By Paul Nicholson in Miami
December 8 – CONCACAF has completed the final draw for the CONCACAF Women’s Championship 2014. The eight team finals, to be played this October, will not only crown a CONCACAF champion but will also qualify three teams for the finals next year in Canada (Canada qualify automatically as hosts) with a fourth team getting a play-off against the third-placed CONMEBOL team.
FIFA and CONCACAF executive committee member Sonia Bien-Aime, speaking at the draw, said that the event marked a greater significance than just the next round of logistics and planning for the senior qualifying women’s teams.
“At CONCACAF the emphasis has been on development,” she said. “We have grassroots programmes specifically for young women; to get females into the game as early as possible through small-sided games, multiple touches of the ball and encouraging creativity to bring young girls back to the field again and again,” said Bien-Aime.
“But CONCACAF development doesn’t stop there.” Bien-Aime pointed to the inaugural U15 girls competition held in the Cayman Islands in August as fulfilling the requirement to get competition for the youngest girls playing.
The clear message was that the pinnacle of the Women’s game is important, but of equal significance in Confederation terms is that this is backed up by real development and competition throughout the region.
“The technique and technical ability throughout our region is at a very high level. Our Under 17 and Under 20 championships have seen players express themselves on the field of play. Young ladies in the region (are using football) to improve their lives,” said Bien-Aimee.
Conducted by US football legends and World Cup winners Michelle Akers (150 games and 105 goals – including both goals in the US final win in 1991) and Tiffany Roberts (110 games), the draw pitched the US in Group A against Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and Haiti. Group B is made up of Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Martinique.
Martinique, not being a full FIFA member, will not be eligible to progress to the semi-finals, leaving the next best team in their group to go through, should they come in the top two.
Games kick off October 15 in Kansas City with group matches played as double headers on consecutive days, rolling through Chicago and Washington DC before the semi-finals and finals on October 26 in Philadelphia.
While the US will undoubtedly be favourites, Bien-Aime warns that the other nations are developing fast. “Watch out for the Caribbean,” she come from Turks and Caicos, “you will be surprised how good they are.”
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