Trinidad and Tobago captured the last semifinal spot of the 2013 CFU Women's Under 17 Cup by defeating the Dominican Republic 5-1 at the Sylvio Cator Stadium in Haiti.
In the final preliminary Group B game of the tournament, the ‘Soca Princesses’ held off a determined Dominican Republic squad which knew only a win would see them through to the next round.
The Dominican’s to their credit came out attacking Trinidad and Tobago from the start as Winibian Peralta and Emely Sosa took several early shots at the Trinidadian goal.
However, it was the twin island republic that struck first when Summer Arjoon displayed a brilliant solo run through the heart of the Dominican defenceand passed the ball to Khaline Jacob, who fired a cannon into the roof of the nets for a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute.
Jacob wasn't finished yet as in the 42nd minute she collected a pass from Eden Charles in the 18 yard box and easily put it past Yelandy Contreras in the Dominican Republic goal.
The Dominican girls made the game interesting in the72nd minute when Ana Taveras threaded a lovely low cross to an advancing Sosa to hit past Trinidad and Tobago’s goalie Rebecca-Ann Almandoz making it 2-1.
Any hopes of a dramatic comeback were dashed when Corel Carmichael broke through the Dominican offside trap and with only the goalkeeper to beat easily dribbled around her and escorted the ball over the goal-line in the 78th minute.
Arjoon who was spectacular in midfield for the Trinidadian ladies, added to the score-line in the 81st minute with a spectacular volley to the back of the nets. Maya Matouk put the icing on the cake in the 88th minute when she connected on a corner from Arjoon and had no trouble in scoring past Contreras making it 5-1.
Trinidad and Tobago will face off against Puerto Rico on Friday September 27th at 4:00 p.m.