T&T WOMEN STOP GUADELOUPE

T&T WOMEN STOP GUADELOUPE

Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 20 Women secured their second straight win as a hattrick by J’eleisha Alexander spurred them on to a 3-2 victory over Guadeloupe in Group D of the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship qualifiers at Rignaal Jean Francisca Stadium in Curacao on Monday.

Alexander scored the first of her two penalties in the eighth minute to give T&T a 1-0 advantage.

In the 42nd minute, Guadeloupe found the equaliser when Laetitia Echard converted after a goal-mouth scramble. Echard’s first attempt struck the crossbar of T&T goal-keeper Sophia Keel and a follow-up was blocked by a T&T defender. The ball then fell to Echard who found the back of the net on this occasion as the teams were squared 1-1 at half-time.

In the 51st minute, Alexander was on target again from the penalty spot as T&T took a 2-1 lead.

Alexander completed her hat trick when in the 60th minute she tapped home a low cross as T&T went on top 3-1. Sergyna Loubli pulled a goal back for Guadeloupe from the penalty spot in the 84th minute after Keel committed a foul.

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Guadeloupe put the ball in the back of the net with a header in added on time but their celebrations for Guadeloupe were cut short as the goal was ruled offside. After a few more minutes of play the final whistle was blown as T&T clinched their second win in as many matches.

In their opening match on Saturday, T&T defeated the Cayman Islands 3-0 with two goals from Talia Martin and another from Nikita Jackson. Puerto Rico lead the table on goal difference with six points, same as T&T, setting up a group deciding match on Wednesday.

Trinidad and Tobago: 21.Sophia Keel (GK), 19.Jada Graham, 17.Anastasia O’Brien, 3.Cicely-Anne Spencer-Wickham, 5.Kaitlyn Darwent, 14.Cherina Steele, 6.Marley Walker (captain), 10.Orielle Martin, 7.Talia Martin, 9.J’Eleisha Alexander, 11.Mariah Williams.

Substitutes: 1.Mikaela Yearwood (GK), 20.Sadiel Antoine (GK), 2.Jeniecia Benjamin, 4.Kanika Rodriguez, 8.Jessica Harragin, 12.Nikita Jackson, 13.Athena Jackson, 15.Rasheda Archer, 16.Carissa Cowan, 18.Shakira Charles.

Head Coach: Dernelle Mascall

Guadeloupe: 1.Léane Fouineau (GK), 3.Cléhame Assard, 5.Sarane Gustarimac (captain), 14.Horlane Coppry, 20.Cindy Tauliaut, 18.Léa Trefle, 17.Anaelle Jasmin, 13.Malika Moiret, 12.Kenza Valerie, 7.Laetitia Echard, 9.Elsa Marillat.

Substitutes: 16.Séphora Cabarrus (GK), 2.Lincy Morice, 4.Cynly Dyvrande, 6.Sergyna Loubli, 8.Kélise Baral, 10.Mallory Heynegen, 11.Mymithye Bironien, 15.Kellen Saint Marc, 19.Keycha Monchador.

Head Coach: Cédric Monpierre

Referee: Tatiana Guzman (Nicaragua)

T&T will face Puerto Rico on Wednesday at 6 pm. Puerto have been impressive winning their matches 5-0 against Guadeloupe and getting past the Cayman Islands 6-1.

The top team in each of the six groups will advance to the 2023 Concacaf Under-20 Women’s Championships in the Dominican Republic kicking off on May 24.

The top three teams at the championships will qualify for the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

T&T START QUALIFIERS WITH 3-0 WIN OVER CAYMAN ISLANDS

Talia Martin of Speyside High School scored a goal in each half, and USA-based Nikita Jackson of Keller High School in Texas, the other, as T&T Under-20 Women Warriors blanked the Cayman Islands 3-0 in their Group D opener of the Concacaf Women’s Under 20 qualifiers at Rignaal Jean Francisca Stadium, Willemstad, Curacao on Saturday.

Martin opened the scoring for T&T in the 22nd minute but the Dernelle Mascall-coached Under-20 Women Warriors could not make their dominance count and had to settle for the slim lead at the interval.

Jackson, one of five overseas-based players in the T&T squad doubled the advantage in the 66th minute, and two minutes later Martin banged in her second of the match to extend the lead to 3-0, which in the end proved sufficient for the three points.

Speaking after the match, Mascall said she was proud and happy about the effort from the team.

She said, “This being the first game at a Concacaf tournament for most of the girls I must commend their effort. They have been working diligently day-in and day-out in the build-up to this and today (yesterday), we stuck to the plan, and it was a well-deserved victory.

In terms of the group, Mascall stated, “This win puts the team in a very good place heading into our second match (Monday against Guadeloupe), and even more importantly the victory gives the girls some much-needed confidence and again I’m really proud of their effort.”

The win for the Dernelle Mascall-coached young Women Warriors ended a four-match losing streak at the Concacaf Under-20 level for the women, dating back to the 2020 campaign when the Richard Hood-coached team was ousted 4-0 by Mexico in the quarterfinals after beating St Kitts and Nevis 7-0, and the Cayman Islands 2-0, and then losing 7-0 to Haiti in their round-robin group.

Back then, in the main draw round-of-16, T&T which had a best-ever finish of fourth in 2014 via a 7-3 loss in extra-time to Costa Rica in the third-place playoff after a 3-3 draw, and being ahead 3-1 in regulation-time, battled past Puerto Rico 5-4 on penalty-kicks following a 3-3 draw.

The last qualifying campaign in 2022 under the supervision of coach Jason Spence was a disastrous one for the Under-20 Women Warriors as they suffered defeats against Canada (5-0), St Kitts and Nevis (7-2), and El Salvador (3-0) to finish bottom of the round-robin pool, and failed to advance.

In the second match in Group D last night, Puerto Rico registered a 4-0 win over Guadeloupe, while the next round of matches on Monday will see T&T face Guadeloupe at the same venue from 3 pm before closing out pool play against Puerto Rico on Wednesday, April 19 from 6 pm.

In other matches Saturday, Dominican Republic crushed Dominica 14-0; Costa Rica drilled Belize 13-0, and Guyana trashed Suriname 6-0.

Following round-robin play involving 27 teams, the six group winners will advance to the 2023 Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, joining the region’s top two ranked nations, the United States and Mexico.

The 2023 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship is scheduled to take place from May 24 to June 3 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The eight-team competition will qualify its top three finishers (finalists and third-place match winner) for next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

(Teams)

Trinidad and Tobago : 21.Sophia Keel (GK); 2.Jeniecia Benjamin (captain), 17.Anastasia O’Brien, 3.Cicely-Anne Spencer-Wickham, 5.Kaitlyn Darwent; 8.Jessica Harragin, 6.Marley Walker, 10.Orielle Martin; 7.Talia Martin, 9.J’Eleisha Alexander, 15.Rasheda Archer.

Substitutes: 1.Mikaela Yearwood (GK), 20.Sadiel Antoine (GK), 4.Kanika Rodriguez, 11.Mariah Williams, 12.Nikita Jackson, 13.Athena Jackson, 14.Cherina Steele, 16.Carissa Cowan, 18.Shakira Charles, 19.Jada Graham.

HEAD Coach: Dernelle Mascall

Cayman Islands: 12.Safina Reid (GK), 2.Ashley Phinn-Bodden, 4.Isabella Romero, 3.Malia Hydes, 16.Nalani Swan, 5.Kiara Berry, 6.Siena Kelly, 8.Harper Nelson, 10.Molly Kehoe (captain), 17.Liana Williams, 9.Jehnique Russell.

Substitutes: 1.Naomi Wilson (GK), 21.Nailea Lebron, 7.Rio Windsor, 11.Amoya Burton, 13.Ciara Hernandez, 14.Estella Ridley, 15.Samira Mellaneo, 18.Taegen Williams, 19.Milanna Lamontagne, 20.Gileen MacDonald

HEAD Coach: Claudio Garcia

Referee: Amairany Garcia (Mexico)