Aisha Solorzano Receives National Team Call-Up From Home Nation
LAKELAND, Fla.- Another member of the Southeastern University women’s soccer program is going to have the opportunity to represent her home nation on the international stage. Junior forward Aisha Solorzano has received the call-up to the full Guatemala Women’s National Team and will compete in Olympic-qualifying matches over the next week.
“It is always a great honor to be called to represent your country,” shared Southeastern head coach Randy Belli. “Aisha is a tremendous talent and we look forward to watching her compete with Guatemala for a spot in the Olympics.”
Solorzano has previously competed on Guatemala’s U20 Women’s Team.
The junior has totaled 25 goals and 34 assists in 48 career matches at Southeastern, earning First Team NAIA All-American in 2018.
Solorzano and Guatemala will compete in the Central America Group B for a spot in the eight-team field of the 2020 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship. Guatemala is joined in Group B by Honduras and host-nation Panama.
“For an athlete, there is nothing more important that representing your country. For me to wear the jersey of my country fills me with pride,” commented Solorzano. “I’m so happy to return to the national team and with the enough desire to play for the jersey.”
If Guatemala were to advance to the CONCACAF tournament, they would vie for two available spots at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
The countries to have already secured a place in Tokyo are Japan, Brazil, New Zealand, Great Britain, Netherlands, and Sweden.
Nations that have already clinched a berth in the CONCACAF Qualifying Championship are Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Solorzano and Guatemala will first face Honduras on Sunday October 6 at 7:00 p.m. eastern, followed by a showdown with host-nation Panama on Tuesday October 8 at 9:00 p.m. eastern.
Both contests will be played in Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama City.