U-15 Girls end Championship with defeat to Mexico

Team head coach Marlon Charles, though disappointed with the results,  said he felt there was a lot to take from the experience for his players who were engaged in an international tournament for the very first time.

“Tough game for the players. They did what they could have done. I am proud of the effort the players made during this tournament,  a lot was learnt and seeing what is required to play. And time is the most important area because there is not shortcut in the development of football,” Charles told TTFA Media.

“I know the girls will be disappointed and a lot will be said about the results but we have a bunch here that knows what it is to face up to the Mexicans and the Americans from a young age which is not something we have had often in the past and this will serve them well going forward,” Charles added.

T&T finished third in the inaugural Under 15 Championship in 2014, defeating Honduras in the third place encounter.

Mexico, Costa Rica and St. Lucia claimed the last three available slots in the 2016 CONCACAF U-15 Girls’ Championship quarterfinals, completing group play with wins on Monday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Mexicans (3W-0D-1L, 9 points) finished as runner-up in Group A behind the United States (4-0-0, 12) thanks to an 11-0 win over T&T  as Alison Gonzalez equaled a tournament record with five goals.

Nicole Gomez scored two goals and Costa Rica (2-1-1, 7) edged Jamaica (2-0-2, 6) by a single point for second in Group B, topping Venezuela (0-0-4, 0), 4-1.

St. Lucia took second place in Group C on the strength of a 1-0 victory against Nicaragua.  An early own-goal proved to be the difference.

August 15, 2016 Results

Group A
Haiti 5, Dominican Republic 0
Trinidad & Tobago 0, Mexico 11

Group B
Jamaica 4, El Salvador 0
Venezuela 1, Costa Rica 4

Group C
Grenada 3, St. Vincent & the Grenadines 5
St. Lucia 1, Nicaragua 0