DR. IVAN JOSEPH – HEAD COACH
As Guyana prepares to host the Concacaf U20 Women’s Championship this Saturday at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, Head Coach of Guyana’s U20 Women’s team, Dr. Ivan Joseph, said the team is well-prepared and is “not just looking to be competitive but it is our hope and expectation that we will qualify amongst the top two teams and be ready to move on to the next round.”
Guyana has named a 20-person player squad to compete in the Championship including both Guyana and international-based players who have been part of the 2018 CFU Women’s Challenge Series: two Goalkeepers, six Defenders, eight Midfielders and four Forwards. (Guyana u20 Girls Squad – July 2019 – updated)
Dr. Joseph, in an invited comment following the team’s arrival last evening, said among the players are “Brianne Desa and Jade Vyfhuis that are some solid players and contributors to our programme here at the U20 level as well as some up and coming newcomers that you’ll see.” The other players, he added, will also be looking to make a contribution.
He said the coaching staff is happy to be back in Guyana and for Guyana to be host to this tournament against the backdrop of the “excitement of the Gold Cup.” Among the nine (9)-member coaching staff are two current players from the Senior Women’s National Team, commonly known as the “Lady Jaguars”, Kayla De Souza and Brittany Persaud.
While encampment officially begins today, Dr. Joseph is hopeful that the team camaraderie will be established and “the team will be ready to compete.”
The Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Qualifiers will be held from the 13th – 21st July. Guyana has been placed in Group A along with Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda, Suriname and St. Lucia.
Two matches will be held daily as follows:
13th July – Suriname vs St. Lucia @ 19:00hrs | Guyana vs Bermuda @ 21:30hrs
15th July – St. Lucia vs Bermuda @ 18:00hrs | Antigua and Barbuda vs Guyana @ 20:30hrs
17th July – Antigua and Barbuda vs St. Lucia @ 18:00hrs | Burmuda vs Suriname @ 20:30hrs
19th July – Suriname vs Antigua and Barbuda @ 18:00hrs | St. Lucia vs Guyana @ 20:30hrs
21st July – Guyana vs Suriname @ 16:00hrs | Antigua and Barbuda vs Bermuda @ 18:30hrs
The participating teams have begun arriving last evening with St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda arriving today.
Admission to all matches will be free of charge.