Sports
March 31, 2006
Tough grouping for Vincy Heat

Vincentian Senior footballers, affectionately dubbed ‘Vincy Heat’ over recent years, will be trying to go beyond the preliminary round of the Digicel Men’s Senior Qualifying competition.

That Group will be staged in Jamaica September 26 to 30. The Vincentian ballers will tackle host Jamaica, Haiti, and St. Lucia.{{more}}

Two will advance to quarterfinal.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines hosted a Group in the last preliminary rounds in 2004. The Vincentians and British Virgin Islands progressed to the next stage only to be eliminated.

Vincy Heat faces a trio whose rankings on FIFA listings show the defending champions Jamaica in 45th position, Haiti -103rd, St.Lucia- 129th. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is 133rd.

Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba and Barbados battled for three places to the 2005 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba eventually advanced to the Final, which USA won over Panama.

Under 20 players will also be engaged in a qualifying competition slated for St. Lucia, July 12 to 18. That will include Grenada, Barbados as well as the host.

This nation’s Under 17 lads will also be trying to progress in another qualifying competition carded for Trinidad and Tobago August 14 to 26. The other teams for that championship are yet to be determined.

The Women will not be left out and they will display their skills in a Central America and Caribbean Under 21 qualifying competition set for Cuba. Antigua and Barbuda is expected to join their Vincentian counterparts in a triangular tournament from April 12 to 16.