The Turks and Caicos Islands are set to face off against the British Virgin Islands in a Concacaf Nations League match today Monday, October 16, at the TCI field at 4 p.m.
This match is a crucial one for the Turks and Caicos Islands as they aim to revive their bid in the league.
Currently, the Turks and Caicos Islands find themselves at the bottom of Group C in League C without any points. They have played two matches in the league so far, and unfortunately, they were defeated by Dominica and the British Virgin Islands. In their most recent game, they suffered a 0-3 defeat at home against Dominica.
The first encounter between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands, which took place in the British Virgin Islands, ended with a 3-1 victory for the home team. Luka Chalwell scored a brace for the British Virgin Islands, and Troy Ceasar scored the other goal, while Billy Forbes netted a penalty for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Despite the outcome, the stats from that game suggest that the Turks and Caicos Islands were not significantly outplayed. The British Virgin Islands had 52 percent of possession, while the Turks and Caicos Islands had 48 percent. The TCI had one more shot on goal (11) compared to BVI (10). Both teams had three shots on target, with the British Virgin Islands converting all three and the TCI scoring one.
In terms of pass accuracy, both teams were relatively similar, with the British Virgin Islands at 74 percent and the Turks and Caicos Islands at 72 percent. The British Virgin Islands created four corners in that game, while the Turks and Caicos Islands had three.
The upcoming match on Monday marks the start of the return legs in the competition. To keep their chances alive for advancing to the next round, the Turks and Caicos Islands must win by a margin of two clear goals.
The team will rely on key players, including veteran forward Billy Forbes, along with younger strikers such as Junior Paul, Peterson Evariste, and Roguel Aneston. Midfielders Callum Park, Herby Magny, and Raymond Burey, as well as the solid defense provided by goalkeeper Sebastian Turbyfield, and defenders Wildens Delva, Mackenson Cadet, Christopher Louisy, and Kristen Howell, will be crucial to their efforts.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association is hoping for strong support from the fans in the venue to cheer on their team and provide the necessary boost to secure a victory.
The Concacaf Nations League is a tournament that began in November 2017, featuring three tiered leagues (A, B, and C) with four groups in each league. Teams can be promoted or relegated based on their performance within these groups. The group winners of League A enter a knockout competition to determine the champion, while the group winners of Leagues B and C are promoted to the next tier. Relegation occurs for the four teams at the bottom of the groups in Leagues A and B. The tournament also serves as a qualification pathway for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The Group A teams are (League A, Group A) Trinidad & Tobago, Panama, Guatemala, Martinique, Curacao, and El Salvador. League A, Group B comprise Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras, Haiti, Suriname and Grenada.
In League A, Group 1, the two teams facing relegation are Curacao and El Salvador. In League A, Group 2, the teams in danger of relegation are Surname and Grenada.