Trinidad and Tobago’s U-20 Men’s Team will take on Jamaica’s U-20s in three warm-up matches in Trinidad starting this week. The games come as both countries ramp up their preparations for upcoming CONCACAF U-20 Men’s World Cup qualifying opening phase assignments.

According to the TTFA:

The Jamaicans will begin a residential camp here this week while Trinidad and Tobago head coach Brian Haynes is currently overseeing preparations with a 30-man squad. Haynes is expected to have a quota of overseas-based players join his group later this month before finalizing his squad for Group D of the Concacaf qualifiers alongide Canada, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Jamaica will contest Group F with Bermuda, Grenada and Martinique.

T&T and Jamaica will meet in three matches on January 25th, 28th and February 1st. Details on the venues and start times will be released on Monday.

“It’s going to be games against a team from the Caribbean first of all with the kind of play that we’re accustomed to,” Haynes told TTFA Media on Saturday following a training match with Athletic International Academy (AIA) U-20s which his team won 3-1 at Mannie Ramjohn training pitch.

“But at the same time it’s quality games and we are going to have to come with our best effort to show these guys that we can play, not only play, but to win because as far as I’m concerned that’s what is going to bring the crowds to the stadium.

“We are going to work hard and try to win games. I expect these matches to be well contested so that it serves its purpose in this phase of our preparations,” he added.

T&T U-20 Head Coach Brian Haynes addresses his players on Saturday. (Image:TTFA Media)
On the current preparations, Haynes continued, “I’m at a point where I can start to see what the team is going to look like. Everybody is not here as yet but all the players who are here at the moment in Trinidad and Tobago are doing what they are supposed to do,”

” I’ve seen improvements in the defending, into the midfield and when we go forward and as far as I’m concerned all those are things that we still need to sharpen up.

“We haven’t been good on finishing. One goal in a game of ninetey minutes is good so far but we need to improve in getting more goals.”

After round-robin play in the Concacaf qualifying opening round between February 23 and March 2, 2024, the first-place team from each group will advance to the 2024 Concacaf Men’s U-20 Championship, joining the six pre-seeded top-ranked nations.