SVG Under-23 Footballers ready for battle

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Under-23 footballers will from this Sunday go in search of that lone place from Group E to advance to the next phase of the Olympic Qualifiers.

The local lads play Dominica from 7:00 pm at the newly refurbished Victoria Park in the second match of the double header.{{more}}

Starting off this phase from 6:00 p.m. will be the Grenada versus St.Lucia match up.

On Tuesday, the home team play St.Lucia, also from 7:00 p.m., with Dominica and Grenada slated for battle two hours earlier.

The final round is set for next Thursday, when Dominica meet St. Lucia from 5:00 p.m., followed by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines against Grenada match up from 7:00 p.m..

The final eighteen players to carry the hopes of the host nation are expected to be named today by Technical Director Zoran Vranes and his coaching staff.

From last Monday, the local squad fine-tuned their preparations with a camp at the Central Leeward town of Layou.

The squad reduced to 20, read Dwayne Sandy, Winslow Mc Dowall, Danny Allen, Seinard Bowens, Jabneel Springer, Theon Gordon, Chester Morgan, Cornelius Stewart, Thaddeus Velox, Amon Bascombe, Keith James, Lindon Simon, Romano Snagg, Millon Prescott, Kevin Creese, Kevin Abraham, Richard Hayde, Glenford Ashton, Norrell George and Damal Francis.

George and Francis rejoined the squad on Wednesday, after spending one week of try outs in Trinidad and Tobago with Joe Public.

Three reserves Emrald George, Anthony Medica and Shermol Trimmingham were also named.

The home team expects its biggest challenge from Grenada who warmed up last weekend with a two match series at home versus Barbados.

Grenada triumphed, 2-0, last Sunday over the Barbadians, following a 1-1 tie in their first encounter.

The Vincentians had an outing in Trinidad and Tobago last May versus the Mexican Under-23 team and Haiti in the Digicel Shield Invitational.

Last July, the Vincentians warmed up successfully against the Christopher Newport University team here on home soil.

The winner of each of the five groups will go forward to the next phase later this month.

Considered a talented bunch of players, the present Under-23 footballers are expected to form the core of this country’s squad for the World Cup Qualifiers to begin earlier next year.(RT)