In four days Belize will be on the world stage. That’s when our national football selection will face Mexico in round 2 of the 2010 World Cup qualifying matches. It will be our home game but it will be played at the Reliant Stadium in Houston and the stakes are high. Win lose or draw – the team made and will make history by playing Mexico. The game is Sunday but they leave Belize tomorrow. Their final practice was today and since we’ve been with them along the way – we returned to the Football Federation of Belize’s headquarters in Belmopan today for their final practice before Sunday’s showdown. Keith Swift reports.[Players in Circle Playing]
And after prayer it was 60 minutes of intense speed and agility routines in preparation for Sunday’s big game in Houston, Texas.
Harrison Roches, National Football Selection
“We’ve worked for the last three to four months together. The team is prepared to confront Mexico for this big game Sunday.”
But those are just numbers to 22 year old Ian Gaynair and 20 year old Danny Jimenez. They are preparing for the biggest game of their lives and it is a moment they intend to seize.
Daniel Jimenez, National Football Selection“This is our opportunity to show the world what Belize is made of and the kind of talent that exists in Belize and I think this opportunity might only come once in a lifetime and this team is the team that got this opportunity and I think everyone has it in their head that this is one of the biggest opportunity for us to uplift Belize in the world of football. And I think everyone is going with their minds to win this game Sunday although we know that we are playing a big team. But at the end of the day, it is just 11 against 11 players on the field.”
Ian Gaynair, National Football Selection
“I feel relaxed right now because we play a lot of practice match and we didn’t win most of them but we did pretty well. Mexico did the same thing, they didn’t do good in all they practice matches. I am going there confident like always, we are going to upset the world like what I told you the last time.”
Keith Swift,
Again you will be playing in a big stadium and a big crowd. Are you ready for that?
Ian Gaynair,
“I am prepared for that, will love the camera and love the crowd.”
Daniel Jimenez,
“I don’t really feel nervous, relaxed and thing because the preparation we went through with the coaches from Belize and thing, they prepared we well mentally and physically so I just think it will be another big experience for me in my life as a young player in Belize and getting that kind of exposure in football. I just think it will be something big so I am not nervous. I am anxious to play this game to prove to the world that Belize has talent and that is what I am waiting for. I wish Sunday was tomorrow so that we could get over this game and show Mexico that yes we could beat them.”
And the man hoping to lead them to victory is national team veteran Shane Orio,
Shane Orio, Team Captain“We are very confident and the work that we have done here in Belize, very good one and we have had very good practice matches against Honduras and Costa Rica. To a certain extent yes we lost but we had a positive work so I am very optimistic and thinking it is a 90 minute game that we can win.
I think the first 15 minutes of the game is important and hopefully I will be able to use my experience to cool down the guys because the reality is that most of the guys are not used to playing in front of 50,000 to 60,000 fans compared to our fan base in Belize. So that is our only concern at this moment. We can say that we know the Mexico national team and we are working tactically to get the job done.”
The team is training under a new coach – Ian Mork. He says while Mexico may have us out in speed we make up for it with talent.
Ian Mork, Coach“Ultimately it is going to be the players’ responsibility for them to be on the field and get the job done but up to this point it has been a hard process. I’ve only been here since May 1st and just try to get the group so they are on the same page and so that they have an understanding of how we want to play and the plan is to surprise Mexico. For some of these players it is a chance of a lifetime for them to be on the field at this level. They’ve all played before professionals before but the Mexican players are kind of a step above, especially for Central America and it is a great opportunity.”
Danny Jimenez,
“Once the whole of Belize are with we and support this team, although a lot of people might not like the Federation and thing, but right now it is not about the Federation it is about Belize itself. Let us at least be a Belizean for once in your life.”
Once in your life - because like this sign says, and from the intensity on the field, these players aren’t planning a surrender.
Notably absent from today’s final practice was one of the team’s star player: Deon McCauley. No reason was given why he was absent. He will however be a part of the 21 players who will travel to Houston and they are: Shane Orio as the captain along with Deon McCauley, Victor Morales, Tyrone Pandy, Harrison Tasher, Dennis Serrano, Ryan Simpson, Deris Benavidez, Albert Thurton, Elroy Smith, Bernard Linarez, Trevor Lennon, Carlos Slusher, Harrison Roches, David Trapp, Everal Trapp, Jerome James, Cristobal Gilharry, Ian Gaynair, Daniel Jimenez, and Jerome Serrano.
As for their opponents, well the Mexico selection is just back from shelling Peru 4 nil in a practice match. What’s also news is that Mexico’s goal keeper Oswaldo Sanchez will still play even though he was charged for resisting arrest on Monday in Chicago. He was arrested after the Mexico–Peru test match.