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The Trinidad and Tobago Women’s National Senior Team got their 2026 Concacaf W Championship qualifying series off to a solid start this evening with a 5-0 thumping of Barbados at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown.
The result saw the Women Soca Warriors storm to the head of Group F, although trickier match-ups await with Honduras and El Salvador on the horizon. Only the group winner will advance to the Concacaf tournament.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Coach Damian Briggs said his players were buzzing before the contest and felt confident they could get a result in Barbados. And they only had to wait 12 minutes to go ahead through a familiar figure.
Flanker Kedie Johnson’s header rebounded off the upright, from a Nikita Gosine corner kick, and veteran captain Kennya “Yaya” Cordner was on spot to tap home from close range.
It was Cordner’s 40th international goal and it came four years after her last strike, which was scored on 25 October 2021 in a 1-1 friendly tie against Panama at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
Cordner quit the national team in January 2022, after a difference of opinion between then head coach Kenwyne Jones and her teammate and friend Maylee Attin-Johnson—now the team manager—and has been in a self-imposed exile ever since.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
At present, Cordner is three goals shy of Trinidad and Tobago’s all-time record women’s goal scorer, Tasha St Louis.
Barbados had no intention of helping Cordner’s goal tally—or anyone else’s, though. And by the time the Women Warriors’ second goal came in the 77th minute, Cordner had already been substituted.
Johnson, now wearing the armband, doubled the visitors’ advantage with a cracking strike from 30 yards out that comprehensively beat Barbados goalkeeper Lisa Harding.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
And Ariana Borneo, Aaliyah Prince and Lorall Romain made hay against their deflated opponents with a goal each in the closing 10 minutes.
Today’s outing was Barbados’ only home match of the qualifying series, which does not speak well of their chances.
The Trinidad and Tobago ladies play just once at home too, when they host El Salvador on 17 April 2026 while Honduras and El Salvador have two home matches apiece.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Coach Briggs’ next international assignment is away to Honduras on 4 March. If the Women Warriors can get a result there, they will be placed to advance.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago: 1.Simone Eligon (GK), 22.Kaitlyn Darwent, 5.Cicely Spencer-Wickham, 6.Victoria Swift, 14.Kedie Johnson, 7.Liana Hinds, 8.Asha James, 9.Nikita Gosine, 11.Aaliyah Prince, 10.Alexcia Ali, 19.Kennya Cordner (captain).
Substitutes: 18.Tenesha Palmer (GK), 21.Akyla Walcott (GK), 2.Shaunalee Govia, 3.Kanika Rodriguez, 4.Lorall Romain, 12.Orielle Martin, 13.Gabrielle Williams, 15.Christa Waterman, 16.Sheneil Findley, 17.Ariana Borneo, 20.Maria-Frances Serrant, 23.Chrissy Mitchell.
Coach: Damian Briggs.
Barbados: 1.Lisa Harding (GK), 4.Adrienne Forde, 14.Keinelle Johnson, 19.Acacia Small, 22.Laea Blakeley, 6.Daphne Watson-James, 7.Shanice Stevenson (captain), 9.Ashanee Thompson, 10.Rianna Cyrus, 12.Taryn Sutherland, 8.Marissa King.
Substitutes: 18.Chioma Maycock (GK), 21.Unesty Waithe (GK), 2.Zhane Newsam, 3.Kayghun Rouse, 5.Gabrielle Birmingham, 11.Makela Alleyne, 13.Solange Holford, 15.Tekoa Hope-Downes, 16.Shakira Waithe, 17.Ketarah Lowe-Millar, 20.Amber De Silvia, 23.Brittany Branker-White.
Coach: Kerry Trotman.
Referee: Alyssa Pennington (USA).
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
2026 Concacaf W Championship qualifiers
Group F
(1 December)
Barbados 0, Trinidad and Tobago 5 (Kennya Cordner 12, Kedie Johnson 77, Ariana Borneo 81, Aaliyah Prince 83, Lorall Romain 90+4) at Bridgetown;
(2 December)
El Salvador vs Honduras at San Salvador.
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