Following fourteen days of action packed competition showcasing the future of regional football, Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 16 team gave their fans a final bit of something to celebrate as they clobbered Jamaica 2-0 in the third place playoff on the closing day of the Caribbean Football Union Under 16 Youth Cup.
For T&T, they avenged the loss to Jamaica in last year’s third place encounter in the Under 15 competition and this time they held firm against the more robust “Reggae Boyz” refusing to back down and instead taking the game to the visitors who will host one of the two groups on the final CONCACAF qualifying round in April next year.
With playmaker Leston Paul still missing through injury, the Anton Corneal coached team was desperate for some form of silverware after the disappointment of losing to Haiti 1-0 on Friday. And the young “Soca Warriors” delivered in front of their fans.
Both teams kept pace with each other in the first half with the hosts managing to maintain better possession as their midfield play gave them the edge and their defense was steady.
Chike Sullivan and Daniel Joseph had tries at goal but the closest came in the 39th minute when Chad De Freitas played a neat ball in from the right for Joseph but his shot was well kept out by the goalie. T&T's persistence paid off when they got a penalty in the 44th minute after a handle ball incident and topscorer Stephen Knox stepped up to drive low and hard into the right of the goal for a 1-0 T&T lead.
Jamaica hardly got a good sight at goal in the second half and T&T finished them off in the 53rd minute. A well delivered cross saw “Man of the Match” Ryan O’Neil leaping well to power a header into the roof of the net. De Freitas almost made it a triple for T&T when his effort came off the bar from the right edge of the box.
In the final, Haiti the most entertaining team of the tournament, winning the most friends as well, matched the Mexicans in every department for the first half but the Central Americans produced the necessary goods to show just why they continue to stand at the top of the CONCACAF.
Haiti had the fans cheering what was almost a goal when St Victor Ulterguens rocked the crossbar with a strong shot on 27 minutes. The Mexicans kept their composure though and they edged ahead on 71 minutes when Carlos Pena mad them pay for failure to clear up at the back.
The best build up of the match moments before saw a right side ball fall for Ulterguens' who could only look on in despair as his shot cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and back into play. Pressure got to the Haitians though after referee Richard Piper called a foul against them on the edge of the box and issued a caution. They protested in intense fashion causing them to have two players sent off - Saint Cyr Widner and their most influential player Joseph Peterson in the 79th minute. The crowd didn’t fancy Piper’s decision and neither did the Haitian players nor bench staff. Haiti were left sorry as from the resulting free kick, Saul Sandoval sent a bullet home from the edge of the box and late substitute Raul Nava nicked one in the final minute to send the Mexicans clear. The Hatians cried while the Mexicans were the one dancing this time as the presentation ceremony followed under rain after the final whistle. Knox was adjudged the topscorer with ten goals while T&T also got the “Fair Play” award while Haiti’s Dorshan Nelson got the best goalkeeper award and Joseph Patterson deservedly took home the Most Valuable Player accolade.
Teams -
Trinidad & Tobago: - Jesse Fullerton (capt); Robert Primus, Ryan O’Neil, Sheldon Bateau, Brenton Balbosa; Chike Sullivan, Chad De Freitas, Akeem Adams (Daneil Cyrus 20th), Kevin Molino; Stephen Knox (Sean De Silva 81st), Daniel Joseph.
Jamaica: - O’Neil Wilson; Damaine Thompson, Jermaine Jarrett (capt), Sean Fogah, Christopher Banner; Kabari Palmer, John Ross Doyley, Kenneil Hyde (Auhdray Beckford 84th), Akeem Brown (Andre Steele 60th); Dever Orgill, Romario Campbell (Shavor Brown 55th).
Results:
Mexico 3 (Carlos Pena 71st, Saul Sandoval 81st, Raul Nava 90th) vs Haiti 0.
T&T 2 (Stephen Knox 44th, Ryan O’Neil 53rd) vs Jamaica 0.