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A win is the ultimate when the National Football Team of Antigua & Barbuda comes up against Trinidad & Tobago at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, at 4:45 pm.

 

 But the management is also looking to gauge to overall efficacy of the squad, which is preparing for the next round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Antigua & Barbuda is grouped with Guatemala, Jamaica and the USA.

 

“We’re looking for the win,” Team Manager Fernando “Nando” Abraham said. “But we are also looking to see how the players are able to shape up against each other. We have five players from England, and among them are two guys – Dexter Blackstock and Anton Blackwood – who are new to the set-up. We also have one or two other players who did not feature that much in the last outings and we want to look at them and take it from there,” Abraham said.

 

The rest of the England-based players are Justin Cochrane, Marvin McCoy and Kiernan Murtagh.”

 

They have been training alongside goalkeepers Molvin James, Keita DeCastro, Olson Forde and Tahiri Lewis; defenders George “Sowa” Dublin; Luke Blakely; Brian Edwards; Akeem “Leppy” Thomas; Karanjah Mack; Troy Dublin; Gavin Lewis; and Dave Carr.

 

The midfielders are Eugene Kirwan, Quinton Griffith; Lawson “Boy Blue” Robinson; Tamarley “Ziggy” Thomas; Ken Pennyfeather; Kemoi Alexander; Rolston “Lexi” Phoenix; and Jamie “Taliban” Thomas.

 

The strikers are Ranjae Christian; Peter “Big Pete” Byers; Stephan Smith; Kerry “Arab” Skepple’ Randolph “Etty” Burton; Gayson “Bubbler” Gregory; and Lloyd Jeremy.

 

“We want every single person who has the opportunity to come, to come to support the team,” Abraham added.

 

The manager noted that the national team, which is presently ninetieth on the FIFA Coca Cola rankings, is also seeking to better that placement with a victory.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for schoolchildren 11 and older. Children under 10 who are accompanied by an adult will enter free.