J’Elisha bags hattrick as T&T trounce Dominica 7-0; Canada showdown next

The Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Under-20 Team finished match day two with their second comfortable win of the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship Qualifiers series, as they trounced Dominica 7-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.

But there were mixed feelings at the final whistle. Yes, Trinidad and Tobago have scored 10 goals in the competition so far with none conceded. But their next opponent is: Canada.

And it is a must-win match for the Women Soca Warriors if they are to keep their campaign going.

Trinidad and Tobago have 10 goals from four different scorers in the ongoing qualifiers. Canada, who whipped Bermuda 9-0 tonight in the opening match of a Couva doubleheader, have 31 goals from two matches with none conceded.

And Canada coach Cindy Tye has 12 different goal scorers so far at her disposal so far.

To say the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Under-20 team have an exceedingly difficult task ahead would be an understatement.

Women Warriors head coach Dernelle Mascall stressed, after their win over Bermuda on Friday, that the hosts would take the tournament one game at a time. But she did not mean it.

Tonight, Mascall rested winger Rasheda Archer and withdrew star attacker and captain Orielle Trotman at halftime. Both changes were made with their final group opponent in mind.

“We have a big task ahead of us, so we had to make sure we had some fresh legs going into the last game,” Mascall told Wired868.

Trinidad and Tobago versus Dominica was a foregone conclusion. The question was whether Mascall would use the Caribbean minnows as sparring partners to prepare for their Canada outing. Or if she would use the contest solely as a psychological confidence booster.

“We are up against giants of Concacaf—so dress rehearsal?” asked Mascall, rhetorically. “I would not say that, we took one game at a time and now the task at hand is Canada.”

So, whatever tweaks Mascall has in mind, she would have basically one training session to run it by her players. Almost certainly, it was a case of being damned either way.

The last time that Trinidad and Tobago met Canada in a women’s game came at the 2022 Concacaf W Championship—and Canada cheated.

Disgraced coach Bev Priestman subsequently confessed to using a drone to spy on the training sessions of several opponents, including Trinidad and Tobago.

Priestman was sacked for the offense, with Tye taking her place, but it arguably points to the ruthlessness of the North American nation in situations like this one.

It is unlikely then that Canada, despite having a superior squad, would not also have a plan in mind to nullify Martin and wingers Archer, Ariana Borneo and Mariah Williams.

And whatever the final outcome, the game within a game—Martin’s attempt to pull the tail of Canada’s tigers—should make for intriguing viewing for Trinidad and Tobago football fans.

Dominica, for all their pluck, could not push Trinidad and Tobago.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 12th minute, when Dominica failed to clear a Borneo corner kick and defender Hackeemar Goodridge squeezed the loose ball over the goal line.

Martin got Trinidad and Tobago’s second, five minutes later, with a firm drive that went straight through goalkeeper Galisha Lockhart’s legs.

Then came the J’Elisha Alexander show as the Scarborough Secondary student, who was an unused substitute against Bermuda, scored four times in under an hour.

Alexander showed off her athleticism, shooting power and predatory instinct, as she feasted on the errors of her opponents. It was, apparently, her first proper meal of the day.

In the 71st minute, Alexander had to be stretchered off the field and into the tunnel—only to re-emerge for the post-game press conference. The 2023 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Girls Player of the Year revealed that her health scare came down to not eating properly on match day.

“My fault,” said Alexander.

It was yet another example of the difference in mentality between the two nations that will fight to continue their World Cup journey on Tuesday night.

Mascall took time to smell the roses though, as she savoured last night’s result. After a goalless first half against Bermuda, she urged her charges to put the Dominica game to bed by the interval tonight—and they delivered.

“I am more proud of the girls and the performance tonight,” she said. “They stuck to the game plan and got the result we went for.”

Mascall hopes to give Canada a metaphorical bloody nose on Tuesday.

“We want to be dynamic, as we said before,” she said. “[Our] athleticism is always a good thing and then we have some very tactical players.”

Mascall, like Alexander, was grateful for the crowd support tonight. The official attendance announced was 290 persons, which was nearly 100 persons less than for Friday’s outing.

But those 290 patrons made their voices heard at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

“Thanks for coming out and support us,” said Mascall. “The 12th man will be very important on Tuesday as we play Canada.”

The Women Warriors need all the help they can get against the gifted, macocious North American giants.

(Teams)

Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 21.Zofia Richards (GK); 2.Jada Graham (13.Calypso Ayoung 85), 16.Madison Campbell, 5.Anastasia O’Brien, 3.Hackeemar Goodridge; 12.Gabriel Ramdeen, 6.Cherina Steele; 19.Ariana Borneo (15.Sheneil Findley 46), 10.Orielle Martin (captain) (14.Sumayah Brown 46), 11.Mariah Williams (4.Soleil St Hill 80); 9.J’Eleisha Alexander (20.Natalie Penniston-John 75).

Unused substitutes: 1.Zaira Aimey (GK), 18.Kenisha Taylor (GK), 7.Rasheda Archer, 8.Ty’kaiya Dennis, 17.Mikaela Yearwood.

Coach: Dernelle Mascall.

Dominica (4-3-3): 21.Galisha Lockhart (GK); 4.Kelis Shillingford, 5.Sagirah St Rose, 3.Adaiyah Esprit, 19.Sarahie Stedman; 11.Eden Lander, 20.Selena Lancaster, 17.Chlose Lecointe; 15.Timecia Pierre Louis, 9.Le-myah Forde (captain), 16.Kiyanna Phillip.

Coach: Rosilia Registe.

Referee: Neressa Goldson (Jamaica).

Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship Qualifiers

Group E

(23 February.)

Bermuda 0, Canada 9 (Kaylee Hunter 16, Kierra Blundell 18, Teegan Melenhorst 23, Jeneva Hernandez Gray 46, 58, Ella Kettles 65, 90+2, Annabelle Chukwu 75, 90+3) at Ato Boldon Stadium;

Dominica 0, Trinidad and Tobago 7 (Hackeemar Goodridge 12, Orielle Martin 17, J’Eleisha Alexander 24, 31, 66, 71, Madison Campbell 90+2) at Ato Boldon Stadium;

(21 February)

Canada 22 (Lea La Rouche 3, 27, 31, Kaylee Hunter 7, 22, 45, 54, 60, Sienna Gibson 9, Jadae Collin 11, 76, Ava Greco 35, Annabelle Chukwu 37, 45+2 pen, Kierra Blundell 47, 69, 88, Natelle El Mokbel 65, 75, 90, 90+2 Iba Oching 73), Dominica 0 at Ato Boldon Stadium;

Trinidad and Tobago 3 (Orielle Martin 66, 90 pen, Madison Campbell 77), Bermuda 0 at Ato Boldon Stadium;

Upcoming fixtures

(25 February)

Bermuda v Dominica, 4pm, Ato Boldon Stadium;

Canada v Trinidad and Tobago, 7pm, Ato Boldon Stadium.