SSFL 25: Moore keeps clean sheet as Holy Faith hang on for opening win over Chaguanas North

Holy Faith Convent (Couva) held their nerve to edge Chaguanas North Secondary 1–0 in a tense Girls Central Zone Championship showdown yesterday at Edinburgh 500 Recreation Park, Chaguanas.

In the end, a first half goal from 12-year-old Holy Faith Convent midfielder Christa Joseph decided an otherwise evenly balanced match on an uneven field.

The state of the Edinburgh 500 surface would have presented a challenge even for more technically skilled players. Yesterday, it was the first “big field” match for several players on both teams, who naturally are still in the development phase.

To their credit, the young ladies put their heads down and simply tried their best.

“The girls were a little nervous because it was the first game of the season, and it kinda showed out there,” said Holy Faith coach Cy Sarjeant. “Things that we do in practice didn’t really come off.”

Only young Joseph, a member of the TTFA’s High Performance Programme, seemed immediately at ease, in one of Holy Faith’s two holding midfield roles.

There were many misplayed passes early on in the contest.

Holy Faith goalkeeper Jael Moore struggled to kick the ball long, while her shorter passes to centre backs Jada Groden or captain Shanaya Ramirez presented a pressing opportunity that the home team spotted.

In the 10^th minute, Chaguanas North right back Christiana Joseph—the elder sister of Holy Faith Convent starlet, Christa Joseph—pushed up high to win the ball, but her shot sailed comfortably wide.

A couple minutes later, Chaguanas North forward Amayiah Thomas shot wide after her team recovered another poorly worked Holy Faith goal kick.

Eventually, the visitors were able to play a couple of through balls of their own from Joseph and Ramirez, as they tried to release striker Zalika Mahadeo. However, Chaguanas captain Denyque Lewis and centre back partner Zileen Hakim were quick snuff out the danger.

Convent were also struggling to keep up with the speed of Samaya Alleyne, who set up on the left wing, but made a number of promising runs down the middle.

With a little more composure, Alleyne may well have made a difference.

After a water break, midway through the first half, Holy Faith got a good look at the opposing goal, as Thomas created some space and let fly from just outside the box, only for Chaguanas goalkeeper Kidijaah Charles to gather the shot.

Now, it was the hosts’ turn to struggle to move the ball out of their defensive third, with Holy Faith attackers Mahadeo and left winger N’Zinga Carrington too slow to get their shots off when chances came their way.

There was no stopping Thomas in the 31^st minute, though, as she received the ball from Ramirez off a corner kick and dribbled past opposing midfielder Shakira Cordner and left back Alexandra Clarke before shooting into the near post to send the Holy Faith supporters into raptures.

Chaguanas North coach Daystar Swift had to address what looked to be a mild asthma flare-up from a player late in the first half. But there was little else to report in the first half, as fatigue seemed to settle into the game.

The second half saw the visitors change their approach slightly.

“We have some technical players that we thought would be able to play around the team,” said Sarjeant, “but Chaguanas played with a lot in the middle so our midfielders were crowded out and didn’t have space to really play the ball around.

“So we were depending on the wide players—but it was difficult for the midfielders to get the ball to them.”

Chaguanas, employing a 4-4-2 formation, used their superior numbers in midfield effectively and forced multiple turnovers, with Holy Faith starlet Joseph forced to spend more time defending deeper.

Mya Kirton, who played at the heart of the home team’s midfield, broke into the attacking box, three minutes into the second half, but saw her rising attempt held by Moore, who was playing her first competitive match.

Then in the 47^th minute, Alleyne, on one of her strong runs, delayed a moment too long, allowing Joseph to nip the ball away just as she kicked. The resulting clash left both players limping, temporarily.

Holy Faith tried to find room down the right wing with Taleah-Marie Figaro, and she forced an error from Lewis to earn a free kick. But Lewis and Hakim remained strong and cleared the danger.

Mahadeo, playing slightly deeper now for the visitors, played a clever through ball down the middle of the field for Carrington. But a heavy touch allowed the Chaguanas goalkeeper to come out and smother the ball.

Most of the attacking intent came from Chaguanas North, though, and just before the hour they created a promising move when Joseph passed to forward Chiniesse Phillip down the right flank. Phillip’s pass, in turn, found Thomas unmarked in the middle of the area.

But Thomas’ first touch showed too much of the ball to Moore, who again thwarted the Chaguanas opportunity.

Moore went on to deny Kirton in the 67^th minute while, three minutes from the end of regulation time, Thomas shot wide from a hopeful Lewis long ball. And Holy Faith held on for a hard-earned 1-0 result.

Chaguanas North manager Germaine Raymond was pleased with her team’s performance and felt they did enough to get more. But their preparation, she admitted, was inadequate.

“We train in school, which has no field,” said Raymond. “So it’s not really proper training.”

Coach Sarjeant was upbeat about his team’s ability to win a difficult contest.

“It was a tough game,” he said, “but we were able to grind out the result.”

Teams

Chaguanas North Secondary (4-4-2): 1.Kidijaah Charles (GK); 2.Christiana Joseph, 17.Zileen Hakim, 3.Denyque Lewis (captain), 19.Alexandra Clarke; 10.Shakira Cordner, 8.Mya Kirton, 4.Elisia Lawrence, 9.Samaya Alleyne; 6.Amayiah Thomas, 7.Chiniesse Phillip.

Unused substitutes: 14.Angelina Huburn.

Coach: Daystar Swift.

Holy Faith Convent (Couva) (4-2-1-3): 20.Jael Moore (GK); 13.Gabriella Warner, 2.Shanaya Ramirez (captain), 5.Jada Groden (8.Azariah Huggins 30), 16.Laurilee Basdeo (15.Zaria Cassia 70); 10.Aliyah Meharris, 19.Christa Joseph; 12.Natalya Mohammed (3.Faith Punch 65); 11.Taleah-Marie Figaro, 7.Zalika Mahadeo, 14.N’Zinga Carrington.

Unused substitutes: 4.Mariah Bhagwatie, 9.Jasarah Ashby, 17.Destini Mahabir, 21.Ziya Sagar, 81.Azariah Hoyte.

Coach: Cy Sarjeant.

Referee: Rellone Serrette.

SSFL Girls’ Championship

Central Zone

(Sun 28 Sep)

Chaguanas North Sec 0, Holy Faith Convent (Couva) 1 (Christa Joseph 31) at Edinburgh 500 Recreation Ground;

Carapichaima East Sec 0, Chaguanas South Sec 8.

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

1. Chaguanas South        1-1-0-0-8–0–3
2. Holy Faith Convent    1-1-0-0-1-0–3
3. Chaguanas North        1-0-0-1-0-1-0
4. Carapichaima East      1-0-0-1-0–8–0

North Zone

(Sun 28 Sep)

Holy Name Convent (POS) 6, Tranquillity Secondary 0;

Diego Martin Central 2, East Mucurapo Sec 2.

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

1. East Mucurapo    3-2-1-0-10-5-7
2. SJC POS                 2-2-0-0-17–0-6
3. Holy Name            2-1-0-1-8-4-3
4. Diego Martin Sec  2-0-1-1-2-14-1
5. Tranquillity Sec    3-0-0-3-1-15-0 

East Zone

(Sun 28 Sep)

BAHSE 0, Five Rivers Sec 7 (Hackeemar Goodridge 1, 40+3, 46, Shaquilla Daniel 8, Kalifa Allen 26, Makayla Omamo OG 28, Jayda Herbert 60);

San Juan North 6 (Keyana Daniel 7, 80, Shinika Lewis 37, 39, 42, Taya Williams 78), El Dorado East Sec 0.

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

1. Five Rivers Sec    2-2-0-0-27–0-6
2. San Juan North   2-1-1-0-7-1-4
3. BAHSE                    3-1-1-1-6-11-4
4. St Augustine Sec  1-0-0-1-3-5-0
5. El Dorado East     2-0-0-2-0–26-0

Tobago Zone

(Sun 28 Sep)

Signal Hill Sec 3 (Ty’Kaiya Dennis [2], Alliyah Baptiste), Bishop’s High 1 (Kcey Reid);

Roxborough Sec 2 (Samantha Isles [2]), Mason Hall Sec 4 (Kiyah Beckles [2], Kelys George, Jahmiah Constantine);

Pentecostal L&L 1 (Kyla Cooper), Speyside Secondary 1 (Teriesha Harry).

Standings (Played-Won-Drew-Lost-Goals For-Goals Against-Points)

1. Signal Hill Sec      3-3-0-0-29–1-9
2. Scarborough Sec  3-2-1-0-3-1-7
3. Speyside High       3-1-1-1-5-5-4
4. Bishop’s High       3-1-0-2-7-4-3
5. Mason Hall Sec    3-1-0-2-6-11-3
6. Pentecostal L&L  3-0-2-1-1-9-2
7. Roxborough Sec   2-0-0-2-2-22-0