Trinidad and Tobago's Under 20 footballers shut out Guyana 2-0 in their opening Caribbean Football Union Under 20 qualifier at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Wednesday night.
Barbados had earlier scored the first victory a slim 1-0 win over Grenada in the opening game of the double header. Quincy Atherly got the winner for "Spice boys" in the 86th minute when he met a nodded on ball from Jamar Watson and blasted home from close range past Grenadian custodian Denroy Richardson. The game was not the most attractive as both teams struggled to create much goalscoring chances.
Henson Cuffie had Grenada's first attempt in the 29th minute with a shot from atop the penalty box which went wide of the left post. Barbados' Lionel Paul and Malcolm Marshall were the only ones to have other worthwhile looks at goal for the eventual winners.
The second match was the main attraction with the young "Soca Warriors" in action.
Both teams took a while to settle but T&T suffered an early setback when forward Abiola Sandy had to leave the game after going down following an attempt on goal in the 5th minute. He rushed in to meet Christopher Sam's right side cross and though getting a faint touch, he clashed with an onrushing defender and was taken off on the stretcher a couple minutes later. His replacement, Kevin Crooks, would turn out to be the hero, snatching the lead for T&T in the 34th minute.
Before the goal came, Sam's left side corner saw captain Makan Hislop heading wide of the far post. Devon Maxwell then threaded one neatly between two defenders for Kevon Neaves wide on the left but after he cut in the box, a weak effort was cleared with Shane Calderon waiting unmarked in the middle.
Calderon then did his own work in the 32nd minute, meeting a ball at the top of the box and held off a couple defenders before hitting one which took a deflection onto the top of the crossbar. A right side ball soon after saw Crook's glancing header go wide of the left post. But Crooks would make amends a couple minutes later when he collected in a crowded penalty box and finished with a clinical right footer in the right side of the goal to send T&T 1-0 up. The action in the second half saw T&T being able to enjoy good possession, hardly troubled by the Guyanese. Maxwell and Crooks had efforts blocked out in the 59th and Crooks again went close, this time hitting straight to advancing goalkeeper Fidel Smith.
Another T&T attempt in the 67th minute won some applause from the small crowd when Neaves fought off a strong challenge from a defender on the left flank and crossed for an onrushing Calderon whose one time header flew past the new post. Guyana's Dwight Peters almost spoilt the victory fun for T&T when his low effort from the left corner of the box went inches wide of the right post in the 73rd minute.
The crowd came to life in the 80th minute when Neaves left two players for dead with some slick footwork and then crossed, only for Calderon to put his effort into the right side netting. Peters then hit one wide of the left post with T&T keeper Thorne Holder slightly off his line after Guyana cleared long from the back. Peters then cross for Edson Gomes but he shot into the side netting, causing an anxious moment for T&T at the back.
Calderon's unlucky evening continued when he ran onto a ball on the right of the box and then sent his shot crashing off the outside of the near post. But the little forward got just rewards in added on time when he collected a loose ball outside the box from right side corner and nailed a low effort home to seal a 2-0 win for the hosts.
T&T coach Anton Corneal later credited his players for coming away with the win in what was their first international outing at youth level. There was also good news on Sandy who should recover from a bruised ankle in time for the Friday's clash with Grenada.
"It was the first game and I thought we were well disciplined in the first half and this is what we wanted. We didn't want our players to take it for granted that we may be the better team and even though we created a lot of chances we did not finish. I am not unhappy because we created. Had we not created then there would have been cause for worry. We got two goals and it's a start which we can now build upon. I was happy with Neaves on the left because he got better as the game went along. The skipper was also good for us on the evening and all the guys deserve credit for their display," Corneal said.
Looking ahead to T&T's second game against Grenada at 8pm on Friday at the same venue, coach Anton Corneal said his troops would remain cautious.
"I am afraid to comment because you can never tell as this is a competition and teams do step up. We'll be ready and we need to let them know that they are playing us at home." Guyana faces Barbados from 6pm in the first game also at the Marvin Lee Stadium
T&T Line-up:
21.Thorne Holder, 2.Ancil Farrier, 5.Karlon Murray, 11.Makan Hislop (capt), 8.Devon Maxwell, 16.Keegan Mills (6.Joel James), 13.Kevon Neaves, 15.Clevon George, 10.Christopher Sam (12.Terryl Elwin 71st), 7.Shane Calderon, 9.Abiola Sandy (19.Kevin Crooks 15th).
Subs not used: 1.Colin Belgrave, 3.Radhanfan Abu Bakr, 4.Kirk Hearn, 18.Gabriel Lashley, Keon Daniel.
Guyana Line-up:
Fidel Smith, Derrol Dainty, Kelvin Smith, Alpha Sylvester, Jermaine Murray (Sherman Thomas 68th) (Colin Clark 88th), Carlos Grant (Edison Gomes 53rd), Tichard Joseph, Konata Mannings, Carlos Monkhouse, Dwight Peters, Shavane Seaforth.