, are short of optimum preparation.

Ecuador striker Giannina Lattanzio told the La Hora Nacional newspaper that she expects Quito’s thin air to nullify the pace of Trinidad and Tobago wingers Ahkeela Mollon and Kennya Cordner while the host team will pay close attention to Warrior captain Maylee Attin-Johnson.

That trio apart, Lattanzio believes the Warriors offer little beyond set pieces and Ecuador has worked hard on defending free kicks and corners as well as not conceding them in the first place.

“They are strong, fast girls but without much technique,” said Lattanzio, who was Ecuador’s leading scorer during their qualifiers. “This game will be key for us. The height will play in our favor and we should take advantage of it.”

Ecuador has never qualified for a FIFA tournament before and just one year after the country had its first national women’s league—which was sponsored by the Government—the South American women are dreaming about becoming trailblazers.

Photo: Ecuador star Giannina Lattanzio (left) takes on the Venezuela defence during a qualifying fixture. (Courtesy Andres Info)
Photo: Ecuador star Giannina Lattanzio (left) takes on the Venezuela defence during a qualifying fixture.
(Courtesy Andres Info)

The challenge of combating altitude and facing an exotic host in a high stakes encounter adds a touch of unknown to tomorrow’s contest. Who knows how the Warriors would respond to the occasion?

But, to borrow a cliché, if you see Attin-Johnson and her ladies fighting with a lion; then pray for the lion. Lattanzio might have missed a trick by failing to mention the Trinidad and Tobago players’ near unshakeable belief in their feeling of destiny.

This campaign was over two decades in the making. Late coach Robbie Greenidge set a high bar when he steered Trinidad and Tobago’s women to fourth place in the inaugural 1991 CONCACAF Championship.

Former women’s football president Dr Iva Gloudon built on that promise to create a structure for the game. While coaches Jamaal Shabazz and Marlon Charles widened the talent pool and introduced many of the players in the present squad.

And former players like Izler Browne, Jinelle James, Ricarda Nelson and Sharon O’ Brien remained in the game after their retirements to ensure the transfer of knowledge to the next generation.

Then Waldrum, an American native, added belief and know-how to the squad that Charles had kept together with little to no resources over the last two years.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago captain Maylee Attin-Johnson (number 9) is congratulated by Dernelle Mascall (second from right) and her teammates after her successful penalty kick against Guatemala in World Cup qualifying action. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago captain Maylee Attin-Johnson (number 9) is congratulated by Dernelle Mascall (second from right) and her teammates after her successful penalty kick against Guatemala in World Cup qualifying action.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

“I fell in love with Trinidad and Tobago when I came out there to work (for a brief stint) in 2008,” said Waldrum. “The people have been incredibly warm to me and I genuinely feel for the girls and I want this so badly for them.”

In the pre-tournament camp in Mexico City, veteran attacker Tasha St Louis gave strong hints that she could be returning to form after being hamstrung for much of the CONCACAF tournament.

If Karyn Forbes is also fit, Ecuador’s scouting would be almost irrelevant. The Warriors are considerably stronger when those two are in shape.

The impending returns of versatile defender Ayanna Russell and industrious midfielder Janine Francois should also improve Waldrum’s squad depth.

At Quito, the Warriors need only keep the two-legged series alive. Then, at sea level, Cordner and the gang can show Lattanzio what they are really made of; and put Ecuador’s women’s football revolution on hold.

“We will make a happy ending to this story,” Attin-Johnson told Wired868, after her team’s CONCACAF’s elimination.

In the clouds of Quito, the Warriors can make a significant step towards heaven.

 

Editor’s Note: Wired868 is in Quito for the Trinidad and Tobago women’s FIFA Play Off first leg match away to Ecuador. Football fans can follow the action in Trinidad and Tobago live on DIRECTV channels 635 and 1635 (HD).

Brianna Ryce and Liana Hinds, who featured in every single match at the 2014 CONCACAF Championship, will miss the first leg of the Play Off against Ecuador after being denied time off by their universities.

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About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

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76 comments

  1. Well done, Warriors, we will settle for the draw…and win at home!

  2. would have liked to score at least one to come home with

  3. The ladies getting a little tired, but we still looking good.

  4. Carlos Lee I understand but I promise you if she was playing for America they would have released her

  5. Ecuador press puts its women footballers on the front page… Interesting to see what the atmosphere would be like at kick off.

  6. More motivation for our girls. Life was never meant to be fair. Go for it girls.

  7. 🙁 thats sad Lasana. Serious schools there!

  8. Well said Carlos…..she is their property for the while

  9. Liana plays for UCONN, and played in the semis of their conference tournament yesterday. They’re won their match and will play in the finals tomorrow. The winner qualifies for the NCAA tournament. She’s a key member of the team, so I understand why they have pushed back on releasing her for the Ecuador match.

  10. It’s not just a soccer thing but an academic thing I’m sure. Either that or their teams in the NCAA tournament or something. Those are 2 huge minuses for us.

  11. Really? That’s crazy! The ladies will battle anyways. Some of these teachers are ridiculous. They make a big deal when athletes miss class to represent their universities far more for Trinidad

  12. Editor’s Note: Brianna Ryce and Liana Hinds, who featured in every single match at the 2014 CONCACAF Championship, will miss the first leg of the Play Off against Ecuador after being denied time off by their universities.

  13. Also being shown on C TV Channel 6 for those of us who don’t have Direct TV.

  14. Come on Ladies. We can do this. You are Warriors and remember November is our month. Just hold them off and i’ll be happy with a draw there and i’ll take win in Trinidad.

  15. Come on Warriors, let’s do this! Pile on the pressure from early.

  16. They taking the same route the warriors take to reach the ’06 WC… lets hope they deal with Ecuador like how the men’s team dealt with Bahrain!

  17. What are some of the result of this ecuadorian team. I wonder how Costa Rica and Mexico matches up with these South American countries

  18. Let’s go ladies we could do this

  19. We’ll need to score early though. When that fatigue steps in it will be much more difficult. It will be interesting to see if they decide to start the girls who missed the camp, or bench them.

  20. T&T we want ah goal! Good luck ladies

  21. Have a good feeling about tomorrow. Our country needs sport to unite again. Hope my vibes are right.

  22. And kudos to Ricarda and Jinelle and everyone else who helped clear the path…

  23. Yes Lasana,but it is the belief that is important the point was, forget the odds and go for it.

  24. Good luck girls. Ball flies faster. Shoot at opportunity. You may be surprised.

  25. THESE LADIES ARE READY…HAPPY TO SEE WIRED 868…BMOBILE SPONSORED JASON WILLIAMS…TO GIVE SUPPORT…..OUR TIME….LETS GO LADIES!!!!

  26. We are Warriors. Be humble and get ready for the show.

  27. What happens when a squad of Red, White and Black Lady Warriors from an island nation enters a high altitude lion’s den? Simply put..the lion had better find a new den quickly. In unity there is strength ladies. Oh, and don’t be afraid to take shots at goal with that rarified air as well eh. Blessings by plenty!!

  28. I remember that well Bruce. I asked him a question that provoked that response in Manama. It is a bit different now though. Altitude does make a difference.
    But I believe if the girls are alert they can overcome. Fingers crossed.

  29. I can never forget Leo Beenhakker in Baharain. He said as I recall, The grass is green, the lines are white, the field is marked, the posts are the same. Who the hell cares about the stands whether they are in red or white. He went on to motivate the players like nothing we had seen before. This is what we need from the coach and we fully expect that he will deliver a similar message. Let us go for it girls, you can do it and you will. We are behind you.

  30. “In the clouds of Quito the Warriors can make a significant step towards heaven.” Enjoy ur assignment Lasana.

  31. You will show them a thing or two Ahkeela Mollon! Lol.
    They did say that you, Maylee Johnson and Kennya Cordner are a dangerous triangle though.

  32. lived in both Quito and Bogota for some years… it does take getting used to

  33. I feel Insulted no technique :(… Haha

  34. Keep it close ladies or eek one out

  35. A prayer or two for our Soca Princesses!!!

  36. Our girls are determined though…

  37. I have stayed in a community at 2,800 feet above sea level and if you are not like I wasn’t, it was difficult adjusting

  38. At 2,800 feet above sea level the air is thin. At 2,782 metres above sea level the ir would be much much thinner. That says a lot.

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