Lady Jags approaching match against Nicaragua with “caution” - Head Coach Ivan Joseph
The Lady Jags are ready and excited to take on Nicaragua in the upcoming crunch Concacaf W and FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier against Nicaragua.
The two sides meet at the Leonora National Track and Field Centre at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 8.
The Jags are currently top of their qualifying group, with forthcoming matches against their Central American rivals and Trinidad and Tobago set to decide which team will progress to the Concacaf W Championship in July, which acts as a gateway to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Head Coach Ivan Joseph notes that an intense match can be expected and anything can happen.
“We have a lot of respect for Nicaragua,” Joseph said. “They’ve played a lot more games in recent months leading up to this tournament than us. Clearly, they can score. They’ve got several quality scorers. They have a blend of international as well as domestic players. They play organised, they’re technical, very gifted. You can see they’re well-coached. I’d be lying if I said we weren’t very nervous.”
In their most recent match in February, Nicaragua defeated the Turks and Caicos Island 19-0.
“I would say that we’re the underdogs. While Nicaragua hasn’t played a lot, you can see the results show that they are more than capable and competent.”
“When I look at it in these next three games between us, Trinidad and Nicaragua, the table is still open. Any of those teams can qualify.”
“The 19 goals that Nicaragua scored against Turks and Caicos says they have a high powerful offence that is to be respected and to be fear. And because any of those three teams can qualify and play, we will take them with not just a measure of respect but the utmost caution as we prepare and try to do our best.”
The final squad for Friday's match:
1. Chante Sandiford (Goalkeeper)
2. Natalie Nedd - (Goalkeeper)
3. Raven Edwards-Dowdall (Goalkeeper)
4. Sydney Cummings (Defender)
5. Kayla De Souza (Defender)
6. Rylee Traicoff (Defender)
7. Ghilene Joseph (Defender)
8. Reece Scott (Defender)
9. Brittany Persaud (Midfield)
10. Brianne Desa (Midfield)
11. Briana De Souza (Midfield)
12. Shyla Murray (Midfield)
13. Tiandi Smith (Midfield)
14. Calaigh Copland (Midfield)
15. Shanice Alfred (Midfield)
16. Mariam El- Masri (Midfield)
17. Justine Rodrigues (Midfield)
18. Lakeisha Pearson (Midfield)
19. Annalisa Vincent (Forward)
20. Hannah Baptiste (Forward)
21. Stefanie Kouzas (Forward)
22. Neema Liverpool (Forward)
23. Otesha Charles (Forward)
Staff
1. Ivan Joseph (Head Coach)
2. Paul De Abreu (Assistant Coach)
3. Akilah Castello (Assistant Coach)
4. Kevin Sherry (Assistant Coach)
5. Andrew Hazel (Goalkeeper Coach)
6. Matthew Vaughan (Team Doctor)
7. Abiola Blair (Physiotherapist)
8. Nichola Argyle (Equipment Manager)
9. Kasy Kiarash (Performance Analyst)
10. Andrea Johnson (Operations Manager)
