Women take on Anguilla - Bermuda Sun

[Anguillan newsboy]

Women take on Anguilla
Bermuda's under-17 girls take on Anguilla tomorrow as they take the first step towards the World Cup.

The girls arrived in Puerto Rico on Monday for the four-team round robin qualifying tournament. They already have a default win to their name after the Dominican Republic pulled out but need to top the group to be guaranteed qualification to the next stage.

Coach Wendell Furbert, who took his team to watch hosts Puerto Rico beat rivals Anguilla 7-0 on Wednesday, is quietly confident.

"We don't know for sure, as yet, how many teams qualify. Our game plan is to win both matches and then we won't have to worry about it.

"From our first training session in June I was pleasantly surprised by the calibre and ability of the players.

"Puerto Rico are clearly a decent team. Anguilla are very fresh, but I think the women's game is very strong at under-17 level."

Furbert said the under-17s were one of the first generations of female footballers in Bermuda to have played the sport all their lives.

"These are kids that started in organized programmes from the age of five. Some of them have been playing for ten years or more, which is a big factor in their progress.

"You have players in the senior league starting to play for the first time at the age of 25 and it's much tougher.

"We have a good set of players in this squad and I'm quite hopeful that we can get through."

Among the leading lights on the Under 17 team is Lady Cougars star Shabena Crockwell - sister of murdered Boulevard star Shaki Crockwell. Midfielder Shabena is carrying on the family tradition and looks top be a star of the future.

Her team-mate Akilah Berkeley-Bremar, Dandy Stars Shunte Campbell and 15-year-old PHC keeper Camille Simons are also viewed as key players.

"The quality is so good that I'd like to name the whole 18 as my star players," added Furbert.

Bermuda takes on Anguilla today at 7pm and Puerto Rico on Sunday at 4pm.