Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 14 Girls players team made a dream start to their international careers with a convincing 10-0 shut out of Grenada in the second game of a double header in the Caribbean Football union Under 14 Girls Challenge Series at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Friday.
The win left T&T top of the four-team table after Cuba blanked Suriname 7-0 in the first match.
T&T were led by substitute Breana Smith who struck five times to spur the hosts on after they led 3-0 at the half-time interval of the 70-minute affair.
A double by Carissa Cowan set the pace for T&T in the first half as she found the target in the 14th and 35th minutes. US-based forward Nikita Jackson had earlier opened the scoring on 18 minutes. Talia Martin increased the lead in the 41st but it was Smith who came off the bench to punish the Grenadians with goals in the 37′,48′, 56′, 62′, 68’ minutes.
After the match, T&T head coach Marlon Charles noted there was still a lot of work to be done by his team.
“This is a new group and what we are trying to do is focus on technique and decision making. You would hear me calling on the players a lot of times to put down the ball and play and make decisions. You could see them trying to do it which is important,” Charles told TTFA Media.
“Simple as it is, there is a lot of work to be done but we see them playing to the training where they are trying to play good football which is what we are trying to develop in them. With regards to Breana, we know what she’s capable of. She can hit the balls and score goals. The focus is all about technique and decision making,” he added.
Charles spoke on the positive effect the team’s residential camp at the Home of Football hotel in Couva has been having on the players.
“For me its the best thing that could happen for Trinidad and Tobago football… to have a home where players can go and really feel part of something and become a top class player or have an opportunity to spend time when they train without having to think about anything but football. The girls are really enjoying it and having fun because they are feeling it’s part of them and it’s theirs,” Charles said.
T&T face Suriname at 7:00pm on Sunday and Cuba takes on Grenada from 5:00pm at the Couva venue.
SOURCE: ttfootball.org