T&T Girls U-15 and High Performance teams held goalless by Antigua and USVI

Trinidad and Tobago football fans endured 140 minutes with no goals and few clear scoring opportunities, as their Girls National Under-15 and High Performance teams kicked off their respective campaigns in League B of the Concacaf Girls Under-15 Championships today at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

Trinidad and Tobago were held to a goalless draw by Antigua and Barbuda in the last game of a quadruple-header at Mucurapo, on the heels of a scoreless fixture between the T&T High Performance outfit (effectively a reserve team) and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI).

Games at this level feature 35-minute halves while a minute-long drink break was allowed in each half. League B is the second tier of the Concacaf competition.

In the contest against Antigua and Barbuda, both teams took a while to settle down and there was a lack of offensive fluidity—with both teams regularly misplacing passes.

Trinidad and Tobago managed the first effort after 23 minutes with captain and utility player Hackeemar Goodridge (who flitted between defence and midfield) drilled a shot wide from 25 metres out, under pressure from opposing midfielder Kavita Cordice.

Midfielder Rori Gittens was next to shoot wide, five minutes later, while winger Sanni Wilson somehow failed to find the back of the net with a left-footed shot at an open goal, after a defensive mix-up involving Antigua and Barbuda goalkeeper Alyssa Laviscount and left-back Tesseanne Bourne.

In a rare attacking move, three minutes into the second half, Antigua and Barbuda flanker Rolesha Humphreys pounced on a lack of concentration by Trinidad and Tobago left-back Jessica Nesbitt but sent her right-footer wide of the target.

Otherwise, the young Women Soca Warriors failed to capitalise on the scoring chances that came their way.

Laviscount did well to deny goal-bound efforts from Gittens (40th) and Goodridge (44th). And, in second half stoppage time, Trinidad and Tobago substitute Aliyah Baptiste sent her right-footed shot sailing overbar with only the keeper to beat.

Veteran Trinidad and Tobago coach Marlon Charles tried to focus on the positives.

“We did the things that we were doing in training,” Charles told Wired868. “With the ball, passing it around, we did well. What we could have done better is have a little more patience.

“Everybody wanted to score and sometimes they tried to score from 40 yards. With young players, you don’t expect things from that.”

With three Concacaf Under-15 matches in the space of four days, Charles said there will be regular rotation of players.

“For young players, it will be hectic and tough, but this is what it is,” he said. “This is an opportunity to play and we welcome that. We will switch things around but everybody has to play.”

The earlier contest between the Trinidad and Tobago High Performance side and USVI followed a similar vein, with neither team offering much beyond defensive organisation.

Lanky USVI striker Kyla Groetzinger created a nervous moment for the local team in the 24th minute, with a low right-footed shot which flew just wide of the mark.

Groetzinger had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock in the 51st minute but she was slow to react to a pass from Olivia Crikelair and the ball was gathered by High Performance goalkeeper Kenisha Taylor.

The High Performance team, coached by Paul Decle, took a while to get into their groove. But they also had their moments.

Substitute Jodi Harragin missed the target with a long ranged effort in the 55th minute while Tyler Neptune hit straight to opposing goalie Kyliz Osorio in the 63rd minute.

USVI had the late chance to win the contest in second half stoppage time off an indirect free kick, after High Performance substitute goalie Nika Ifill held a back-pass from right-back Ahmeeda Bowman.

However, Bowman, whose passion and energy never wavered throughout the match, thwarted the goal-bound shot from opposing defender Neah Williams to preserve the clean sheet.

“[Bowman’s performance] was really good,” said Decle, who is coordinator of the Trinidad and Tobago High Performance programme. “The way she played, with and without the ball, was inspiring for the team. That’s something which may be difficult to coach in players but she has in inside of her.

“She showed us how to really fight out there and play from the beginning till the end of the game.”

Decle praised the attitude of his players and squad depth, based on their ability to field two teams.

“What we showed today is that we have a broad base of players,” said Decle. “[…] We saw where their attitude was great and it’s something for them to continue building on. This will be an opportunity for them to gain a little bit of confidence, going in to the second game.

“Defensively, we were well-organised and we made it difficult for the opponents to play through. What we want to see, going forward, is [the team] moving the ball a bit faster [to] create more opportunities.”

In other League B Group Stage matches at Mucurapo on Monday, Guatemala trounced Saint Kitts and Nevis 8-0 and Curaçao whipped Grenada 3-0.

On Tuesday, also at Mucurapo, Guatemala and the USVI will meet at 9am while the TT High Performance team will square off against Saint Kitts and Nevis from 11am.

Antigua and Barbuda take on Grenada from 1 pm while Trinidad and Tobago face Curaçao from 3pm.

(Teams)

Trinidad and Tobago High Performance (4-3-3): 1.Kenisha Taylor (GK) (18.Nika Ifill 61); 2.Ahmeeda Bowman, 17.Adrishea Kent, 3.Janae Cordner, 4.Shiphrah Alleyne (5.Onesha Gregouir 61); 16.Khloe Kirton (captain) (8.Shivanni Saroop 52), 6.Timera Ottley, 10.Lexi Sankersingh (13.Jaeda Wilson 36); 14.Emma Collins (9.Tyler Neptune 61), 12.Sydney Pollard (15.Jodi Harragin 52), 7.Akeria Leacock (11.Safeisha Ragguette 61).

Coach: Paul Decle

United States Virgin Islands (4-3-2-1): 1.Kyliz Osorio (GK); 11.Yahsenah Leo, 10.Makayla Walcott (captain), 2.Neah Williams, 15.Chloe Nunez (3.Celine Kalpee 58); 7.Vigga Tyson (17.Areesa St Croix 49), 9.Norma Tyson (5.J’leah Connor 58), 8.Olivia Crikelair; 13.Hana Bronstein (12.Jahzara Roach 69), 14.Ashleigh Speakman; 4.Kyla Groetzinger (16.Chaney Smith 69).

Unused substitute: 18.Jimmilia Plante (GK).

Coach: Vin Blaine.

Referee: Alex Billeter (United States)

Trinidad and Tobago (4-5-1): 1.Akeila Marryshow (GK); 2.Jessica Nesbitt, 3.Hackeemar Goodridge (captain), 10.Mikalah Guerero, 5.Mateja Leben (16.Taya Williams 21); 11.Sanni Wilson, 15.Zyesha Potts (4.Kimani Wallace 36), 6.Mia Lee Chong (17.Scarlett Cole 65), 8.Rori Gittens (14.Alliyah Baptiste 65), 7.Jayda Herbert (12.Gyasi Lewis 65); 13.Shemaiah Toussaint (4.Shakilla Hamilton 36).

Unused substitute: 18. Zofia Richards (GK).

Coach: Marlon Charles

Antigua and Barbuda (4-5-1): 1.Alyssa Laviscount (GK); 3.Thedia Browne (captain), 2.Karmiellia Hughes, 4.Denovia Jarvis, 5.Tesseanna Browne; 11.Rolesha Humphreys, 6.Kavita Cordice (15.Shanika Burton 68), 13.Aliah London, 10.Latoya Williams, 9.Keitonya Skepple; 7.Nafisa Quashie.

Unused substitutes: 18.Serenity Colbourne (GK), 8.Ne’jireh Wijnaldum, 12.Anesa Liburd, 14.Grace Zreibi.

Coach: Nikisha Samuel

Referee: Neressa Goldson (Jamaica)

Concacaf Girls Under-15 Championship

League B

(Monday 5 August)

T&T HP 0, USVI 0 in Group D at Hasely Crawford Stadium;

Trinidad and Tobago 0, Antigua and Barbuda 0 in Group C at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

Upcoming fixtures

(Tuesday 6 August)

Saint Kitts and Nevis v T&T HP, Group D, 11am, Hasely Crawford Stadium;

Curaçao v Trinidad and Tobago, Group C, 3pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium;

(Thursday 8 August)

T&T HP v Guatemala, Group D, 11am, Hasely Crawford Stadium;

Trinidad and Tobago v Grenada, Group C, 3pm, Hasely Crawford Stadium.