Bermuda women’s captain Eva Frazzoni cannot wait to play before her home crowd as the Lady Gombey Warriors face Dominican Republic in their opening Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup qualifying match at Flora Duffy Stadium tonight.

After helping to bring home a gold medal at the Island Games in Guernsey this summer, the AFC Sudbury midfielder is eager to help her team to a win on her return to the island.

“We’re coming out of a great summer and the team is very unified and ready to go,’’ said Frazzoni, speaking just after the team’s final training session last night.

“We’re buzzing to play in front of a home crowd. There’s nothing like it so we’re trying to live in the moment, not to look too far and work on knowing what it’s going to take tomorrow.

“We know it’s going to take our absolute best and we’re playing for each other, playing for everyone here and we’re ready to go.

“The Dominican Republic are very experienced and we’re not naive to the fact that we’ve already lost to them, but that’s only adding fuel to our bellies.

“They are going to be quick and technical but we’ll make them play to our game.

Despite the success at the Island Games, Frazzoni is well aware that the competition kicks up a notch against seasoned rivals.

“Dominican Republic are going to be a different level,” she said. “There are a lot of talented countries in Concacaf. Island Games was challenging for us but this is a higher level, which means we have to step up.

“It’s going to be exciting and I encourage everyone to come out and watch us play. Women’s football is growing around the world and we need that twelfth man. We hope it’s going to be an absolute best atmosphere.

Coach Naquita Robinson is aware her squad are in a buoyant mood but expects her latest opponents to be more astute tactically and technically.

“These girls are in a fantastic space and they’re looking forward to the game” Robinson said.

“We had a great Island Games, which is where we actually prepared for these matches. I’ve had the opportunity to work with these guys for quite some time now and most of these girls have been together for years, so it’s been very good in getting them in the space that they need to be in to play this match tomorrow.

“I would anticipate that the Dominicans will be a lot more technical in the sense that they’re going to play a lot like us.

Bermuda head into the match without the free-scoring LeiLanni Nesbeth, who is not available because of a combination of commitments at Florida State University and recuperating from injury.

“We’ll definitely miss her,” Robinson said.

“LeiLanni is a huge asset and unfortunately we don’t have her, but we have players that were not at the Island Games that will bring maybe not as much as LeiLanni, but not much less.

“While we have lost one very key player, we picked up three or four players that will make up for that loss to an extent. All 23 players are ready to go and to put on a good show for the home crowd.”