VI finish 4th in Caribbean Cup Group Play
In terms of qualification for the next round of qualifying of the Caribbean Cup, the result was irrelevant. The Turks and Caicos are assured third and the VI fourth.
The Group was won by French Guiana who overcame Aruba 2-0 to secure top spot.
Overall Williams was upset with the logistics of the tournament finding it strange they hadn’t even seen the field up until a few hours before the opening game and never had a chance to practice on the Astroturf.
“We never had the opportunity to get on the field before our first game, instead having to find our practice area, which ended up being a dirt field and we even got charged to use the lights!” he said.
As the qualifying rounds for the 2015 Gold Cup got underway on Friday May 30th, 2014, VI faced French Guiana in Group Two, hosted by Aruba and were downed 6-0.
The game played on the Astroturf surface at the Complejo Deportivo Guillermo Prospero Trinidade, Oranjestad, saw the VI concede a first half penalty, but otherwise match their taller and seemingly stronger physically opponents.
However in the second half with a lack of match fitness beginning to show and a spate of minor injuries upsetting the team’s rhtyhm, the VI conceded five more goals and looked a tired, relieved group when the final whistle blew.
The injury problems ahead of Sunday night’s game against the host, Aruba, include Troy Caesar (minor concussion), Gregory James (instep bruising), Joel Fahie (ankle), and Chris Telemaque (groin), Rushedo Robinson (thigh strain).
“We didn’t get any warm up games” lamented Coach Avondale Williams. “The players have been outplayed by height and body strength, we were pushed off the ball too easily, but will learn from this and come back strong.”
The VI did create themselves a few chances and showed that when they got the ball to feet and passed it around, then they were a threat to the opposition.
The VI’s 7-0 defeat by Aruba on Sunday evening in Group two of the Caribbean Cup qualifying tournament was the home side’s biggest ever win in Senior Men’s football dating back to 1955 when they beat Cuba 4-0.
Rensy Barradas, who plies his trade in the Dutch fourth Division, opened the scoring from long range in the first half. 19 year old Annuar Kock made it 2-0 inside 20 minutes firing home past Jasquever Frett inside the near post and minutes later it was 3-0.
The 4th came in the second half following another pacey move down the Aruba left that cut through the VI defense.
A simple over the top ball on the hour mark gave Aruba its 5th goal and two more late goals rounded out the scoring at 7 after Troy Caesar had been shown a red card for a second bookable offense.
“The injuries from the previous game hampered us from the start, some players also found playing another high intensity game so soon after the French Guiana defeat difficult. Aruba were a strong team who had obviously played together more than we had and had brought in some foreign based players to strengthen their ranks. Conceding a couple of soft goals early put us on the back foot and although the players fought hard we just could not get back into the game,” said Williams.
Such were the injury problems faced by the VI team that they had to enlist a local French Physiotherapist to even ensure eleven fit players. Frett in particular, the only Keeper in the squad, received attention to a foot injury that otherwise would have prevented him from playing the second game.
The competition will once again decide several teams that will qualify for CONCACAF’s showpiece event and, on this occasion, one which will obtain an automatic berth to the Centennial America Cup 2016. The champion of the 2015 Gold Cup will then participate in a play-in match against the 2013 champion United States for a spot in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Cuba is the defending champion, capturing it’s first-ever title two years ago by topping Trinidad & Tobago 1-0 in the final. Both sides advanced to the Gold Cup along with Haiti and Martinique.
_Skip_the_Ferry_copy_(2).jpg)
Follow Us On
4 Responses to “VI finish 4th in Caribbean Cup Group Play”