Brown bombers run riot; T&T U-15s fall 6-2 to Jamaica, despite Adasa wondergoal

The Trinidad and Tobago Boys’ National Under-15 Team lost their first outing of the 2025 Concacaf Under-15 Championship today, and it was a heavy one.

The young Soca Warriors conceded three goals to Jamaica in each 35-minute half, as they were trounced 6-2 by their north Caribbean neighbours—in what has long become a one-sided regional rivalry.

Jamaica will now contest the League B final tomorrow against Puerto Rico while Trinidad and Tobago face Guatemala in the third-place playoff from 2pm.

Last year, Jamaica were easily the better team when they took on Trinidad and Tobago in a CFU Boys’ Under-14 Series group fixture at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet. The Reggae Boyz emerged 2-0 winners then, despite playing part of the second half with 10 players.

Coach Densill Theobald’s troops had the chance to show today whether they have progressed since then. The final score summary told its own story.

What was the difference between the two teams?

Were the Reggae Boyz a slick, dynamic outfit? Did Jamaica coach Andrew Peart—like Theobald, in his second Concacaf tournament—possess some standout individual quality that the two-island republic did not?

Not really.

The Jamaicans were quicker to the ball and more composed and confident in what they were trying to accomplish.

In the other camp, the alarm bell went off from as early as the fifth minute when defender Aden Montano—unruffled so far in the competition—raised his arm above his head to bat away a cross meant for giant Jamaican forward Kelvin DJ Brown.

Montano, who was not involved in the 2024 CFU tournament, cruised through outings against Antigua and Barbuda and Bermuda, earlier this week. Today, in his first high stakes international match, the Union Hall United defender panicked.

Kenrick Brown scored with a penalty kick that squirmed beneath Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Levi Williams, and Theobald had something to worry about.

Four minutes later, it got worse as DJ Brown peeled away from Trinidad and Tobago captain JaiMarley John to run onto a pass from pint-sized deep-lying playmaker Steve Hewitt.

And, somehow, a bevy of T&T defenders could not cut out DJ Brown’s cross, which was converted at the far post by flanker Samuel Taylor for Jamaica’s second goal.

Trinidad and Tobago forward Adasa Richardson was always a threat and he forced a corner kick with a low, speculative shot from distance in the 18th minute, which goalkeeper Jaheime Gray turned around his post.

But the Warriors were simply not moving the ball around quickly enough on the astroturf to put Jamaica under sustained pressure.

Theobald’s choice of Jaylon Roberts upfront again failed to pay dividends, with the utility player—nominally a central defender for St Mary’s College and Cardinals Football Academy—only featuring with a late lunging tackle on opposing defender Aldeano Walters, which probably should have resulted in a booking.

Sebastian James, who was used at left back and in midfield during the group stages, featured on the right side of the Trinidad and Tobago attack today with Reagan Rowe at right back.

Was the plan to have Rowe join the attack through overlapping runs, while James tucked inside to create an additional passing option?

As iconic former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson once noted, well-laid plans often don’t survive a cold dose of reality—or a punch in the mouth.

In first half stoppage time, Hussey hit a lofted ball towards the Trinidad and Tobago defence and, inexplicably, up went Montano’s arm again.

Costa Rican referee Pablo Camacho flashed the yellow card at Montano and Kelvin Brown—yes, another Brown—scored from the resulting free kick. Game, set, match.

Jamaica were three goals ahead with 35 minutes remaining.

Theobald needed to make a change. And boy did he ever. The World Cup 2006 midfielder replaced midfield organiser Ackim Duncan with Matthew Lee Young but, in a far less orthodox move, swapped both central defenders for attackers in Samuel Balfour and Jeremai Nanton.

So, Trinidad and Tobago started the second half with left back Antoni James in central defence with Rowe and James—both attacking players—on either side of him.

Ahead of that trio were midfield sentries Deron Blackman and Lee Young, attacking midfielder Aaden Jones and a front four of Richardson, Nanton, Roberts and Balfour.

Was it a bit early to throw the kitchen sink at Jamaica?

Well, Theobald almost pulled a goal back within seconds, as Nanton smashed an effort off the underside of the Jamaica bar after Roberts flicked on a lofted pass.

And, five minutes after the restart, Trinidad and Tobago did open their account with a Dennis Bergkamp-esque backheeled flick from Richardson, off a Sebastian James cross, that totally befuddled the opposing goalkeeper.

Too bad there are no extra points for panache in football.

The Warriors, of course, were horribly exposed defensively now. And Jamaica made it 4-1 in the 49th minute, as midfielder Davion Clarke slotted home from inside the area after DJ Brown, again, proved too much for the Trinidad and Tobago backline.

Theobald answered by sending in another attacker, as nippy forward Kevez Quintero—who scored twice yesterday in a 3-0 win over Barbados—replaced Antoni James, with Roberts dropping into central defence.

But DJ Brown struck again in the 53rd minute with a volley into the far corner off a right side cross, to put Jamaica four goals clear at 5-1.

And Peart made three changes to go with an earlier pair of substitutions, as the Jamaica technical staff appeared to shift their focus to tomorrow’s final.

Trinidad and Tobago were not done yet, though.

James (S) found Samuel Balfour free in the opposing box with a clever low pass in the 58th minute, only for the lanky attacking midfielder to blast overbar.

Another Trinidad and Tobago attacking midfielder, Aaden Jones, took his opportunity though, as he headed into an empty net after the Jamaica custodian misjudged a Lee Young cross. 5-2.

Peart emptied the rest of his bench, which included giving the backup goalkeeper a few minutes. Jamaica were on cruise control.

Maybe there might have been a tense finish if a Trinidad and Tobago effort—it looked to come from Blackman—had been a few inches to the left in the 64th minute, after a cross from Rowe fooled Jamaica’s substitute goalkeeper.

However, the header hit the post. And Jamaica rubbed salt in Trinidad and Tobago’s wounds with a scarcely deserved penalty kick in the 68th minute, which substitute Carlondo Morris converted.

The Jamaica U-15s move on to the final. And Trinidad and Tobago?

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards cancelled pre-tournament games for the Men’s Under-17 Team, practically disbanded the Senior Women’s Team and almost did not send the Boys’ Under-15 Team to Aruba at all.

Edwards, in short, seems to have put all of the TTFA’s eggs in the basket of Men’s National Senior Team head coach Dwight Yorke.

Time will tell regarding the wisdom of the local football body’s priorities. But, as Rowe and company left the Oranjestad turf in tears, there can be little doubt that Trinidad and Tobago’s youth teams need attention.

(Teams)

Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-1-3): 18.Levi Williams (GK); 10.Reagan Rowe, 3.JaiMarley John (captain) (12.Samuel Balfour 36), 5.Aden Montano (7.Jeremai Nanton 36), 15.Antoni James (9.Kevez Quintero 52); 6.Deron Blackman, 8.Ackim Duncan (16.Matthew Lee Young 36); 17.Aaden Jones; 2.Sebastian James (vice-captain), 13.Jaylon Roberts, 11.Adasa Richardson.

Substitutes: 1.Christian Telfer (GK), 4.Kyen Anderson, 14.Oshea Watson.

Coach: Densill Theobald.

Jamaica (4-2-3-1): 13.Jaheime Gray (GK) (1.Marcodean Spence [GK] 62); 12.Kenrick Brown, 4.Aldeano Walters, 14.Kelvin Brown (captain) (16.Maleik Wellington 54), 2.Mario Nelson; 5.Steve Hewitt (11.Kevaughn Halloway 45), 17.Javier Henry; 3.Kyle Hussey (7.Tevin Savage 45), 10.Davion Clarke (18.Dashaun Smith 54), 8.Samuel Taylor (9.Carlondo Morris 54); 15.Kelvin DJ Brown (6.Ramesh Simms 62).

Coach: Andrew Peart.

Referee: Pablo Camacho (Costa Rica).

Concacaf Boys U-15 semifinals

(8 August 2025)

Puerto Rico 2, Guatemala 0;

Trinidad and Tobago 2 (Adasa Richardson 40, Aaden Jones 62), Jamaica 6 (Kenrick Brown 8 pen, Samuel Taylor 10, Kelvin Brown 35, Davion Clarke 49, Kelvin DJ Brown 53, Carlondo Morris 69 pen).