Head Coach of the British Virgin Islands National Under 20 Football Team, Clinton “Tinnie” Percival, has attributed the recent success achieved in the just concluded CONCACAF Under 20 Championship Qualifiers in Nicaragua, to the preparation that led up to the tournament.
Team BVI finished the competition with a 50 percent win percentage after a tough start, losing to Nicaragua 8-0 and Cuba 2-1, before bouncing back to deliver a 4-3 win against Belize followed by a 3-1 victory over Anguilla.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Percival said the work leading up to the competition enhanced the team’s chemistry, which played a major role in the overall performance displayed in Nicaragua.
The BVI’s lead goal scorer Azarni Callwood ended the tournament with 6 goals, scoring in each of the 3 games that he played.
Callwood spoke about his experience in the tournament.
The BVI Football Association’s Treasurer, Kenrick Grant, credited the improved quality of the team to the development strategy of the football association which came into effect several years ago.
Grant highlighted some of the programmes that have been instrumental to the association’s strategy.
The BVI will now place its focus on the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifier games against the United States Virgin Islands on March 22 and 26 respectively.
Grant noted that while the games will be at the national senior level, some of the players from the under-20 team will feature in the squad.