St. John’s Antigua- National and Antigua Barracuda FC striker Peter “Big Pete” Byers is confident that the country’s lone professional outfit will do well in back-to-back matches against the Charlotte Eagles in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Pro Division starting today.

Barracuda will host Eagles at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds in the opening fixture of a double-header before returning to the grounds on Saturday for another showdown.

Byers, who left the ‘Cudas at the midway point last season for the Los Angeles Blues where he played out the 2011 season, is also relishing the opportunity to redeem himself following missed penalties against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds almost three weeks ago.

“I don’t think, I know so because I know we are working hard and waiting and willing to be playing this weekend and come out victorious like we always think we can do. I was going through some bad times, as I am sure everyone saw where my finishing wasn’t 100 per cent,” he said.

“I was doing a lot of good movements but not getting my finishing right so I have been training hard, working on my finishing and everything so I am just waiting for this weekend to come to show everyone that I am still Peter Byers and still the player that can score all these goals.”

The forward has thanked his teammates for rallying around him as he had lost some confidence in his own ability.

“In the beginning (I) was taking it on, but you have got to be a man. It is already gone, so I put that behind me and I’m working on my future and the team for the upcoming matches and scoring some goals to show everyone that I still can score goals, not because I missed penalties,” the player said.

“My teammates know who I am, know the type of football I can play, the type of person that I am and know I can do the job. So everybody has been behind me 100 per cent and even after I missed the penalty the guys were telling me don’t worry about that,” Byers added.

Matches will start at 7 pm on both days and carry an admission fee of $20 per adult and $10 per child.

Following their consecutive stints over the weekend, Barracuda will travel to Wilmington where they will take on the Wilmington Hammerheads at the Legion Stadium on May 2 before battling Charleston Battery on May 4 at the Blackbaud Stadium

The ‘Cudas will return home on May 11 when they tackle Orlando City at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds.