T&T’s Under-17 Women Warriors will need to pull off a huge upset in their final match against Mexico on Wednesday from 7 pm to advance to the round-of-16 of the Concacaf Under-17 Women’s Championship.
This after the Jason Spence-coached T&T girls went under to Panama 4-0 in their second Group E match at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Monday.
Coming off a 5-1 loss to Panama on Saturday in their opener, T&T went into the clash with Nicaragua needing a win, with the Central Americans coming off a heavy defeat as well, 10-0 to Mexico.
However, it was Nicaragua who grabbed the early advantage, with Adrianna Munguia scoring in the third minute before Daniela Manzanares converted a penalty in the 24th minute for a 2-0 lead.
Any hopes T&T had of mounting a comeback were further dented when Jenifer Sarantes made it 3-0 a minute into time added on at the end of the first half.
In the second half, T&T put up a better showing but could not put their offensive game together with Breanna Smith, the scorer from the first encounter, out the match through injury.
Stella Villalta added a fourth for Nicaragua in the 67th.
Last night, Panama and Mexico met in the Group F top-of-the-table clash while the teams will close out round-robin pool play on Wednesday with T&T meeting Mexico from 7 pm, and Panama facing Nicaragua from 4 pm.
In the day’s other matches, USA followed up its 19-0 win over Grenada by hammering Puerto Rico 9-0, while in Sunday’s late matches Haiti defeated Cuba 2-0 and Canada punished Dominican Republic 10-0.
The Championship is being disputed in two rounds, beginning with a 16-team group stage.
After round-robin play, the top three teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage joining the four best teams from CWU17 Qualifying.
The first round of qualifying for the 2022 CWU17 took place from October 20 to November 1, 2021, at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, USA with the three group winners; St Kitts & Nevis (Group A), Curaçao (Group B) and Honduras (Group C), as well as the best-ranked second-place finisher (based on a weighted points system), Guyana (Group B), advancing directly to the Knockout Stage of the 2022 CWU17.
After the event, the champion, runner-up and third-place finisher will qualify for the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India in October of 2022.
The USA is the current champion (fourth title overall) of the CWU17 following a 3-2 win over Mexico in the 2018 Final.
WATCH: Highlights of Trinidad and Tobago U-17 Women's 4-0 loss to Nicaragua.
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Nicaragua knocks Trinidad and Tobago U17 Women out of World Cup contention.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
THE Trinidad and Tobago Under-17 women’s footballers now have no chance of qualifying for the 2022 Fifa Under-17 World Cup after falling to another heavy defeat at the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championships, on Monday.
After falling 5-1 to Panama on Saturday, T&T lost 4-0 to Nicaragua in Group C action at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Monday.
Even if T&T pull off an upset win over Mexico in their final group match on Wednesday it will not be enough to advance to the knockout phase. The Concacaf Championships serve as the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier. The top three teams in the 20-team Concacaf tournament advance to the World Cup in India later this year.
Nicaragua were out of the blocks quickly opening the scoring in the third minute.
Adriana Munguia caught T&T goalkeeper Shaunda Sheppard off her line and buried the opportunity from 30 yards.
Nicaragua created more chances throughout the contest and had the lion’s share of possession.
Nicaragua, just as Panama did against T&T, attempted a lot of shots from outside the 18-yard box.
Sheppard made a couple of saves to deny Nicaragua’s attempts from distance and also made a point-blank save in the 20th minute to keep the score 1-0.
In the 24th minute, Daniela Manzanares converted a penalty to make it 2-0 for Nicaragua. Jhelysse Anthony handled the ball following an attempted cross by a Nicaragua player and the penalty was awarded.
T&T attempted a few counterattacks, but their final pass let them down repeatedly.
Nicaragua continued to look more menacing in attack and in first-half stoppage time made it 3-0.
Jenifer Sarantes lobbed the ball over Sheppard from a fairly tight angle as Nicaragua were cruising at the break.
Marley Walker’s goal kicks for T&T during the match failed to reach the half-line which put a lot of pressure on the T&T goal.
In the second half, Nicaragua did not create as many chances but still had the better passage of play.
T&T had a few bright sparks during the match. In the 58th minute, substitute Jeniceia Benjamin got a shot from six yards out but it was deflected for a corner kick.
T&T gave away possession as they struggled to string three or four passes together in the match.
Nicaragua made it 4-0 when Stella Grace Villalta’s strike from 25 yards out found the back of the net in the 67th minute.
The Central Americans continued to shoot from outside the box in search of a fifth goal.
In the 82nd minute, T&T’s Nikita Jackson ran onto a pass but volleyed her shot wide of the goal.
Nicaragua ended the match with 37 shots compared to eight by T&T.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-4-2): 18.Shaunda Sheppard (GK); 13.Tayeann Wylie, 6.Shadea Andrews, 8.Marley Walker (captain), 19.Emily Nanton; 2.Faith Alexander (10.Jeniecia Benjamin 46), 15.Aliyah Hudlin (12.Arie Bhagan 46), 5.Cicely-Anne Spencer-Wickham, 7.Nikita Jackson; 11.Jhelysse Anthony (14.Trischell Charles 46), 20.Jada Graham.
Unused substitutes: 16.Alexandra Ennals (GK), 3.Makeba Morang, 4.Angel Berot, 9.Breana Smith, 17.Hannah Vieira.
Coach: Jason Spence
Nicaragua (4-3-3): 1.Yahoska Garcia (GK); 7.Sara Cruz (19.Ana Martinez 78), 3.Conthia Calero, 4.Ariana Munguia, 5.Aura Zeledon (2.Stella Villalta 35); 6.Vanessa Altamirano (captain), 14.Anyi Loza (15.Flavia Jimenez 51), 10.Jenifer Sarantes; 11.Hilary Munguia (8.Perla Garache 51), 13.Daniela Manzanares (16.Lesli Marquez 78), 9.Adriana Munguia.
Unused substitutes: 12.Francela Maltez (GK), 2.Stella Villalta, 17.Veronica Navarrete, 18. Jennifer Toval.
Coach: Jeniffer Fernandez
Referee: Merlin Vanessa Soto (Honduras)