On Tuesday of this week I visited the FFB headquarters to get a first hand look on how the training for the national selection was progressing. To be honest, I did not get to see much, partly because of Mother Nature and because of the fact that an exhibition match was scheduled for later in the day. Currently there are 32 players attending training camp, but I was informed that interested players are still welcome to tryout for positions.
In an exhibition match hosted by Belize on Tuesday at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio, the Belizean selection lost 2-1 to the visiting Deportivo San Benito, a first division team from neighboring Guatemala.
This being their first time together on the playing field, the Belizeans lacked chemistry and played a lousy first half, to put it bluntly. Juan Requena converted a penalty kick in the 43rd minute of play to give Deportivo San Benito the 1-nil lead going into the halftime break.
After making some key substitutions, the Belizean selection showed vast improvement in the second half. Nevertheless, the visitors went up 2-nil in the 63rd minute on a goal by Daniel “El Potro” Gutierrez. Three minutes later, Belize did manage to get on the scoreboard. Edon “Yellowman” Rowley took a shot that hit the crossbar. Following a save by San Benito’s goalkeeper, Belize’s Richard “Cheetie” Jimenez won the race to the ball, which fell in front of the goal line, and scored the goal.
In the return match played earlier today in San Benito, Guatemala, the Belizean selection played to a 1-1 draw after going up early in the match on a goal by Harrison “Cafu” Roches. Team Belize failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities which would have put the game away. Unfortunately for Team Belize, Deportivo San Benito scored the late equalizer.
But the focus was not just about getting the win. Coach Carlos Antonio Viereia was more concerned on form and technique. On a whole, Team Belize showed tremendous improvement.
As the 2007 CONCACAF Nation’s Cup draws near, it is obvious that the Belizean selection needs a lot of work. The main detriment affecting the training is the players’ attendance to the training camp. Most of the players currently attending camp have to get time-off from work, which is proving to be a testing exercise.