Same score different venue as the Mexico national under-17’s defeated Trinidad and Tobago national under-17 team 2-0 at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Tuesday night in the second of two practice matches as both teams prepare for the 2007 World Youth Tournament in Korea.
Although the ‘Young Warriors’ dominated most of the match it was the defending World Champions Mexico who capitalized on their scoring opportunities to come out the eventual winners.
Striker Raul Lopez opened the scoring for the defending World Champions, but it was the Trinidad and Tobago youngsters who showed more determination to get on the score sheet from the first blow of Referee Jaggernath Goolcharan’s whistle.
In the 5th minute San Juan Jabloteh’s Daniel Joseph had the first attempt at goal of the match with his low left footed shot that was covered well by the Mexican goalkeeper Alfredo Medina.
While T&T and Defence Force defender Ryan O’Neil was in excellent form taming all efforts by the Mexicans. O’Neil took over the captain’s armband as regular team Captain, goalkeeper Jesse Fullerton remained on the bench as Coach Anton Corneal utilized Jabloteh’s youth goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel.
For the first quarter hour it was all in favor of the T&T youngsters as they created chance after chance inside the Mexico area.
One of those chances came in the 16th minute when team captain O’Neil fumbled in front of the goalmouth to miss kick Jabloteh’s Leston Paul left sided corner and goalkeeper Medina easily snapped it up.
Another great effort came in the 17th minute but Daniel Joseph was again the culprit when he smashed his low effort a hairline wide of the Mexican upright from inside the area to the dismay of the local fans.
T&T then paid dearly for their squanders in the 19th minute when Mexico’s Raul Lopez opened the scoring. It was from a blunder by the T&T defence that left Lopez unmarked to volley in Jesus Millan’s right sided cross at near post beating goal keeper Samuel as the visitors jumped ahead 1-0.
Three minutes later Mexico tried to double their score from a free kick, but Millan’s 30-yard effort flashed safely over goal keeper Samuel’s crossbar.
In the 28th minute Millan again was troubling the T&T defence, the midfielder got the better of T&T’s Daneil Cyrus on the right side but his scrimmage of a shot went well wide of the far post.
Just over the half hour mark both coaches decided to make their first changes as they tried to field as much players.
In the 33rd minute Mexican Coach Jesus Ruvalcaba replaced Francisco Mejia with Erbin Marcedo and in the 36th minute T&T Coach Anton Corneal introduced Chad De Freitas taking off Daneil Cyrus.
Soon afterwards goalkeeper Samuel had to be alert and easily saved Mexican Ulises Plascencia’s 20 yard deflected shot.
T&T vs MexicoIn the closing stages of the first period it was T&T who produced the better of chances, but once again failed to capitalize. The best of them came when Daniel Joseph pulled back a neat pass to an unmarked Chad De Freitas, but he clipped his effort over bar from inside the penalty area as they took to the dressing rooms with the 1-0 score in favor of the Mexicans.
After the break it was the Mexican Coach Ruvalcaba who made four substitutions at once to boost his team’s performance as he responded to the pressure applied by T&T in the first period.
The ‘Young Warriors’ returned to the field with the same aggression they displayed in the first period when Jabloteh striker Stephen Knox rocket of a shot had to be magnificently tipped over bar by the Mexican goal keeper.
With the fresh legs introduced by the Mexican coach, his charges responded with a spur of attacks in a couple of minutes as T&T goalkeeper Samuel was on the receiving end. In the 54th minute Christian Hernandez climbed well to meet Macedo’s left sided cross but his effort was matched well by the hands of goalkeeper Samuel.
Samuel was hero again in the 55th minute when he kept low to block substitute Andres Enriquez 22 yard missile of a shot.
T&T responded five minutes later after settling again, when Daniel Joseph scared the Mexicans with his low shot from outside the area that flashed wide.
The Mexicans then won a free kick some 22 yards out after substitute Jean Luc-Roshford fouled his opposite number Edgarivan Rodriguez in the 63rd minute.
Rodriguez himself took the free kick forcing a diving save by goalkeeper Samuel.
Two minutes later and at the other end of the field T&T won a free kick outside the area, but Jabloteh’s defender Sheldon Bateau powerful low effort was miraculously stopped by goalkeeper Medina.
The Trinidad and Tobago youngsters continued to dominate for better periods but failure to put away their chances resulted in the Mexicans recovering well to defend their one goal advantage.
Mexican substitute Issac Munoz then powered his way into the T&T area in the 78th minute and had a low shot but goalkeeper Samuel was again able to deny.
But in the 81st minute the Trinidad and Tobago custodian was hung out to dry when unmarked Mexican substitute Jose Preciado easily headed past him at near post from Edgarvin Rodriguez left sided free kick to double their advantage 2-0.
From then on it was all Trinidad and Tobago keeping most of the action in the Mexican area but unable to create any real chances as Mexico defended their 2-0 lead and a one hundred percent record in their two matches against the ‘Young Warriors’.
Teams
Mexico - Alfredo Medina(GK), Christian Vazquez(Jose Preciado 46th), Daniel Fraire, Nestor Abundis(Juan Ayala 66th), Alberto Pacheco(Isaac Munoz 46th), Raul Lopez(Ulises Plascencia 46th), Christian Hernandez(Kristian Nuno 72nd), Francisco Mejia(Erbin Macedo 33rd)(Edgarivan Rodriguez 60th), Carlos Armas(Andres Enriquez 46th), Jesus Millan, Heriberto Hernandez.
Goal Scorers - Raul Lopez 19’, Jose Preciado 81’.
Coach - Jesus Ruvalcaba
Trinidad and Tobago - Glenroy Samuel(GK), Ryan O’Neil(Capt.), Aubrey Davis(Jean Luc-Roshford 61st)(Isaiah Ferguson 90th) , Sheldon Bateau, Leston Paul(Sean De Silva 78th), Stephen Knox(Frans Husbands 78th), Daniel Joseph(Akeem Adams 74th), Robert Primus, Chike Sullivan(Akeem Dillon 70th), Micah Lewis(Kevin Molino 87th), Daneil Cyrus(Chad De Freitas 36th).
Coach - Anton Corneal
Match Referee - Jaggernath Goolcharan