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The Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Senior Team remain in contention for a spot at the 2026 Concacaf W Championship, after storming from two goals down to hold Honduras 2-2 at the Estadio Chelato Ucles in Tegucigalpa yesterday night.
The result saw the Women Soca Warriors slip two points behind Group F leaders El Salvador, with one game remaining. Last night, El Salvador mauled Barbados 13-0 in San Salvador to add to their 3-0 dismantling of Honduras last December.
(via TTFA Media.)
Trinidad and Tobago host El Salvador on 17 April and the visitors only need a draw to advance.
Once more, the representatives from the two-island republic are not favourites. However, there was plenty for Soca Warriors fans to appreciate in how coach Damian Briggs’ players went about their work last night.
Composed and patient on the ball and inventive and aggressive at the right ends of the field, the Woman Warriors gave a performance full of character in Tegucigalpa—even though it did not always seem that they would get anything out of the contest.
(via TTFA Media.)
After hogging the ball from virtually the kick off, Trinidad and Tobago went behind to a sensational goal in the ninth minute.
Honduras winger Lesbia Puerto slipped past Trinidad and Tobago left back Ke’die Johnson and, just as the latter’s teammate, Nikita Gosine, closed in, was able to prod the ball to forward Allyson Reed inside the 18-yard box.
And Reed stepped inside opposing midfielder Liana Hinds before lifting a curling effort into the top corner of the net, giving Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Simone Eligon no chance.
It was one of those goals where you had to applaud the execution of the attacking side, rather than fault the defensive work of the victims.
The visitors refused to be ruffled and returned to their passing game, only to be rocked by Reed again in the 21st minute.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
This time, Briggs might want to hold an inquest as to how Honduras left back Evelin Ordonez was able to paralyse the entire Trinidad and Tobago defence as well as goalkeeper Eligon with her low cross.
Reed only needed one touch to bang home her double, before setting off for another dance on the sidelines.
Remarkably, Trinidad and Tobago, buoyed by the addition of overseas-based defenders Emma and Myla Schneider and midfielder Elise Franco, had 73% ball possession at that point. It was a virtually unprecedented display of control away to a Central American nation.
(via TTFA Media.)
Veteran captain Kennya “Yaya” Cordner forced a double save from Honduras goalkeeper Madeline Nieto in the 23rd minute, while attacking midfielder Alexcia Ali flashed an effort wide, in the 39th minute, off a clever diagonal pass from Johnson.
In the 41st minute, Trinidad and Tobago finally got a lifeline. But it was a controversial one.
Honduras defender Izabella Hernandez headed the ball into the earth, as she competently cut out an attack by Cordner. However, the ball ricocheted off the ground and struck her on her raised arm.
(via TTFA Media.)
Canadian referee Myriam Marcotte did not immediately blow her whistle. But Mexican fourth official Priscila Perez signalled to her that something was amiss.
There was no VAR available, but Marcotte consulted with Perez and accepted her advice. Penalty!
Johnson coolly converted the spotkick to halve Honduras’ lead, before the teams went to halftime.
Trinidad and Tobago built on the momentum after the interval.
(via TTFA Media.)
Flanker Aaliyah Prince forced a fine save from Nieto in the 48th minute. And the Honduran goalkeeper was alert again in the 73rd minute, to keep out a snapshot from busy 16-year-old attacker Nikita Gosine.
Honduras were hanging on by their fingernails. In the 86th minute, Gosine broke their grip.
The gifted attacker hurtled towards the line as if to cross with her left boot, and spiky Honduras defender Yensi Ferrara dove in to make the block. But, at the last minute, Gosine feinted and dipped her shoulder to move to her right inside.
(via TTFA Media.)
Ferrara, off-balanced, instinctively stuck out her leg and Gosine tripped over it. It was a clear penalty.
And the Pleasantville Secondary took the crucial kick herself—blasting low, straight to where Nieto was standing, to equalise.
It was a bold finish from the youngster who has all the talent to become a household name in the region, if not Concacaf and beyond.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
At the final whistle, Trinidad and Tobago had taken a point on the road—eliminating Honduras in the process. The manner in which they did it was even more pleasing.
The final stats indicated 69% ball possession to the Women Warriors with 17 shots to five. Trinidad and Tobago had six shots on target, Honduras’ only efforts on target were their two goals, while the host team got one corner for the entire 90 minutes.
Briggs’ team did not look like a collection of talented players. This was a unit that knew their jobs and operated with pleasing fluidity and cohesion.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
They have a tougher test ahead in Port of Spain on 17 April. But Trinidad and Tobago football fans, starved of slick, ball movement by teams in red, white and black, would be advised to come out and watch them.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 1.Simone Eligon (GK); 4.Emma Schneider, 12.Myla Schneider, 6.Victoria Swift, 14.Ke’die Johnson; 7.Liana Hinds, 8.Elise Franco; 11.Aaliyah Prince (22.Kaitlyn Darwent 74), 10.Alexcia Ali (17.Ariana Borneo 74), 9.Nikita Gosine; 19.Kennya Cordner (captain) (13.Gabrielle Williams 74).
Unused substitutes: 18.Malaika Dedier (GK), 21.Akyla Walcott (GK), 2.Javanah Moreno, 3.Lorall Romain, 5.Cicely-Ann Spencer-Wickham, 15.Christa Waterman, 16.Natalia Gosine, 20.Ty’kaiya Dennis, 23.Chrissy Mitchell.
Coach: Damian Briggs.
Honduras (4-2-1-3): 1.Madeline Nieto (GK); 2.Yensi Ferrera, 20.Izanella Hernandez, 4.Barbara Murillo (captain), 18.Evelin Ordonez; 5.Johana Espinal (7.Karla Calix 50), 6.Alexandra Merriam (8.Debora Tobias 64); 10.Larissa Arias (19.Allanys Santos 81); 9.Lesbia Puerto, 22.Allyson Reed, 17.Jazlyn Sanchez.
Unused substitutes: 12.Nathalie Urritia (GK), 21.Maria Jimenez (GK), 3.Sheylia Cortez, 11.Laura Canales, 13.Dennise Madrid, 14.Riccy Hernandez, 15.Susan Henriquez, 16.Caterin Rapalo, 23.Kevin Villalobos.
Coach: Mario Abadia.
Referee: Myriam Marcotte (Canada).
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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.
