Women Warriors sizzle at Football Festival

The Trinidad and Tobago national senior women’s team quartet of captain Maylee Attin-Johnson, Kennya “Yaya” Cordner, Ahkeela Mollon and Khadidra Debesette sizzled at UWI’s SPEC ground on Sunday evening at the third annual Wired868 Football Festival in St Augustine.

Photo: Team Wired868 ready for action! (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Team Wired868 ready for action!
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

At the final whistle, “Brent Sancho Invitational XI” stole bragging rights with a narrow 5-4 win over Wired868 thanks to Cordner hattrick and two goals from ex-national team player and MLS striker Darin Lewis.

But then the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) might have to rule on whether some of their players were far too young and lean for a fete match.

Photo: Rasta versus baldhead! Former W Connection and St Lucia star Earl Jean (left) was more than a match for the younger players like WASA defender Akil Harley. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Rasta versus baldhead!
Former W Connection and St Lucia star Earl Jean (left) was more than a match for the younger players like WASA defender Akil Harley.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

At the other end, “Strike Squad” star and Wired868 captain Leonson Lewis again led from the front with a double while Anton Corneal and Mollon also chipped in a goal apiece.

And Mollon’s spanking penalty kick, after a foul on Lewis (L), that flew past 2006 World Cup and 1991 World Youth Cup player and former Caribbean Cup Goalkeeper of the Year, Clayton Ince, was one for the archives.

Photo: Former national youth player and Wired868 goalkeeper Jefferson George looks on the brighter side of life! (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Former national youth player and Wired868 goalkeeper Jefferson George looks on the brighter side of life!
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Festival MC Merere Gonzales and former 2006 World Cup manager Bruce Aanensen also paid moving tributes to former national team managers George Joseph and Richard Braithwaite who both passed away over the last year.

On the field, there were greetings and reunions all over the place as former Trinidad and Tobago national youth and senior defenders from a host of eras exchanged greetings.

Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago international stand-out and Point Fortin Civic coach Reynold Carrington (centre) exchanges greetings with Leonson Lewis (left) and ex-W Connection teammate and St Lucia international star Earl Jean. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Former Trinidad and Tobago international stand-out and Point Fortin Civic coach Reynold Carrington (centre) exchanges greetings with Leonson Lewis (left) and ex-W Connection teammate and St Lucia international star Earl Jean.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Apart from Lewis (L), Mollon and Corneal, the Wired868 line-up included Reynold Carrington, Earl Jean, Chris Durity, Roger Henry, Clyde Leon, Anthony Sherwood and Debesette.

The more youthful Sancho XI included Lewis (D), Cordner, Attin-Johnson, Ince, David Atiba Charles, Conrad Smith, Lorne Joseph, Akil Harley and Dion Sosa.

Photo: The Brent Sancho Invitational XI prepares for kick off in the third annual Wired868 Football Festival on February 1. Sancho was unavailable. We wonder what he was up to? (Actually, he was on family business abroad!) (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: The Brent Sancho Invitational XI prepares for kick off in the third annual Wired868 Football Festival on February 1.
Sancho was unavailable. We wonder what he was up to?
(Actually, he was on family business abroad!)
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Joseph was the Football Festival’s MVP last year while Lewis (L) took the honour at the inaugural competition in 2013. While, in the past two years, the Spirit of Wired868 award went to Sancho in 2013 and sport television presenter James Saunders in 2014.

Lewis (L) and Joseph sparkled again but it was clear that there would be some new faces for the festival’s top individual honours.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago national women's team winger Ahkeela Mollon (left) takes former national youth team midfielder Lorne Joseph for a run! (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago national women’s team winger Ahkeela Mollon (left) takes former national youth team midfielder Lorne Joseph for a run!
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Carrington and Sherwood were as smooth as silk in the Wired868 midfield while Lewis was again the danger-man upfront.


In the orange corner, Attin-Johnson was her usual combination of vision and tenaciousness—although there was the odd smile when she tried, unsuccessfully, to outmuscle Jean.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago national women's team captain Maylee Attin-Johnson met her match with ex-W Connection stand-out Earl Jean. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago national women’s team captain Maylee Attin-Johnson met her match with ex-W Connection stand-out Earl Jean.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Lewis (D) and Smith hummed as well. But Cordner, with her technique and eye for goal, was too much for George in the Wired868 goal.

While Mollon’s pace, energy and precise long passing made her a hit in a slightly unusual role as a full back.

Photo: Easy Yaya! Trinidad and Tobago national women's team attacker Kennya "Yaya" Cordner scored a hattrick for the Brent Sancho XI and was the event's MVP. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Easy Yaya!
Trinidad and Tobago national women’s team attacker Kennya “Yaya” Cordner scored a hattrick for the Brent Sancho XI and was the event’s MVP.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

After the final whistle, Cordner was adjudged the MVP while Mollon won the Spirit of Wired868 prize. Both awards come with a weekend for two at Cascadia Hotel.

The supporters who snubbed steelpan to enjoy the festivities included Pro League CEO Dexter Skeene, CONCACAF match commissioner Norris Ferguson and Veteran Footballers Federation (VFFOTT) vice-president Selby Browne.

Photo: Wired868 managing director Lasana Liburd (right) was more productive off the field than on it! He has a word here with toddler Mateusz Alexander and his mother Nathalie Gilkes-Alexander. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Wired868 managing director Lasana Liburd (right) was more productive off the field than on it!
He has a word here with toddler Mateusz Alexander and his mother Natalie Gilkes-Alexander.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Incidentally, the VFFOTT will honour the 1974, 1990 and 2006 World Cup qualifying teams on Sunday February 8 from 2 pm in its annual Carnival Reunion Lime and match from 2 pm at the Barataria Sports Complex. The event is free of charge.

Hopefully, Wired868 helped set the tone with a fun evening that included a bouncy castle, refreshments and smooth tunes from DJ Nigel. Thanks again to our sponsors: Cascadia Hotel, Carib, Toyota, Easi-Pharm, Massy Stores, North East Stars, All Sport Promotions and Sacha Cosmetics.

Photo: Too sexy for his shirt! Former "Strike Squad" star Leonson Lewis (far left) flings his shirt to celebrates yet another goal for Wired868. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Too sexy for his shirt!
Former “Strike Squad” star Leonson Lewis (far left) flings his shirt to celebrates yet another goal for Wired868.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

Editor’s Note: Check Wired868’s Facebook page for more photos of the third annual Wired868 Football Festival.

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About Lasana Liburd

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.

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20 comments

  1. Well next year yuh need to play against meh uncle Jack Warner team eh. hahahaha

  2. I’m not interested in playing any particular team. We want a game with a particular type of player.
    Some will be foreign based players. Some will not be.

  3. Steuupps Darin Lewis I don’t know why Lasana Liburd is naming the teams to play against his wired 868 nah because as you know our team was always called Foreign Base because most of my players represented my organization since back in the days and some are living home now and doing their thing and some comes for the xmas holidays and still represents that are still living in the foreign and I told him this when we first started yes. Them really good …..hahahaha

  4. Lol. It was the mango xi, then the Sancho xi… We will see next year

  5. Allyuh jus doing two pull whaaaat allyuh want

  6. as I see lurbz and sancho in the same sentence, …Lurbz line up yuh suit…jus now minister in the ministry of sport….doh knock it..is Kams !

  7. Hahahahahahaha. OK Lasana Liburd. I will ease yuh up now. Minister rel inject needles in yuh boi. Lol.

  8. Haha. Nah brother, I asked Sancho to take over the organisation of the team since December. That’s all I know about that. And of course Sosa came in to help beef up squad as the man was away on the day.

  9. Hahahahahahahahaha. Lasana Liburd it was Foreign Base XI to my knowledge. Ain’t know about any Brent Sancho XI until today. That squad is Speng XI. You see the Minister in any of those pics? Me neither!!!! Hahahahahahahahaha.

  10. All the time leading up to the sweat it was Brent Sancho Invitational XI yuh know! Hahaha… Darin Lewis you wanna play Lurbz and take over the Minister things or what Speng?!

  11. Lasana Liburd… it was the Speng XI eh and not the Brent Sancho XI. Like the Minister have needles in you Birdie? Hahahahahahahahahaha.

  12. James Saunders did a pretty good commentary too eh. Mollon was my star of the day

  13. James movement off the ball was at times – a bit suspect lol! You’re a boss from long time bro! Respect….

  14. Hey dont do that to my striker..james….lol

  15. But Lasana Sancho cuda give yuh a heads up in d sweat!… lol… he was probly runnin heavy with da portfolio in he pocket!…

  16. lol Lasana Liburd had a more productive time off the field lmao :-p

  17. btw, those photos as usual are stunning…and look Instagram-worthy …so when is Wired 868 going to get on Instagram?! Need some help?

  18. Missed again because it’s a Sunday and starts late in the day….hmmm…but the food was good (even 1 day later!)…in spite of the pepper…why can’t people leave pepper on the side where it should be?!

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