Guatemala (pictured) is in the final stages of preparation for the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship.
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – Guatemala head coach Benjamin Monterroso announced Tuesday his preliminary 21-player roster for the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship, the confederation’s final round of qualifying for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The selection is highlighted by the inclusion of seven players from the side that participated in the 2010 CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying tournament: Daniela Andrade, Kimberly De Leon, Cinthya Lopez, Ana Lucia Martinez, Marilyn Rivera, as well as Monterroso’s daughters – Coralia Monterroso and Maria Monterroso.
"We have a technically good group, tactically applied and mentally strong," Benjamin Monterroso told CONCACAF.com. "It's a young team strengthened with players who are active in leagues of the United States.”
The Guatemalans went a perfect 3-0-0 in Central American qualifying to reach the final round, which will be played October 15-26 in four cities across the United States.
A growing pool of talented players that continues to gain international experience made Monterroso’s player-selection process difficult.
"The country is at a level of transformation and the number of girls playing football has grown greatly,” he said. “We are excited about the team we have built.”
Guatemala will open its campaign against Group A rival Haiti (October 15 in Kansas City), before facing the United States (October 17 in Bridgeview, Illinois) and Caribbean champion Trinidad & Tobago (October 20 in Washington, D.C.).
Though Monterroso knows the task ahead will be difficult, he’s setting his sights high.
"The level of play in the region has increased from the last qualifying tournament to this," analyzed the 62-year-old. “The first step is to position ourselves in the top two spots in our group and then look to advance to the final.”
GUATEMALA WOMEN’S ROSTER
(Pre-2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship roster as announced by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala on September 30, 2014)
GOALKEEPERS: Yoselin Noemy Franco, Katherine López, Alicia Navas
DEFENDERS: Gloria Aguilar, Daniela Andrade, Londy Waleska Barrios, Kellin Yuvitza Mayen, Coralia Monterroso
MIDFIELDERS: Jeniffer Barrios, Melany Cayetano, Mía Espino, Cinthya López, Vilma López, Christian Recinos, Marilyn Rivera
FORWARDS: Alida Argueta, Diana Barrera, Kimberly De León, Ana Lucía Martínez, Amanda Monterroso, Aisha Solórzano
* Rosters are only official once they have been confirmed and published by CONCACAF.
