Trinidad and Tobago Senior Women opened their 2018 CFU Women’s Challenge Series campaign with a convincing 7-0 victory over Suriname on Wednesday night at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
T&T rushed into a 6-0 lead prior to half time as the Dutch-speaking nation struggled to deal with their more experienced and technically better opponents in the second outing of the evening. Guyana and Grenada had earlier played to a scoreless draw as Group C opened at the TTFA Home of Football
T&T’s goals came from Shenelle Arjoon 5′ and 46′, Tasha St Louis 11′, Patrice Superville in 30′, Karyn Forbes in 36′, Mariah Shade in 41′ and Jonelle Cato, wife of National Senior Team player Cordell Cato, in the 52nd minute of play.
Arjoon opened the scoring with well taken item in the 5th minute and as T&T began to find their stride, in came a right side cross from Mariah Shade for Tasha St Louis to head home from near the six yard for a 2-0 advantage on eleven minutes.
Shade had a glorious chance to extend the lead moments later but fumbled after rounding the goalkeeper with the goal at her mercy.
On 29 minutes Arjoon almost got her second of the night but her effort cannoned off the left post. Soon after she would turn provider, slipping a pass from the left for Patrice Supervise to tap home on the half hour.
It was then Cato’s turn to rock the bar with a long range effort before Karyn Forbes netted T&T’s fourth item in the 36th minute. T&T were in total control as their opponents could hardly mount a decent attack in home team’s half of the pitch. St Louis also got involved in the crossbar challenge as her attempt rebounded into play in the 39th minute.
Shade would eventually give the home fans more to cheer with a goal in the 41st minute and Arjoon increased Suriname’s troubles with a 46th minute item. The second half was pretty much the same with T&T controlling proceedings but with only one further goal to show off Cato’s boot seven minutes in.
“All in all I was pleased with the effort and the fact that we scored seven goals but I do not think it was a very strong Suriname team tonight,” head coach Jamaal Shabazz said after the win.
But he did express concerns on the team’s drop in performance after changes were made in the second half.
“I thought the gave a lot of rooms on the sides of the field and we made use of it early in the game. But the worrisome thing is when we took out three of the veteran players, Tasha St Louis, Karyn Forbes and Ayanna Russell, I think we lost our way a bit and this is worrying when you look at the depth we are trying to create in the team. All in all pleased that we scored seven goals today but far from making cartwheels and jumping for joy,” Shabazz added.
T&T faces Grenada from 6:30pm on Friday with Guyana meeting Suriname from 4pm.
Shabazz reacts to 7-0 win over Suriname in CFU Women's Challenge
FULL-TIME:
Trinidad and Tobago Women 7-0 Suriname. Goals by Shanelle Arjoon (5’, 46’), Tasha St. Louis (11’), Patrice Superville (30’), Karyn Forbes (36’), Mariah Shade (41’), and Joelle Cato (52’).
(Teams - by Wired868)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-4-2): 1.Saundra Baron (GK); 16.Liana Hinds, 2.Ayana Russell (17.Laurelle Theodore 69), 5.Jenelle Cunningham, 7.Jonelle Cato; 8.Patrice Superville, 18.Naomie Guerra, 14.Karyn Forbes (11.Janine Francois 54), 12.Shanelle Arjoon; 10.Tasha St Louis (19.Aaliyah Prince 46), 9.Mariah Shade.
Unused substitutes: 22.Nicolette Craig (GK), 3.Anastasia Prescott, 4.Shaunalee Govia, 15.Kedie Johnson, 13.Shenieka Paul, 6.Natasha St Louis.
Coach: Jamaal Shabazz
Suriname (4-4-1-1): 1.Zuwena Dors (GK); 5.Concita Slagveer (12.Abigail Breinburg 65), 3.Xaviera Somowidjojo, 4.Saffira Hoogdorp (captain), 2.Cady Chin-See-Chong (15.Elvida Lammy 57); 7.Stephany Hanenberg, 8.Mirelva Wongsodierdjo, 6.Sulaika Kinsaini, 11.Pamela Ansoe; 18.Orthea Riley; 9.Cynthia Sital (17.Sabrina Rigters 72).
Unused substitutes: 22.Sylvana Renfurm (GK), 10.Marville Blatz, 13.Jean-Jett Dijon, 16.Ulstra Weegman, 19.Genevieve Sabajo.
Coach: Rogillo Nilton Kolf
Referee: Gillian Martindale (Barbados)