The Guam national football team has assembled in Chinese Taipei for a brief training camp ahead of next week's final World Cup qualifying match.
The Matao arrived in Taipei on Wednesday and, apart from LA Galaxy defender AJ DeLaGarza, will be at full strength for tomorrow night's friendly match against the Taiwanese national team.
It has been four months since their last international match: a 6-0 home defeat by Iran.
Head coach Gary White said domestic-based players had continued to train in Guam during that time, while he had also been busy keeping tabs on their overseas contingent and scouting new players.
"You can feel a freshness in the vibe in the camp. Everyone is pleased to see each other again. Everybody had a chance to miss each other and miss the programme and when you go in back to back games like we did last year it's tough - especially when they're flying 24 hours just to get into Guam and then it's another set of flying across Asia. With such a small squad like ours it does have its effects so it's been actually a good break as well for players to miss the programme and come in excited and I can definitely feel that difference."
Guam are fourth in their Asian World Cup qualifying group and despite being out of contention for Russia 2018, they are well-placed to secure a berth in the next round of qualifying for the 2019 Asian Cup.
Guam training in Chinese Taipei. Photo: Guam Football Association / Scott McIntyre
