Coach Thiago Cunha is pleased with the commitment and effort he saw from Cayman women’s Under-20 team who went out of the World Cup qualifiers earlier this month in Dominican Republic.
Cayman drew with the hosts 0-0 but lost to Jamaica 2-0 and table toppers Haiti 3-0. Nevertheless, Cunha was impressed with his young side, average age only 16.
“I think they did very well,” he said. “We have a very young team. Most of them can play in the next World Cup qualifiers in two years’ time. I’m sure that if they can work harder they can do very well in the next stage. We did very well because we reached the final stage and played tough teams who were more experienced and mature than us.
“I’m sure that in the next tournament they can do better. Most of our players played superbly. We had a little problem with the shape of the team but it was not a big problem. Losing Shanice Montieth in the first game against Dominican Republic didn’t help. She got a straight red card for elbowing a girl and didn’t play in the other two games. We also didn’t have Alyssa Chin who was injured who is one of our best players. But that is a part of life and we will keep going.
“The thing the girls got most out of it was that they could see the levels that Jamaica and Haiti play. In the next tournament, most of the Jamaica and Haiti players will not be able to play because they will be too old, but many of our players will still be young enough. Only five of our players have moved on. They know that they have to work harder and maybe put more effort in the gym.”
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