THE Trinidad and Tobago national under-17 football squad, dubbed “Team 2001”, will hope for an improved performance from 1 o’clock this afternoon when they face Paraguay at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
It is the second meeting between both teams within a six-week span.
Paraguay, who are grouped with Mali, Iran and Costa Rica in Group D for the Fifa Under-17 World Championship, whipped Team 2001 6-1 at home last July.
T&T head coach Rene Simoes, who is in Mexico on international duty with the senior national team, believes that the game will give his team important experience against the South American style of play.
The national under-17 team won its last warm-up match 3-0 against the Antiguan national under-20 team on Saturday evening at today’s venue.
“The victory against Antigua was a very good one,” said Simoes. “I liked what I saw, but there are still some areas we need to work on. Now we go to play against Paraguay and I expect us to play a tough game.
“They are playing much better now.”
Assistant coach Julio Cesar Leal, who led the team against Antigua, will again run the bench in the absence of Simoes.
Team 2001 will also play against Oman in another warm-up match on Friday at 1 p.m.
The afternoon kick-off time should help to prepare the squad for T&T’s opening World Cup match against Croatia from 1 p.m. on September 13 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.