The Trinidad and Tobago National Under 20 team opened their Puerto La Cruz International U-20 Hexagonal tournament with a 4-1 defeat to Costa Rica at the Empresas Polar Sport Center in Venezuela yesterday.
Costa Rica was quick off the blocks with José Mena netting in the 4th minute, however, the lead was short lived as T&T captain Leston Paul found the equalising item four minutes later.
T&T must had felt that they were in for a good game but Costa Rica changed the Caribbean side minds very quickly and would make T&T pay as the young Ticos score three goals in a space of seven minutes to complete the 4-1 route. Marco Ureña (13th), Diego Madrigal (15th) and a 20th minute goal by Alejandro Castro seal the victory for the Central Americans.
In other matches, host Venezuela who is fielding two teams (A & B) in the tournament lost both their encounters. In their opening match Brazil thumped Venezuela A, 6-1. Brazil goal-scorers were Alan (5th), Gabriel Pimba (37th), Roberson (39th), Cunha (52nd-Pen), Tinga (57th) and Wellington Junior (64th) while Yonathan Del Valle scored a consolation goal for Venezuela in the 90th minute from the penalty spot.
The Venezuela B team also lose their opening game when they fell 1-0 to Paraguay. Midfielder Lorenzo Melgarejo was the goal scorer in the 84th minute for the winning team. Paraguay are in the same group with T&T in the FIFA Under 20 World Championship in Egypt in September, 2009.
Remaining Fixtures
Monday 20
Venezuela B vs Costa Rica - 3:00 pm
Brazil vs Paraguay - 5:15 pm
Venezuela A vs Trinidad - 7:30 pm
Wednesday 22
Venezuela B vs Brazil - 3:00 pm
Paraguay vs Trinidad - 5:15 pm
Venezuela A vs Costa Rica - 7:30 pm
Friday 24
Venezuela B vs Trinidad - 3:00 pm
Brazil vs Costa Rica - 5:15 pm
Venezuela A vs Paraguay - 7:30 pm
Sunday 26
Paraguay vs Costa Rica
Trinidad vs Brazil
Venezuela A vs Venezuela B
Monday 27
Venezuela A vs Brazil - 7 pm