Soca Warriors coach, Stephen Harts says T&T's Pool C matches against Guatemala, Cuba and Mexico at this year's Concacaf Gold Cup is a very tricky one.
This was the view of the T&T coach following the draw for the 12-team tournament in Philidelphia on Thursday.
The Soca Warriors will open their Gold Cup against Guatemala in the first match of a Pool C double-header at Soldier Field Stadium, Chicago on July 9 from 7pm.
Up next for the Soca Warriors, who qualified as second placed finishers from the 2014 Caribbean Football Union Cup, after a penalty-kicks loss to host Jamaica will be a clash with Cuba on July 12 at the Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix before closing out round-robin play versus Mexico three days later at the Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte.
Following the draw, Hart who also attended a Concacaf workshop in Philadelphia, said: "This is the sixth Gold Cup I will be involved in. My experience is that on paper versus the field are two different matters. The group must be respected and is a tricky one, especially facing Mexico in the last game," Hart said.
"The opening game is crucial, we must strive for consistency and get into the knock out phase. It is important to prepare well and be in good moments individually and collectively. This is also part of the overall process of preparing for the 2018 World Cup qualification which begins for us in November.
"Between now and July, I will continue have a look at the best available players to make up our squad. The Panama game (March 27 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva) this month will be ideal to provide an opportunity for potential players to fight for selection. Obviously I will continue to scout the leagues so the challenge for players is to strive for consistency.
"I expect the tournament to live up to its usual expectations and of course we will give every effort to ensure our performance is a solid one," Hart added.
The Toyota Stadium in the greater Dallas Metroplex will host the opening on July 7, featuring reigning Gold Cup champion USA gainst the winner of the Honduras vs French Guiana playoff series (March 25 & 28), preceded by Panama vs Haiti to kick off the evening.
Costa Rica leads Group B, which commences the following day in Los Angeles, where the 2014 World Cup quarterfinalists take on Jamaica, followed by El Salvador versus Canada later in the evening at the StubHub Centre. Six-time Gold Cup champion.
The 2015 Gold Cup quarterfinals will be played in Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium and New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, on July 18 and July 19, respectively. The victorious quarterfinalists then move to Atlanta for the semifinals, at the Georgia Dome on July 22, before the tournament's Grand Finale weekend in Philadelphia.
2015 Concacaf Gold Cup
Group A: USA, Haiti, Panama, Honduras/French Guiana winner
Group B: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Canada, Jamaica
Group C: Mexico, T&T, Cuba, Guatemala
July 7 (Toyota Stadium):
Panama vs Haiti, 7pm
USA vs Honduras/French Guiana, 9.30pm
July 8 (Stub Hub Centre):
Costa Rica vs Jamaica, 8pm
El Salvador vs Canada, 10.30ppm
July 9 (Soldier Field, Chicago):
T&T vs Guatemala, 7pm
Mexico vs Cuba, 9.30pm
July 10 (Gillette Stadium):
Honduras/French Guiana vs Panama, 6pm
USA vs Haiti, 8.30pm
July 11 (BBVA Compass Stadium):
Jamaica vs Canada, 6.30pm
Costa Rica vs El Salvador, 9pm
July 12 (University of Phoenix Stadium):
T&T vs Cuba, 6.30pm
Guatemala vs Mexico, 9pm
July 13 (Sporting Park):
Haiti vs Honduras/French Guiana, 7pm
Panama vs USA, 9.30pm
July 14 (BMO Field):
Jamaica vs El Salvador, 6pm
Canada vs Costa Rica, 8.30pm
July 15 (Bank of America Stadium):
Cuba vs Guatemala, 6pm
Mexico vs T&T, 8.30pm
July 18
Quarterfinals:
MT Bank Stadium, 5pm & 8pm
Met Life Stadium, 4.30pm & 7.30pm
July 22:
Semifinals:
Georgia Dome: 6pm & 9pm
July 25:
Third place playoff, PPL Park, 4pm
July 26:
Final, Lincoln Financial Field, 7.30pm