The T&T Under-17 football team went under to Brazil Under-17 team by a 4-0 margin in their international friendly at the Marvin Lee Stadium last night.
The Brazilians, as expected, attacked T&T from the kick off; using skill, speed and creativity to launch raids on the opposing goal. However the young Soca Warriors who recently placed second in the CFU U-17 championship met the challenge head on.
Wellington Sanches threatened early on but his tame shot was easily held by T&T custodian, John Thomas in the 15th and again in the 17th minute. Neymar Santos’ ambitious lob from inside the 18 yard box went just over bar in the 28th minute. Willen Mota also tested Thomas from the edge of the area three minutes later, but again the young ’keeper was equal to the task. T&T were being pressured but kept their shape and their composure.
Sanches finally broke the T&T resistance in the 33rd minute with a glorious free kick. From twenty yards out and eight yards from the right side line the Brazilian curled the ball up over the wall and down just inside the unguarded near-post “V” to give his side the lead, 1-0. Still rattled by that strike T&T allowed Santos to collect a pass inside the penalty area and charge goal-ward. He neatly skipped over the desperate dive of Thomas then slotted home from an acute angle on the left side. 2-0, Brazil in the 34th minute.
The young Warriors regained their concentration and were able to apply some pressure of their own. Winchester pushed forward to support the offence and helped create chances for Britto and himself. But they could not score; the half ended 2-0.
The second half was a more open affair, as players began to tire space began to open up. Winchester should have scored for T&T in the 72nd minute when he found himself isolated against the goal keeper, but Guilherme charged down the attempted chip shot. In the ensuing play at the other end of the field, Mota made no mistake with a close-range header after a right side cross from Crystian Carvalho; 3-0 for Brazil.
Then in injury time Marcello Cirino completed the rout with the fourth goal.
T&T: Jerrol Britto (capt), John Thomas (gk), Omar Charles, Zavion Navaro, Shadon Winchester, Cordell Cato, Rashad Wint, Luke Hernandez, Ross Russell Jr, Shaquille Steward, Ryan Fredericks.
Brazil: Fraga Viera Gerson (capt), Loreno Luis Guilherme, Fernando Sidimar, Jose Da silva Elivelton, Lourenco Eron, Sanches Wellington, Santos Neymar, Mota Willen, Correia Coutinho, Vinicius Maycon.