Frazzoni On Football, Concacaf Match & More
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Eva Frazzoni, the Bermuda women’s football captain, insists the “job is only half done” as they target maximum points from their first fixture window in the Concacaf W Gold Cup qualifiers.
Frazzoni has described the team’s 2-0 win at home to the Dominican Republic in their group opener on Friday as the most important of her international career.
However, she believes it will mean nothing if they slip up against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in Kingstown tonight.
Bermuda must top group C of League B to advance to the play-off round as they bid to reach the inaugural W Gold Cup, which will feature 12 teams from February 20 to March 10.
“There were massive positives to take from beating the Dominican Republic, but there’s still plenty of room to grow, and that’s exciting,” Frazzoni told Bernews.
“We’re switching to our second gear because the job is far from done.
“We’re very aware of that. The goal is to get six points from this first window.”
The midfielder believes playing five matches in six days at the NatWest International Island Games in Guernsey last summer, where the team won gold, was perfect preparation for their qualifying campaign.
“Winning gold at the Island Games has given us a lot of confidence going into the qualifiers,” she said.
“The Games enabled us to create a bond on and off the field, which was also part of the goal.
“It played a tremendous role in Friday’s win. It’s only been a few months since we last played, not two years, which is often the case, and that’s been a huge benefit.”
Although Bermuda will miss several key players tonight through injury and club commitments, Frazzoni has pinpointed the importance of having quality players in the squad capable of doing the job when called upon.
“We’re not just relying on eleven players,” she said. “We have players who can step in.
“You’re always going to have players with college and club commitments, and that’s why you need squad depth.
“It also creates a competitive environment in the squad. We all know we have to perform because other players can come in and do the job. We have a bond and fire within the team.”
Frazzoni has enjoyed an impressive start to the season at her new club AFC Sudbury in England. She scored her first goal for the club in a 3-1 away defeat at Cardiff City in the FA Women’s National League Cup last month.
“I’ve settled in well at AFC Sudbury,” she added. “My main goal was making sure I was fit for Bermuda. I’m playing a much bigger role for AFC Sudbury [than she was at Hashtag United Women last season].”
