Ubiera to Play in Two World Cup Qualifiers
The FIT defender will be reunited with his fellow countrymen in El Salvador for a clash against the Central American country on Friday. He will also be present on Tuesday when Dominican Republic welcomes Suriname to Santo Domingo. “It’s a great honor to represent your country through the sport you love,” Tech head coach Robin Chan said. “We are very happy and proud about his call up. It’s a reflection of the hard work he has put in at Florida Tech. We wish him the best.”
Earlier this summer, Ubiera played in a World Cup first-round qualifying match against Anguilla. He started the contest and contributed to a 4-0 win.
Ubiera’s call up means that he will miss FIT’s season opener against St. Thomas on Thursday and the Panthers’ second regular-season game against Coker on Saturday. With a full squad and plenty of talent, Chan is confident on finding a replacement.
“During a full season, injuries and situations like these always arise,” Chan added. “Those two reasons are why we have so many players. With Francisco playing for his country, it means that somebody else will need to step up and seize an opportunity that otherwise would likely not have been given. I’m sure we have enough talent on our squad to make up for his absence.”
Ubiera will return to Melbourne in time to play in his team’s third game of the season against Wingate on Friday, Sept. 9.
Image Courtesy of Jim Hogue
