Friday, October 31 - Port of Spain, Trinidad:  Trinidad & Tobago is in the midst of preparations for the final Group matches of Stage Two of the Digicel Caribbean Championships, which kicks off in Trinidad’s Marvin Lee Stadium on November 5th.

The Group H contest sees hosts and DCC 2007 Runners Up, Trinidad and Tobago, battle for one of the two remaining spots for the DCC Finals next month in Jamaica - along with Antigua & Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis and Guyana - over three days of action in the twin-island Republic.

Trinidad & Tobago Head Coach, Francisco Maturana, announced his 21-man squad for the upcoming DCC Group H matches against Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis and Antigua & Barbuda. 

Recalled to the team is Joe Public defender, Seon Power, who missed the recent match in the World Cup qualification campaign due to injury. Maturana has invited first time call ups Carlon Murray of Clico San Juan Jabloteh, United Petrotrin’s Lyndon Diaz, Defence Force’s Devon Jorsling and Jabloteh striker Lester Peltier.  W Connection midfielder Aurtis Whitley, now recovered from injury, is also in the squad along with current World Cup team members Makan Hislop, Cyd Gray, Marvin Phillip, Aklie Edwards, Khaleem Hyland, Clyde Leon, Anthony Wolfe, Keon Daniel, Andre Toussaint and Chris Birchall.

“We intend to use these upcoming matches in the Digicel Championships to prepare our team in the best possible way for the rest of the matches to follow. We are in the middle of the World Cup qualification and with these three matches against Guyana, Antigua & Barbuda and St. Kitts & Nevis coming up, it gives us the opportunity to get valuable match practice as well as trying to emulate the rest of the teams that have already qualified for the DCC Finals in Jamaica. We definitely want to be in that final tournament where the best of Caribbean football will be on display,” Maturana said.

Jack Warner, President of the Caribbean Football Union, expects this final group contest to set the pace for the DCC Finals in Jamaica next month. “The  Digicel Caribbean  Championships, featuring  the  cream  of regional  football,  will  now hold  the spotlight  since  fans  will be treated,  as usual,  to  a series  of  entertaining  and  exciting matches  as  the  battle  for Caribbean supremacy  will be  renewed.

“We now have the runners up from the last competition – Trinidad and Tobago - facing what I expect will be stern challenges from Antigua/Barbuda, St Kitts/Nevis and Guyana for a chance to play in the region’s most prestigious tournament. The stakes are very high this time also with the top four teams from the Finals next month going on to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2009. As such, I foresee the battle and more so the quality of football to be better than ever before.”

The top two teams from DCC’s Group H will advance to the Finals of the Digicel Caribbean Championships in Jamaica – taking place from December 4 -14 - and compete with Jamaica, Haiti, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Cuba and Barbados.
 
DCC Group H Fixtures
Marvin Lee Stadium – Macoya, Trinidad
November 5 - 9

Wednesday Nov 5:
5PM – Guyana vs. St. Kitts-Nevis
7PM – Trinidad & Tobago vs. Antigua & Barbuda
 
Friday Nov 7:
5PM – Antigua & Barbuda vs. Guyana
7PM – Trinidad & Tobago vs. St. Kitts-Nevi
 
Sunday Nov 9:
5PM – St. Kitts-Nevis vs. Antigua & Barbuda
7PM – Trinidad & Tobago vs. Guyana
 
For match pictures and further information visit www.digicelfootball.com