Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-20 ’Soca Princesses’ begin the Caribbean Under-20 Women’s Final Round tonight when they take on St Kitts-Nevis from seven o’clock in the second match of a double-header at Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.

Opening the tournament will be Jamaica and Cuba, who meet in the first match of the qualifying series at 5 p.m.

Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba and St Kitts-Nevis will vie for three qualifying places into the eight-team CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Qualifiers, which are scheduled for Guatemala in January 2010.

Already in are USA, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

’Our tournament involves the top four teams in the Caribbean, three of which will qualify for Guatemala,’ explained T&T assistant coach Marlon Charles, who expects an especially tough test from the Jamaicans, who swept Trinidad and Tobago in a two-match series in Kingston three months ago.

Since then, the Trinidad and Tobago team has been bosted by the inclusion of four foreign-born players and an additional four who study abroad in the United States.

Coming from England is Karessa Rodney, while cousins Candice and Kareena Seaton were both born in Brooklyn, USA, but have parents with Trinidad and Tobago roots.

Also returning to the national scene is outstanding USA-born left back Taylor Mims, who represented Trinidad and Tobago for the first time in 2008 when T&T were seeking to qualify for the inaugural FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which was held in New Zealand.

Also joining the T&T Under-20 squad are Latifa Kelly, Ria Belgrave, Ayeisha Oliveira and Renel Dennis, who were all born in Trinidad and Tobago but have been studying in the United States.

The locally-based contingent include hard-kicking Karyn ’Baby’ Forbes, her sister and T&T senior team goalkeeper Kamika Forbes, top striker Mariah Shade, Shanice Arthur, Natasha St Louis, Tiana Bateau and Afia Mathias.

Charles, assistant to head coach Jamaal Shabazz, said the team had improved since beginning preparations in August.

He again expects the Jamaicans to be aggressive and the home team’s chief rivals but thinks that Cuba and St Kitts-Nevis are also not to be underestimated.

’We went there (Jamaica), we were not really ready in terms of fitness, but it was a chance to play a good opponent,’ Charles said.

’Since then we have been working with out new technical director Even Pellerud, adopting his philosophy of playing football. So this team is much more ready to do well.’

CARIBBEAN WOMEN’S UNDER-20

FINAL ROUND FIXTURES:

Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya

TODAY

5 p.m.-Cuba vs Jamaica

7 p.m.-Trinidad and Tobago vs St Kitts-Nevis

FRIDAY

5 p.m.-Jamaica vs St Kitts-Nevis

7 p.m.-Trinidad and Tobago vs Cuba

SUNDAY

4 p.m.-St. Kitts-Nevis vs Cuba

6 p.m.-Trinidad and Tobago vs Jamaica