BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH four matches behind it and two to be played in the near future, the St. Kitts-Nevis World Cup Team will be kicking its on-field strategy into the offensive with the hope of advancing to the next round of the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier games.
St. Kitts-Nevis is one of 24 teams that advanced to the qualifier’s second round and only 12 would advance to the third.
Placed in Group D, team St. Kitts-Nevis has the task of battling St. Lucia, Puerto Rico and Canada in a total of six matches; two against each country, one played on local soil and the other played overseas.
While it won one of the four games already played, the others were drawn.
And with two matches remaining, both against Canada, the St. Kitts-Nevis coach, Clinton Percival, told SKNVibes that they would have to win the last two games if there is any chance of advancing to the third round of the qualifier.
Asked about the team’s strategy in preparation for the October 11 match to be played at Warner Park, Percival explained that while the defensive element of the team’s strategy would remain, an offensive element would be incorporated as a means of increasing the team’s chances of victory.
“…We are now in a must-win situation in order for us to qualify for the next round. Quite obviously, our game would be more on the offensive. We have no choice. Of course, we will have to play with some caution and not throw everything into the wind. We have to protect our goal, but at the end of the day we have to make sure that we score goals. So, we have to be more on the offensive than expected before…
“Yes, we are up against it right now but at the end of the day, I feel as though we have the talent to pull off a victory in St. Kitts and we will see what happens in Canada.”
Percival said he paid keen attention to the team’s performance during the past four games, and its preparative process entering the remaining two would focus on strengthening the individual players’ and the team’s weaknesses.
Coach Percival expressed that the team is confident of victory at the two remaining games, the final of which would be played on November 15 in Canada.
As of today (Nov. 2), the Premier Division of the St. Kitts-Nevis Football Association National League has been suspended to allow the World Cup Team to properly prepare for the upcoming match.
According to information coming from the Association, the league will resume on November 19.
