With high expectations, the Cayman under-14 girls’ national football team has been preparing hard for the upcoming Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Challenge Series in Trinidad and Tobago.
The tournament, set to run from 15-24 Aug., will feature 23 member associations across two tiers. Tier I will feature two groups, each comprising four teams, with Tier II containing three groups of five teams each.
The Cayman Islands have been drawn into Tier II, Group C, alongside Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Guyana.
For this tier, a round-robin format will see all teams in each group play one another. This will determine the three group winners, who will then proceed to the Tier II semifinals. The second-place team with the most points across the three groups will also qualify.
The first semifinal will pit the top group winner against this highest-scoring second-place team, with the second- and third-best group winners contesting the other semifinal.
Alexander Gonzalez, head coach of the U14 girls team, told the Compass, “expectations are very high” for the Cayman girls.
“Our goal is to win our group or finish second and guarantee our presence in the semifinals with a chance of winning the championship,” he added.
Preparation for the squad began in late September, steadily increasing from one to three weekly training sessions.
The team recently finished undefeated in the U17 Girls League, a remarkable achievement that Gonzalez said exceeded initial expectations and showcased their talent.
A critical training camp in the Dominican Republic next month, including friendly matches against the Dominican Republic national team and local clubs, is planned to fine-tune their performance ahead of the August competition.
While the final squad is yet to be announced, with selections ongoing through current training and the upcoming overseas camp, Gonzalez highlighted the team’s core strengths.
“Our team stands out for its excellent technical and tactical skills, discipline and commitment. These highly talented girls have demonstrated their talent in every training session and match played so far,” he said.
Introduced in 2018, the CFU Challenge Series is held alternately for boys and girls, with the girl’s editions hosted in 2019, 2021 and 2023.
In the inaugural 2019 series, the Cayman girls notably won their group undefeated when they served as hosts.
The Cayman U14 girls have competed in all editions of this series since its inception, so this year marks the fourth time they’re making an effort to secure the championship title.
Gonzalez views this upcoming tournament as a vital steppingstone for the young athletes, providing invaluable international exposure and experience that will be crucial for their progression towards the CONCACAF U-15 Girls’ Championship next year and future U-17 Girls’ World Cup qualifiers.
Looking at the way ahead, he said, “It is undoubtedly a special opportunity for their development, with an eye toward our future National Team.”
