The Grenada Football Association (GFA) has released its 23 man roster ahead of it’s Concacaf Nations League fixture against the USA on Friday March 24 (8pm) at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium. Head Coach Anthony ‘Nixon’ Modeste has picked a balanced team of youth and experience with nine (9) foreign based players (39%) joining the squad from England and the United States.
Locally based players such as Pure Grenada Cup top scorer, Hurricanes SC’s Kriston Julien (3 SMNT goals) and Paradise FC International’s Joshua Issac (7 SMNT goals) got their call up after recent gruelling friendlies (7 matches) against Barbados, St.Lucia and the La Horquetta Rangers, Trinidad. Experienced goalkeeper Jason Belfon who has been playing in Antigua over the past few months has also been called up joining the other locally based keepers on the team, Jeremy Richardson (Paradise FCI) and Trishawn Thomas (Queens Park Rangers).
Young Benjamin Ettienne who plays with USL team Charleston Battery and Aaron Pierre who has had 15 caps with the national team are in to strengthen the defence.
In choosing the team, Coach Modeste said, “The locally based players worked extremely hard and improved vastly in their physical fitness and technical skills following the friendlies and that made the selection process tough. We know how significant this match will be but the Grenada Senior Men’s Team will not be a walkover.”
In the Concacaf Nations League which started in 2022, Grenada has played three matches in League A, Group D (Grenada, El Salvador, USA) :
June 4-El Salvador 1-3 Grenada- Estadio Custcatlan
June 7-Grenada 2-2 El Salvador- Kirani James Athletics Stadium
June 10-USA 5-0 Grenada- Q 2 Stadium
Following this match, the Senior Men’s National team will focus on Gold Cup qualification in June. Grenada first played the USA on home soil in June 2004 in the preliminary round of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The USA got a late game goal to win 3-2 breaking the 2 all deadlock. The Grenada goal scorers then were Jason Roberts and Ricky ‘Curry’ Charles.
Additional Information: Grenada vs the USA, Friday March 24, 8pm, Kirani James Athletics Stadium.
Tickets:
Lower main stand-$75
Upper main stand- $50
Secondary stand- $40
Bleachers- $25
Ticket outlets:
Go2fete.com- online
Grenadian Optical, Grand Anse
Chucky’s Bar, near the Bus Terminus
Licks n Bites, Gouyave
Shy’s Bar, Victoria
Kalico, Sauteurs
Maxi’s Bar, Grenville
St.David’s Pharmacy
