Vincy Heat ready to face Grenada this Sunday

St. Vincent and the Grenadines faces Grenada this Sunday at the Arnos Vale Playing Field in their Group E second round fixture of the CONCACAF Qualifiers of the 2014 World Cup.{{more}}

Sunday’s match, which kicks off at 3 pm, is crucial for both teams, as they are coming off losses in their first outings on September 2.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines went under to Guatemala 4-0 in Guatemala City, while Grenada lost out to Belize 3-0 in St. George’s.

However, Technical Director and Head Coach of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines team Colwyn Rowe is confident of a win come Sunday.

“I am confident we will win on Sunday. We are ready,”, Rowe told SEARCHLIGHT last Tuesday afternoon, following a two-hour work out at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Rowe said that following last Sunday’s warm up friendly versus Dominica, which the Vincentians won 1-0, he was able to see and address the areas of concern.

The TD, although cognizant of the difference between Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines on FIFA’s latest rankings, Rowe was bold enough to say: , “We will beat them.”

According to FIFA’s August rankings, Grenada is placed at 118th in the world, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines forty places behind at 158th.

“When I saw what Dominica had to offer us last Sunday, and they are ranked higher than we in FIFA, I know that we can be the best among the small islands in the next two years, but I am expecting a better fight from the Grenadians on Sunday,” Rowe said.

The only occasions on which St. Vincent and the Grenadines has beaten teams ranked above it in World Cup Qualifiers was in 2004, when Vincy Heat beat Nicaragua 4-1, and St. Kitts and Nevis 1-0 here in St. Vincent and 4-0 in their away match in Bassetterre.

The wins against the Kittians were the first points earned by this country in the group stages of the CONCACAF / World Cup Qualifiers, having gone pointless in 1992,1996 and 2000.

The home side will be bolstered this Sunday by the return of the speedy Cornelius Stewart, who missed the Guatemala trip, as he was away in Finland on trial with a club there.

Rowe said that there are some injury concerns among his charges, but thinks everyone will be fit to take on Grenada, and give St. Vincent and the Grenadines its first points in this campaign.

Rowe revealed that recalled defender Cornelius Huggins, who also shares the Assistant Coach’s position, but who had to sit out last Sunday’s match because of a niggling injury, should be ready to marshal the team.

“Again, I must say it is a young team, and we need someone like Cornie (Huggins) out there to add some experience,” Rowe stated.

Following this Sunday’s encounter with Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines hosts Guatemala in the return leg on Friday, October 7. Four days later, the Vincentians meet Grenada in Grenada.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines plays its home match against Belize November 7, and its away match against the Belizeans November 11.

Rowe said that whatever the outcome of this World Cup sojourn, the team should be kept together, have regular camps and engage in friendly internationals, especially on the FIFA dates. (RT)