Showdown at Hasely Crawford; Women Warriors chase history, against dangerous El Salvador outfit

Trinidad and Tobago is just 180 minutes away from a place at the Brazil 2027 Fifa Women’s World Cup.

On Friday, the Women’s National Senior Team face El Salvador from 6pm in a virtual knock-out contest at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

The Women Soca Warriors need a win to advance to the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal round, from where a successive triumph would mean historic qualification for a Fifa women’s tournament.

El Salvador, however, are two points clear of Trinidad and Tobago in Group F and would advance, at the expense of their hosts on Friday, with only a draw.

Both nations played two earlier qualifiers, against Honduras and Barbados—only one would get the chance of a decisive fourth match.

In contrast, 10 years ago, the Women Warriors needed seven outings (four in the Caribbean qualifying stage and three at Concacaf level) before they got the chance to shoot for the World Cup.

By the time their 2015 campaign ended, with a heart-breaking inter-confederation loss to Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago played 11 matches.

The Fifa Women’s World Cup was a 24-team affair then. Today, there are 32 participants—not that the increased number of teams fully explains Concacaf’s flawed qualifying process.

In Conmebol, the nine nations (as hosts Brazil qualify automatically) face each other team for a total of eight qualifying games, to determine the most suitable representatives for the World Cup.

But in Concacaf, USA and Canada go straight to the W Championship quarterfinals, which means they qualify with a single game. For everyone else, the success of their campaign will be decided within three or four matches.

It is a quirky, unsatisfying process that sees Trinidad and Tobago on the verge of qualification, despite having only defeated Barbados and drawn with Honduras.

So, what are the chances of success for the Women Warriors?

First of all, coach Damian Briggs has fashioned a genuinely better-than-decent football team.

Initially hired as assistant to Angus Eve, Briggs took charge of the technical staff after Eve’s sudden resignation, and has put together an organised side that moves the ball at least as well as any other Trinidad and Tobago team—sex notwithstanding.

Forward Kennya “Yaya” Cordner and utility player Liana Hinds are survivors from the 2015 Women’s World Cup campaign and, along with defender Victoria Swift, add an element of know-how to the squad.

At present, for instance, the Women Warriors are owed match fees from the Kieron Edwards-led Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA). For better or worse, the likes of Cordner and Swift would surely help manage expectations within the squad.

Feted when a big game comes around, ignored otherwise—this has been the fate of the Trinidad and Tobago women’s programme since time began.

Wired868 understands the mood in the camp is positive, with players generally supportive of each other, in furtherance of their collective goal.

West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago cricket legend Dwayne Bravo helped lift spirits further, as he sponsored a trip to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary for the players yesterday.

Closer to the field of play, Briggs took the calculated risk of not only introducing some new faces, like forward Nia Hislop and Sakiah Williams, but also opting to reintegrate midfielder Asha James into his squad.

James publicly criticised Cordner and the management of the team before ending up in the cold for their trip to Honduras. But the AC Port of Spain stand-out was given another chance to contribute, with Briggs noting that he was dissatisfied with the strength of his bench on their last international outing.

Trinidad and Tobago accept they are underdogs on Friday.

El Salvador have scored 16 times in two games already, with four goals from midfielder Danielle Fuentes and three apiece from attackers Sheyla Flores and Brenda Cerén.

Direct and clinical, El Salvador are equipped to punish errors or lapses of concentration from the host team.

Briggs, at the other end, will lament the absence of dynamic left back Ke’die Johnson, who has plenty to offer in attack and defence, but was concussed on duty with France club AS Saint-Étienne recently.

Precocious playmaker Orielle Martin is another long-term casualty through injury.

Briggs’ troops are not short on ability. But when it comes to the “X-factor”, 16-year-old attacker Nikita Gosine, a Pleasantville Secondary student, has already demonstrated that she can deliver.

A trick from Gosine led to Trinidad and Tobago’s late penalty away to Honduras, which the teenager converted herself to equalise.

Can Gosine manage an encore on Friday? Could Swift and the Schneider sisters, Myla and Emma, defy the El Salvador frontline?

Would Australia-born midfielder Elise Franco set a platform for the Women Warriors to launch destructive attacks?

Does “Yaya” have another crucial goal to celebrate in red, white and black strip?

There will not be a bigger Trinidad and Tobago international football match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium for another six months at least.

(Trinidad and Tobago team)

Goalkeepers: 21.Akyla Walcott (Wheeling University—USA), 1.Simone Eligon (Chatham Town FC—England), 18.Malaika Dedier (UTT),

Defenders: 5.Cicely Spencer Wickham (Florida Atlantic University—USA), 22.Kaitlyn Darwent (St Joseph’s Convent/ UTT), 15.Christa Waterman (Patuxent FA—USA), 6.Victoria Swift (Club Sando), 3.Javanah Moreno (Club Sando), 12.Myla Schneider (SC Rio Tinto Ferminino—Portugal), 4.Emma Schneider (SC Rio Tinto Ferminino—Portugal), 2.Sakiah Williams (California State University—USA),

Midfielders: 7.Liana Hinds (unattached), 8.Elise Franco (Brisbane City FC—Australia), 23.Asha James (AC POS), 14.Summer Arjoon (AC POS), 20.Sonia Lamarre (Seattle University—USA),

Attackers: 11.Aaliyah Prince (AC POS), 10.Alexcia Ali (Club Sando), 17.Ariana Borneo (Ashland University—USA), 19.Kennya Cordner (Club Sando), 9.Nikita Gosine (Pleasantville Secondary/ Point Fortin Pioneers), 13.Gabrielle Williams (unattached), 16.Nia Hislop (UMass—USA).

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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.