Charleston Battery defenders AJ Paterson and Benji Ettienne have been recalled to the Grenada Men’s National Team for the country’s upcoming group stage matches in the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League.
Paterson and Ettienne will be with the Spice Boys for two games against El Salvador and one against the United States, the defending Nations League champions. They will play away and home against La Azul y Blanco on June 4 and 7, respectively. Grenada will then face the Stars and Stripes on June 10 at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.
The Nations League involves all Concacaf member nations and carries implications for qualifying for the 2023 Gold Cup. There are three tiers, League A, B, and C, and Grenada compete in Group D of League A.
“It’s an honor to be selected to represent Grenada again,” said Paterson. “The two teams we’re facing this window are great sides with quality players, but this is another opportunity to showcase the talent we have as well.”
The 26-year-old has made 16 appearances for the Spice Boys. Paterson captained the side in the 2019 Nations League as they clinched their group with a 3-2 win against Belize in the final round of contests. He previously competed for Grenada in the 2021 Gold Cup.
“It’s always an honor and a privilege to join the national team,” said Ettienne. “Getting called up is another opportunity for me to gain experience and be a part of the history of my country. AJ has helped me a lot to grow my game with his guidance and words of wisdom, I hope to implement everything he taught me during these matches.”
Most recently, Ettienne represented Grenada in Europe during friendlies against Gibraltar and Andorra, playing a full 90 minutes in both matches. The games against the UEFA members were Grenada’s first-ever outside the Concacaf region. The 19-year-old has earned seven caps with the Spice Boys in his international career.
Grenada will have one remaining group stage match after this window when they host the U.S. in March 2023.
The Spice Boys are guaranteed entry into the preliminary qualification rounds for the 2023 Gold Cup by being members of League A, but they can secure full qualification with a first or second place finish in their group and avoid relegation into League B. After four home-and-away matches for each country, the four group winners advance to the knockout stage in June 2023.
Both defenders are looking forward to competing for their country on the international stage and building upon Grenada’s recent strong performances.
“Something about the team that won our group in 2019 was our mentality and camaraderie, we went out there and fought every single match no matter how stacked the odds were against us,” said Paterson. “I think we showed that in our Gold Cup campaign in 2021, too. Regardless of the opposition or results, we played our hearts out and will always do so.
“That determination is something we will use to our advantage in the upcoming fixtures against El Salvador and the United States.”
“Moments like these are heartwarming, I hope to give my absolute best to make Grenada proud against El Salvador and the U.S. with good performances in the tournament,” said Ettienne. “I’m also looking forward to meeting up with my friends and teammates from Grenada again since it’s been a while since we played together.”
Paterson and Ettienne are scheduled to return on June 11, the same day the Battery face Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at Patriots Point.
Fans can watch the Spice Boys via Paramount+ for the June 4 and June 7 matches against El Salvador, and via ESPN+/UniMás/TUDN for the June 10 match against the United States.
