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Fri, Mar

U-20 Soca Warriors in must win match.
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This country’s Under-20 Soca Warriors will be going all out for nothing less than all three points when they face off with table toppers Panama in their penultimate Group A encounter in the Concacaf Under-20 Championship at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, Jamaica from 4 pm (TT time) today.


Panama will be obvious favourites, not only because they have played unbeaten so far to lead the table with maximum nine points, but also having defeated T&T’s Under-17s comprising several of the players on the current T&T U-20 side, when both teams met at the 2013 Concacaf Under-17 qualifiers in Panama City.

The Central Americans were 4-2 winners on that day and the result sealed their qualification for the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

In the T&T squad back then were several players who will be taking the field today including skipper Shannon Gomez, Akeem Garcia, Matthew Woo Ling, Brendon Creed, Aikim Andrews, Johan Welch, Martieon Watson, Levi Garcia, Maurice Ford and Jabari Mitchell.

Panama needs to win to maintain their chances of securing an automatic berth to the FIFA Under 20 World Cup as second placed Guatemala (seven points) is almost certain to defeat Aruba to set up a gripper on the final match day between the two Central American teams.

But T&T, fourth on four points, has other plans and they know that any hopes of securing one of the playoff spots will rely on them securing a win and Gomez wants to turn the tables for the loss to Panama in 2012 when he received a second-half red card.

“It’s all or nothing for us tomorrow. We came here saying we’d play every game as if it’s a final and it’s no different this time. We have to give everything because the dream could be over without a win,” Gomez said.

T&T will go into the game with every player available according to head coach Derek King.

“Everybody’s fit and available. That’s crucial for us. We spent the last couple days recovering and also readying ourselves for what may well be the toughest game for us up to this point.

The boys were disappointed with the Guatemala loss but we’ve showed we can play well and get results. We just need to make sure on the day from here on,” King said. Guatemala faces Aruba and USA tackles Jamaica in the two matches to follow at the Montego Bay Sports Complex.