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Trinidad and Tobago started their Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship campaign today with a straightforward but scrappy 2-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda at the CD Jose Wever Stadium in Oranjestad.
The young Soca Warriors got a goal in either half from Aaden Jones and Adasa Richardson to better their regional opponents, who struggled to cope with the tempo and physicality of coach Densill Theobald’s team.
Photo: TTFA Media.
The result moved Trinidad and Tobago, at least temporarily, to the top of Group E in the second tier of the Concacaf tournament, after Bermuda were held goalless by Antigua and Barbuda in the opening round of matches yesterday.
By the end of day, though, Bermuda regained top spot—albeit having played an additional match—as they came from two goals down to defeat Barbados 3-2.
“It was a good way to start—always the best way to start a tournament,” said Theobald. “I was pleased to see how my players responded to what we asked of them.
“We know it was not all smooth sailing to get here, but all in all, we handled the match well with two well-taken goals.”
Trinidad and Tobago were initially scheduled to play Barbados yesterday but had the game postponed due to the inability of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFA) to get the team to Aruba on time.
Even at kick off this morning, Theobald was still shorthanded. Right back Kyen Anderson, a Signal Hill Secondary student, was “bumped off” his flight on Sunday and is yet to arrive in Aruba.
The local football body has not provided an official update on Anderson’s itinerary but Wired868 understands that the Ball Blasters Youth Academy player should travel to Aruba today.
It remains to be seen, then, if Anderson will be available to face Bermuda in tomorrow’s top of the table clash from 11am.
Photo: Dirk Allahar/ BCreative Designs/ Wired868.
If coach Theobald did not make arrangements for Anderson to do physical work during his purgatory, the 15-year-old defender could potentially have gone three days without any physical work—which might also rule him out of extended minutes in tomorrow’s outing.
Today, Trinidad and Tobago arguably did not need Anderson on the field.
It was almost immediately evident that Antigua and Barbuda could not play at a tempo to match the young Soca Warriors. They were not physically up to scratch either, based on the number of times that their players spent being treated by their physiotherapist during the match.
Photo: TTFA Media.
But, on the artificial surface, Theobald’s troops did not look particularly comfortable on the ball either and often resorted to early long punts toward their front three of Richardson, Jeremai Nanton and Jaylon Roberts.
Roberts is nominally a central defender for the Cardinals Football Academy and St Mary’s College, although his club often sent the burly player into the attack to utilise his fierce left foot shot.
Theobald tried that trick too, with Roberts operating as a makeshift centre-forward for roughly 50 minutes. It did not work at all.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Trinidad and Tobago did not exactly carve open Antigua and Barbuda on the ball either—not consistently anyway.
But Adasa Richardson, a Naparima College student and Cox Coaching School attacker, was menacing in possession on the left flank while Samuel Balfour looked inventive when he did get on the ball in advanced positions.
In the 12nd minute, Balfour was found in a pocket of space by captain JaiMarley John and rifled a shot off the bar. Roberts missed a simple chance with the rebound, which might have changed the narrative around his deployment in the front three.
Photo: TTFA Media
Eight minutes later, Balfour turned provider as he slipped a pass to Aaden Jones in space at the edge of the Antigua and Barbuda box. And Jones, the Creek Sports and Cultural Centre attacking midfielder, finished with a trademark cracking strike into the corner.
Richardson nearly doubled Trinidad and Tobago’s lead in the 49th minute, only for his freekick to strike the bar.
And, with the lead still slender at 1-0, the encouraged Antigua and Barbuda team almost conjured up an unlikely equaliser in the 52nd minute—only for substitute Shumba Thomas’ point-blank header, off a Nazeek Williamson corner kick, to deflect off a Trinidad and Tobago defender for another corner.
Richardson also represented his country at the 2025 Concacaf U17 Championship.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Five minutes from regulation time, the Warriors finally got an insurance item. It came in transition with Regan Rowe relaying the ball to Richardson, who stepped inside opposing defender Shadique Gomes to drive a low shot expertly into the far corner.
Theobald used all five of his outfield substitutes in the second half.
After a chaotic week as manager Nigel Roberts tussled with flight challenges, a 2-0 triumph—even without any of the slick ball movement that this crop of players is capable of—might be as good as they could hope for.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
“The win sets us up well in terms of achieving our objective of winning the group—but there is still room for improvement,” said Theobald. “We have to adapt better to the artificial surface, the windy conditions and the small field.
“Now it’s about managing our recovery properly and staying grounded, as we have another match tomorrow and a third one coming quickly on Thursday.”
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-3-3): 1.Christian Telfer (GK); 10.Reagan Rowe, 5.Aden Montano, 3.JaiMarley John (captain), 2.Sebastian James; 17.Aaden Jones, 16.Matthew Lee Young, 12.Samuel Balfour; 7.Jeremai Nanton, 13.Jaylon Roberts, 11.Adasa Richardson.
Substitutes: 18.Levi Williams (GK), 6.Deron Blackman, 8.Ackim Duncan, 9.Kevez Quintero, 14.Oshea Watson, 15.Antoni James.
Unavailable: 4.Kyen Anderson.
Coach: Densill Theobald.
Antigua and Barbuda (4-3-3): 1.Mekhi Phillip (GK); 16.Shamar Walters, 2.Shadique Gomes, 4.Jamil Thomas (captain), 3.Hakeem Musah; 14.Mario Lewis, 6.Jahdante Griffith, 13.Ethan Camacho; 15.Roshan Samuel, 9.Robert Jeffrey, 17.Nazeek Williamson.
Substitutes: 18.Jameir Thomas (GK), 5.K’vonte Lewis, 7.Chace Joseph, 8.Kharique Joseph, 10.Shumba Thomas, 11.Iczjaire Sebastian, 12.Collin Harry.
Coach: Auchland Jarvis.
Referee: Pablo Camacho (Costa Rica).
Photo: TTFA Media.
Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship
(Monday 4 August)
Bermuda 0, Antigua and Barbuda 0 at Oranjestad;
(Tuesday 5 August)
Trinidad and Tobago 2 (Aaden Jones 20, Adasa Richardson 65), Antigua and Barbuda 0 at Oranjestad;
Barbados 2, Bermuda 3 at Oranjestad.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
The messy way with which our soccer is being handled shows how little we care about the game and those who play it. We haven’t even begin to think about the economic potential of soccer in boosting our economy. Let’s make a serious investment in these young players. We are hunting high and low for foreign exchange. The answer maybe in nuturing and producing young soccer talent to export en masse (Brazil/Argentina) to Europe and where ever else it is needed. A benefit for both player, local clubs and governing body. This can go some way in helping to alleviate this problem of finances. We must have a vision though.