The Junior Soca Princesses’ Jahra Thomas ended with a tournament-high six goals as Trinidad and Tobago’s national women’s Under-17 football team ended Group Two Caribbean first-round qualifying for the Costa Rica 2014 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup with an emphatic 13-0 win over the United States Virgin Islands on Sunday night.
Following a 0-0 draw between Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis earlier, both Trinidad and Tobago and hosts USVI were assured of spots in the upcoming Caribbean final round of qualifying. All that was to be decided in the final match of the tournament was which of the two unbeaten teams would take top spot.
It was a no-contest. T&T ended the tournament with a maximum nine points after also beating St Kitts and Nevis 7-0 and Antigua and Barbuda 4-1. The USVI were second on four points following a 5-0 win over St Kitts and Nevis and a 0-0 draw with Antigua and Barbuda.
Trained by Marlon Charles, T&T were all over the hosts at the Paul E Joseph Stadium in St Croix on Sunday. For T&T, Thomas netted four goals, while both Zoe Swift and Khaline Jacob got two each. Tamara Johnson, Chelcy Ralph, Chevonne John, Dennecia Prince, and an own goal also contributed to the massive tally.
“We’ve done well in this phase and it was pleasing to see the girls dominate the opposition,” Charles said. “We’ve got work to do but this was a good start and the players realise that once they put their minds to it, they can take charge. We expect the next stage to be tougher but not beyond us. We are definitely looking to continue this run of form right into the Concacaf round.