United States national team heads for St. Kitts

Friday, November 14, 2003

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: The U.S. Under-23 Men's National Soccer Team, which gathered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where they have been training for four days, is expected to arrive in St. Kitts on Thursday night, according to Sports Network.

Head coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick has announced an 18-player roster for the team's second round CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying playoff versus St. Kitts & Nevis this weekend.

The first match of the home-and-home series will be played on Saturday (Nov. 15) at 7 p.m. in Basseterre, St. Kitts, with the USA's home leg to be played on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland, at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern Time).

According to Sports Network, leading the U.S. roster is a host of young MLS stars. A pair of possible MLS Rookie of the Year finalists also made the squad.

The eight teams who advance out of the second round will head to Guadalajara, Mexico from February 2-12, 2004, to compete in two groups of four, with the top two teams in each group earning a spot in the single elimination semifinals. The two finalists of the 2003 CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament will receive the confederation's two automatic berths for Athens 2004. 

In an all out effort to ensure thousands of Kittitians, Nevisians and Caribbean football fans witness the historic Olympic qualifier, St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association President, Mr. Peter Jenkins has announced that Universal Airlines, which operates a weekly charter to St Kitts from JFK in New York, has agreed to a special fare.

Universal leaves JFK International for St. Kitts on November 14th and returns to New York on November 16th at a cost of US$346.

Football fans who want to travel to New York to see the away game in Maryland on November 19th can travel to New York on November 16th and return to St. Kitts on November 21st at a cost of US$392.

LIAT - the Caribbean Airline - has also introduced a special fare from Anguilla, Antigua, St. Maarten and Tortola for only EC$134.00 and from St. Thomas and St. Croix for EC$270.00.

"The SKNFA is heartened by the very cheap fare made available by LIAT to facilitate as many persons as possible coming to St. Kitts for the St. Kitts/Nevis vs USA Olympic qualifier on November 15th," said Jenkins.

He also announced that six hotels in St. Kitts are offering special hotel rates to facilitate persons who wish to come to St. Kitts.

Mr. Jenkins said Timothy Beach, Frigate Bay Beach Resort, Gateway Inn, The Angelus and Rex Papillion have all offered special rates for those persons from the United States and the neighboring Islands wishing to come to St. Kitts for the game.

He said that the offer by the six hotels when added to the rates quoted by LIAT for travel to St. Kitts make it very affordable for fans in the neighbouring islands to watch the game.

"The St. Kitts-Nevis Football is making every effort to make this event a Caribbean event and so every effort is been made to facilitate persons in the Caribbean to come to St. Kitts for the event," said Jenkins.

He said Marketing Sub-committee member Mr. Veron Springer has concluded a promotional tour of St. Maarten/St. Martin, Tortola, St. Thomas, St. Croix, Antigua and Anguilla.

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