All 16 teams in T&T for World Cup

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

The last complement of teams for the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup arrived on Thursday night as the tournament begins to take shape for its kick-off tomorrow.

Five teams - Spain, Ireland, Canada, Mexico and Ghana - all touched down at the Piarco International Airport to begin their final preparations for the 16-team tournament.

The other teams involved in the tournament - Nigeria, Korea DPR, Germany, South Africa, Korea, New Zealand, Venezuela, Japan, Brazil - had all arrived earlier in the week.

Hosts Trinidad and Tobago round out the 16 teams in the September 5-25 competition.

Most of the teams held training sessions at the respective practice grounds on Thursday while Brazil, Venezuela and New Zealand trained yesterday.

T&T, meanwhile, held a training session at the University of T&T Ground in Arima around midday on Thursday while Chile, their opponents tomorrow, trained at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

T&T and Chile will do battle from 5 p.m. (4 p.m. Jamaica time) tomorrow and two hours earlier at the same venue, Korea DPR will face Nigeria.

The action will also get going in Tobago tomorrow at the Dwight Yorke Stadium with Germany facing Mexico from 4 p.m. (3 p.m.) and Korea Republic tacking South Africa from 7 p.m. (6 p.m. Jamaica time).

Meanwhile, organisers of the World Cup were yesterday involved in a frenetic race against time to ensure the readiness of venues for tomorrow's start.

Just days before the start of the September 5-25 tournament, work crews were working tirelessly to have the five stadiums completed.

Matches are scheduled to be played at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva and the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.

"Work is continuing on a 24-hour basis and I'm hoping we reach a stage where we can be happy," said Local Organising Committee deputy CEO Nataki Kerr.