Kallicharan doubles up as T&T U17s top standings with scrappy 3-1 win over BVI

Trinidad and Tobago moved atop Group B today in the 2025 Concacaf U-17 World Cup qualifying tournament with a 3-1 win over the British Virgin Islands (BVI) at the Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica.

However, the young Soca Warriors cannot count on still being ahead on the standings by the next match day on Thursday evening, with hosts Costa Rica expected to cash in on their game in hand.

Costa Rica mauled Sint Maarten 12-0 tonight and will tackle the BVI on Tuesday.

The Trinidad and Tobago U-17s only managed a 1-1 draw in their opening match against Guyana on Friday.

This evening, head coach Shawn Cooper made a tactical overhaul—complete with three new additions—to his starting team to face a BVI outfit that whipped Sint Maarten 4-0, two days ago.

Left back Chaz Williams, right winger Jasai Theophilus and playmaker Dominic Joseph gave way to defender Jimally Renne, forward Josiah Kallicharan and attacking midfielder Caden Trestrail.

Only Joseph’s absence was down to injury, after the Canada-based player was substituted with a calf issue on Friday.

Cooper sacrificed 4-1-4-1 for 3-4-1-2 then, as they went on the offensive and looked to bypass the BVI’s high defensive press. And it worked like a charm from the opening whistle.

Trinidad and Tobago could easily have had five goals in the opening 15 minutes!

Jamaican referee Christopher Mason correctly overruled an item from Phillip Nelson for offside after just five minutes. But, two minutes later, there was no stopping Phillip’s new strike partner, Kallicharan, who scored with a close range header after Trestrail released left wing back Jaydon Caprietta to cross.

Nelson and Kallicharan both missed headed chances in a flurry of offensive action, off crosses from right wing back Talan McMillan and Trestrail respectively. And Trestrail, a Fatima College student, struck the bar with a left footed effort in the ninth minute.

Trinidad and Tobago got their second in the 22nd minute, as the BVI defence couldn’t clear the ball after another Caprietta cross and Trestrail’s shot was deflected in by opposing defender Qu’yl Billingy.

And the rout looked to be on when Nelson outfoxed BVI left back Kyle Farrington and released Kallicharan for Trinidad and Tobago’s third goal in the 26th minute.

Defender Adam ‘Toka’ Pierre almost conjured up the goal of the night with a screamer from just past the halfline in the 42nd minute, which BVI goalkeeper Toby Whiteside turned around his post for a corner.

However, there were signs of concentration lapses at the back for Trinidad and Tobago.

BVI midfielder Luca Stuttard had a free header off a floated free kick in the 33rd minute that he sent wide. Then, seconds after the restart, Stuttard was again found in space off a set piece—but this time was denied by a pair of last ditch interventions by T&T captain Nikosi Foncette and Pierre.

The BVI were creating opportunities with increasing regularity as the game served up an exciting dish of end to end action for the neutrals.

Trestrail was denied by Whiteside at full stretch in the 49th minute. But, five minutes later, Trinidad and Tobago defender Sheridan McNish needed to make a goal line clearance to deny opposing midfielder Sam Sharma—after young custodian Levi Williams inexplicably dropped a free kick by substitute Theo Coombs.

In the 68th minute, Coombs picked out forward Lashawn Gibbs inside the area for a free header, only for the BVI attacker to bungle the chance.

Cooper turned to the substitute’s bench to try and regain momentum and substitute Criston ‘CJ’ Gomez did force a fine save out of Whiteside in the 80th minute while Nelson should have done better off a delicious cross by Theophilus in the dying moments.

But Trinidad and Tobago would not score again. And, in stoppage time, they conceded their second goal of the corner.

Williams had a strong case for a foul by Stuttard as he tried to catch a Farrington corner kick, but Mason was unconvinced and allowed substitute Zeveih Abraham’s opportunistic finish.

At just 14-years-old, the talented Williams is viewed as an important part of Trinidad and Tobago’s future. But he should have been more aggressive in challenging the ball and has now made enough errors to alert the Costa Rica contingent.

Cooper, arguably, faces a big call in regards to retaining the youngster—clearly considered to be the team’s best goalkeeper—or opting for his deputy, Chaguanas North Secondary student Necose Moore, for Thursday’s fixture against Sint Maarten.

Trinidad and Tobago are ahead in the race for the sole Qatar 2025 Fifa U-17 World Cup spot available for the group winners. But there is still a lot of work to be done.

Teams

Trinidad and Tobago (3-4-1-2): 1.Levi Williams (GK); 3.Jimally Renne (17.Quinton John 78), 20.Sheridan McNish, 4.Adam Pierre; 2.Talan McMillan (7.Jasai Theophilus 78), 16.Seth Hadeed, 6.Nikosi Foncette (captain), 5.Jaydon Caprietta (13.Chaz Williams 65); 12.Caden Trestrail; 9.Phillip Nelson, 19.Josiah Kallicharan (8.Criston Gomez 65).

Unused substitutes: 18.Necose Moore (GK), 21.Mikhail Clement (GK), 10.Dominic Joseph, 11.Timothy Valentine, 14.Adasa Richardson, 15.Eran McLeod.

Coach: Shawn Cooper

British Virgin Islands (4-1-4-1): 1.Toby Whiteside (GK); 16.Christian Vanterpool, 2.Qu’yl Billingy, 19.Dashiell Dickens, 5.Kyle Farrington; 12.Luca Stuttard; 10.Blake Kirk (20.Theo Coombs 46), 17.Sam Sharma, 3.Robert Penman, 7.Latriel Wiliams (captain); 9.Lashawn Gibbs (14.Zeveih Abraham 81).

Unused substitutes: 18.Akeem Paddy (GK), 21.Morris Mark III (GK), 6.Marc Tan, 8.Michael-Anson Findlay, 11.Malik Fenton, 13.Roman Nibbs,  15.D’Andre McSheen.

Coach: Felix Percival

Referee: Christopher Mason (Jamaica)

Fifa U-17 World Cup qualifiers

(Sun 9 February 2025)

Trinidad and Tobago 3 (Josiah Kallicharan 7, 26, Qu’yl Billingy OG 22), British Virgin Islands 1 (Zeveih Abraham 90+2) at San Jose;

Costa Rica 12, Sint Maarten 0 at San Jose;

(Fri 7 February 2025)

British Virgin Islands 4 (Sam Sharma 34, Latriel Williams 62, Luca Stuttard 69, 73), Sint Maarten 0 at San Jose.

Trinidad and Tobago 1 (Phillip Nelson 54), Guyana 1 (Joshua Morris 33) at San Jose.

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