Barbados’ Under-17 football team were scheduled to have their first match last night against the United States Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU)?Qualifying Tournament in St Kitts.
The young Bajan Tridents were due to play Grenada on Sunday but the Spice Boyz withdrew from the tournament at the last moment, leaving just three teams to contest the Group 5 qualifiers.
Hosts St Kitts blanked the United States Virgin Islands on Sunday and will have their final match against the Barbadians tomorrow night.
Barbados qualified for the CONCACAF final round play-offs last February in Jamaica but were eliminated by Honduras and Canada, who went on to the 2011 Under-17 World Cup in Mexico.
Should Barbados win the group in St Kitts, they would qualify for the 12-team CONCACAF play-offs scheduled for Panama in April next year.
Four teams from the region will then advance to the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup finals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in October.
Prior to the departure of the Barbados team to Basseterre last Friday, the management and players were given a positive send-off by corporate supporters and well-wishers.
The squad was presented with training shirts by United Insurance and team manager Dave Small assured marketing manager Sharron Alleyne-Elcock that the assistance would be put to good use and the team would do Barbados proud.
Squad: Ramar Millar (captain), Ranaldo Bailey, Shakille Belle, Andre Blackman, Shaquille Boyce, Rosean Brathwaite, Damian Clarke, Rasheed Clarke, Len Ross-Davis, Keon Harding, Carl Hinkson, Sebastian Hunte, T’Shane Lorde, Timothy Maynard, Rishi Panjwani, Ocean Sobers, Javon Taylor and Niko Terho.
Management team: Kenville Layne (coach), Dave Small (manager), Albert Mapp (assistant coach), Barry Taylor (assistant manager), Nicola Yarde (medic) and Gregory Clarke.
