Canada has first training at Marvin Lee Stadium
Posted on 5 March 2009 in FIFA U-20 World Cup
Listen to coach Tony FonsecaCanada’s men’s U-20 team had its first official training at Marvin Lee Stadium today, one day after the team arrived in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. The team trained in the early afternoon on the artificial turf. Just two days remain before Canada opens its competition at the 2009 CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship at that very stadium.
"It is important that we train on the pitch on which we are going to play," said head coach Tony Fonseca. "The players need a good sense of the field. It is quite different from the ones we have in Canada. It is a little bit shorter and there’s not much rubber on it, so it means we have to adjust. The ball will bounce a lot more and it is a different game."
The CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship opens Friday with group A action on the island of Tobago. Canada’s group begins play on Saturday with Mexico facing Costa Rica at 16.00 and host Trinidad & Tobago facing Canada at 18.00.
Canada will have one day off in between in match. Canada also gets the early time slot in each of its next two matches: 17.00 against Mexico on Monday 9 March and 17.00 against Costa Rica on Wednesday 11 March. Host Trinidad & Tobago will have the late slot both times: 19.00 against Costa Rica on 9 March and 19.00 against Mexico on 11 March.
The opposite group games are being played at Dwight Yorke Stadium. On Friday 6 March, Honduras faces El Salvador at 17.00 and Jamaica faces USA at 19.00. On Sunday 8 March, it is El Salvador against Jamaica at 16.00 and USA against Honduras at 18.00. On Tuesday 10 March, it is Jamaica against Honduras at 17.00 and USA against El Salvador at 19.00.
At the 2009 CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship, the top two teams from each group advance to the 13 March semi final. Those four teams also qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009. The confederation championship continues through to the 15 March final at Marvin Lee Stadium.
