NEAT passing and possession were not enough to give Trinidad and Tobago a victory against Antigua and Barbuda in their opening match of the Concacaf Under-15 Girls Championships at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on August 5.
Prior to the T&T-Antigua match, the T&T High Performance team were held to a goalless draw by US Virgin Islands.
T&T, despite large spells of domination, could not capitalise in front goal.
The T&T midfielders connected well in the centre of the park, stringing many passes together but the final touch let them down repeatedly.
Antigua and Barbuda did have their moments with the majority of their chances coming on the counter attack.
The T&T midfielders, led by central midfielder Mia Lee Chong and the attacking Mikalah Guerero, kept the Antigua and Barbuda defenders busy.
Many of T&T's shots came from distance that did not trouble Antigua and Barbuda goal-keeper Alyssa Laviscount.
The T&T defenders also did their job on the afternoon with timely challenges. In the second half, T&T's Jessica Nesbitt intercepted the ball to bring an Antiguan counter attack to a halt.
T&T had a golden chance to grab a winner in the dying seconds, but substitute Alliyah Baptiste could not find the target as her shot from close range landed on top of the net.
Following the match, T&T coach Marlon Charles said, "Very happy because everything that we did in training the kids did outside there. One of the things we talked about is that they were a little too anxious wanting to score. Sometimes the extra pass will make us score. Sometimes they are shooting from 40 yards just to get a result."
Giving more details on what he was pleased with, he said, "How we moved the ball, how the kept the ball, we keep rotating the ball from left to right into the strikers, back and forth. That is how we trained."
Charles credited Antigua and Barbuda for their spirit. "They fought well. It is all about women's football."
Looking ahead to the next match on August 6, Charles said, "They have to know now the things that they did well, the things that they did not do so well, what we need to improve."
TEAMS
Trinidad and Tobago High Performance (4-3-3): 1.Kenisha Taylor (GK) (18.Nika Ifill 61); 2.Ahmeeda Bowman, 17.Adrishea Kent, 3.Janae Cordner, 4.Shiphrah Alleyne (5.Onesha Gregouir 61); 16.Khloe Kirton (captain) (8.Shivanni Saroop 52), 6.Timera Ottley, 10.Lexi Sankersingh (13.Jaeda Wilson 36); 14.Emma Collins (9.Tyler Neptune 61), 12.Sydney Pollard (15.Jodi Harragin 52), 7.Akeria Leacock (11.Safeisha Ragguette 61).
Coach: Paul Decle
United States Virgin Islands (4-3-2-1): 1.Kyliz Osorio (GK); 11.Yahsenah Leo, 10.Makayla Walcott (captain), 2.Neah Williams, 15.Chloe Nunez (3.Celine Kalpee 58); 7.Vigga Tyson (17.Areesa St Croix 49), 9.Norma Tyson (5.J’leah Connor 58), 8.Olivia Crikelair; 13.Hana Bronstein (12.Jahzara Roach 69), 14.Ashleigh Speakman; 4.Kyla Groetzinger (16.Chaney Smith 69).
Unused substitute: 18.Jimmilia Plante (GK).
Coach: Vin Blaine.
Referee: Alex Billeter (United States)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-5-1): 1.Akeila Marryshow (GK); 2.Jessica Nesbitt, 3.Hackeemar Goodridge (captain), 10.Mikalah Guerero, 5.Mateja Leben (16.Taya Williams 21); 11.Sanni Wilson, 15.Zyesha Potts (4.Kimani Wallace 36), 6.Mia Lee Chong (17.Scarlett Cole 65), 8.Rori Gittens (14.Alliyah Baptiste 65), 7.Jayda Herbert (12.Gyasi Lewis 65); 13.Shemaiah Toussaint (4.Shakilla Hamilton 36).
Unused substitute: 18. Zofia Richards (GK).
Coach: Marlon Charles
Antigua and Barbuda (4-5-1): 1.Alyssa Laviscount (GK); 3.Thedia Browne (captain), 2.Karmiellia Hughes, 4.Denovia Jarvis, 5.Tesseanna Browne; 11.Rolesha Humphreys, 6.Kavita Cordice (15.Shanika Burton 68), 13.Aliah London, 10.Latoya Williams, 9.Keitonya Skepple; 7.Nafisa Quashie.
Unused substitutes: 18.Serenity Colbourne (GK), 8.Ne’jireh Wijnaldum, 12.Anesa Liburd, 14.Grace Zreibi.
Coach: Nikisha Samuel
Referee: Neressa Goldson (Jamaica)
August 6 fixtures:
Hasely Crawford Stadium:
Virgin Islands vs Guatemala, 9 am
St Kitts and Nevis vs T&T High Performance
Antigua and Barbuda vs Grenada, 1 pm
Curacao vs T&T, 3 pm
Larry Gomes Stadium:
Suriname vs Dominican Republic, 9 am
Barbados vs Honduras, 11 am
Cayman Islands vs Bermuda, 1 pm
Belize vs Cuba, 3 pm
SOURCE: T&T Newsday