Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 Women’s team have an improve showing but it was not enough on the night to prevent them from going down 2-0 to Mexico in their second outing in the 4-Nation tournament at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium on Wednesday night. The win was Mexico's second in the tournament after they edged Canada 2-1 in Sunday's opening fixture in Marabella.
Playing before an appreciative crowd, the Even Pellerud coached team showed promising signs in some areas of their game which left the Norway-born coach optimistic after the game and confident that they will perform even better in Friday’s closing encounter against Canada which drubbed Jamaica 4-1 in the opener of the double header on Wednesday.
A slip up by goalkeeper Linfah Jones in the 7th minute gifted Mexico a 1-0 lead after Andrea Sanchez saw her shot go past the custodian and late in the game as the home side pressed for the equalizer and guilty of leaving their back exposed, Christina Murillo grabbed an item in the final minute to seal the win for the Mexicans.
T&T, despite conceding early, started with a more lively and purposeful approach than they did in the previous 0-0 draw with Jamaica and apart from Ana Llamas’ looping effort which was well claimed by Jones in the 14th minute, there was nothing else that caused anxious moments in defence for T&T.
Skipper Camille Borneo was solid throughout with good support from those around her but T&T failed to penetrate on the attack for the opening 45 minutes.
The second half though saw them begin to come into their own going forward and Mexico was lucky not to have conceded as the match progressed.
Six minutes into the second half Jo Marie Lewis had T&T’s best effort up till then when she got into a crowded box but could only manage to hit low from the edge of the six yard and see her effort bubble up for the goalkeeper to claim.
A minute later the same Lewis rushed another shot goalwards from the right and goalie Cecilia Santiago was up to the test. Then it was Nykosi Simmons’ time to fire one wide as T&T forced Mexico onto the backfoot in a three-minute span.
T&T went all out but Mexico remained disciplined and kept their shape. They sealed the win late in the match when Murillo punished T&T for napping at the back with a well taken goal from inside the penalty box.
T&T face Canada at 7:45pm on Friday at the same venue following a 5:30pm clash with Mexico and Jamaica. Click videos below for post game comments.
Mexico edge T&T 2-0.
By: Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
Soca Princesses play Canada tonight at 'Mannie Ramjohn'
’We lost the match, but overall we played better than Mexico did,’ Trinidad and Tobago’s Norwegian coach Even Pellerud declared following the Soca Princesses’ 2-0 defeat to Mexico on Wednesday night, when the four-nation Women’s Under-17 Invitational Tournament continued at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
’They scored two very fortuitous goals and I have to commend them for that. But, in the run of the game and in terms of attacking power and creating scoring chances, we were the better team. And that was surprising because in the opening game Mexico beat Canada (2-1). We are closing the gap,’ he added.
And tonight (7.45), Pellerud hopes to end the series with a victory against Canada, who hammered Jamaica 4-1 in the opening match of Wednesday’s double-header.
’Canada seem to be a little stronger than Mexico so I am expecting a very tough game,’ said Pellerud. ’The rest period is very short so I am looking to see how well we recover and our fitness level as we play a game two days later.’
As they had done when drawing 0-0 with Jamaica in their opening match on Sunday, the Trinidad and Tobago Under-17s again started slowly in the first half against Mexico.
The Mexicans led in the ninth minute when midfielder Andrea Sanchez scored directly from a corner-kick, exploiting the lack of height of T&T goalkeeper Linfar Jones.
And in the 14th minute, a deep ball into the penalty area almost went over keeper Jones, who gathered under pressure at the second attempt.
Afterwards, the Mexicans struggled to create clear chances, until the final kick of the match when the home team pushed almost everyone up for a free kick and were caught on the counter-attack.
On the break, Mexican striker Christina Murillo had a long run to goal and put the ball into an open net when Jones collided with one of her defenders.
Pellerud felt the slow start reflected Trinidad and Tobago’s lack of international matches and added that his most important objective is to get the Soca Princesses less scared of playing matches against good teams such as Mexico and Canada.
Game by game, said Pellerud, his girls are starting to play with more confidence, and that was reflected by how they were able to restrict Mexico’s attacks.
Pellerud made seven changes to his starting line-up from Sunday, but it was the second-half introduction of striker Jo-Marie Lewis which really got the Soca Princesses going.
Lewis added power to the attack and seemed to lift her teammates and Mexico had to survive a T&T onslaught before scoring their second goal.
’Jo-Marie Lewis came on in the second half and had a tremendous game,’ Pellerud said of the Soca Princesses’ improved showing. ’I think the momentum of the game changes in our favour and the girls just enjoyed playing.
I have to give credit to the back four and the rest of the team for working very hard. We knew from our game in Mexico (earlier this year) that they would play a skillful game and a passing game, so there was pressure on them all along and they could not pass the ball properly.’
In just the first minute of the second half, Lewis hit a dangerous cross which just missed her strike partner Briana Ryce. And in the 61st, Lewis had two scoring chances in quick succession.
She was first foiled by a last gasp tackle from defender Alejandra Amadour after breaking past Mexico’s defenders and, seconds later, Mexican keeper Cecelia Santiago brilliantly fended off her shot across goal.
In the 78th, Lewis also turned with her back to goal and hit a powerful shot from atop the penalty area which again forced Santiago to save.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S RESULTS:
Mexico 2 (Andrea Sanchez, 9th; Christina Murillo, 90th +) vs Trinidad and Tobago 0
Canada 4 (Cantale Campbell, 35th; Caroline Beaulne, 43rd; Sabrina Hemond, 69th; Haillie Price, 79th) Jamaica 1 (Trudi Carter, 81st)
TONIGHT’S MATCHES:
5.30 p.m.-Jamaica vs Mexico, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella
7.45 p.m.-Trinidad and Tobago vs Canada, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella
Mexico blank TT 2-0 in U-17 women’s football.
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday).
Andrea Sanchez and Christina Murillo got their names on the score-sheet as Mexico blanked hosts Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 on Wednesday night as the Invitational Four Nations Under-17 Women’s Football Tournament continued at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Mexico, just like the other tournament participants Canada and Jamaica, are preparing for next week’s CONCACAF Under-17 Championships, for spots at the 2010 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup here in TT.
Mexico took advantage of the lack of height by the Trinidad and Tobago defence to take the lead in the eighth minute, as Sanchez swung in a left-footed corner from the right and the ball sailed over the diminutive goalkeeper Linfah Jones and into the back of the net.
The goal clearly stung the Trinidad and Tobago team as their structure collapsed under pressure, with an array of stray passes and glaring lack of awareness, especially in the centre of the field.
Things got worse for Trinidad and Tobago in the 14th minute when midfielder Anique Walker, who was impressive in the goal-less draw against Jamaica on Sunday, had to be replaced by Patrice Campbell following a collision with Mexican goalie and captain Cecilia Santiago.
Jones was also involved in a collision, as she struggled to meet a bouncing ball from Sanchez and, as a result, she clashed into her captain Borneo, fellow central defender Khadisha Debesette and Mexican striker Jeanette Jimenez.Mexico, who defeated Canada 2-1 in their opening match on Sunday, did well to protect their lead until the half-time interval, but the introduction of striker Jo-Marie Lewis, for Campbell, on the half, gave some vital impetus to the Trinidad and Tobago team.
A minute into the second half, Lewis, inside the penalty box, centred the ball to Brianna Ryce who ran into Santiago as she failed to finish home from close range, while, in the 61st, Lewis was thwarted by defender Alejandra Amador as she tried to hit home a free-kick from Annette Mims. An alert Santiago did well to block Lewis’ effort a minute later while, in the 63rd, Ryce collected a loose ball but could not keep down her left-footed effort.
A rare Mexico attack resulted in another collision, this time between right-back Rehana Omardeen and Debesette (half of an identical twin), and Sanchez, on the left, picked out Murillo whose right-footer crashed off the crossbar.
Trinidad and Tobago fought valiantly for the equaliser, particularly in the dying minutes of the game, but they were undone by a stoppage time winner by Murillo.
Substitute Shante Helwig-Correia, after a weak freekick, lost possession to Diana Gonzalez who released the goal-bound Murillo and the midfielder held off the retreating Borneo to round Jones and tuck her right-footer into the vacant net.
In the earlier match on Wednesday – in front of a vocal crowd who had to endure the lack of a functioning scoreboard, Canada got past Jamaica 4-1, with goals from Chantale Campbell (35th), Caroline Beaulne (43rd), Haillie Price (79th) and Sabrina Hemond (80th).
But Jamaican captain Trudi Carter produced the most memorable goal of the night, directly from the kick-off (after Hemond’s item), with an audacious right-footed lob from the centre circle which sailed over the head of goalie Rachel Beansland.
The tournament ends today at Marabella with Jamaica meeting Mexico at 5.30 pm while Trinidad and Tobago will square off against Canada at 7.45 pm.
Teams –
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Linfah Jones; Camille Borneo (capt), Khadisha Debesette, Annette Mimms, Rehana Omardeen; Camille Charles (Shante Helwig-Correia 73rd), Khadidra Debesette, Brianna Ryce (Kedisha Castillo 82nd), Kayla Taylor, Anique Walker (Patrice Campbell 16th; JoMarie Lewis 46th); Nykosi Simmons (Victoria Swift 87th).
MEXICO: Cecilia Santiago (capt); Alejandra Amador, Cristina Ferral, Alexandria Rios, Lauren Reyes; Diana Gonzalez, Andrea Sanchez (Fernanda Pina 84th), Susane Ibarra (Daniela Salcedo 54th), Ana Karen Llamas (Christina Murillo 28th); Tanya Samarzich, Jeanette Jimenez (Cinthia Sandoval 67th).
Pellerud admits: TT playing better.
T&T Newsday Reports.
Trinidad and Tobago Under-17 women’s football team coach Even Pellerud has acknowledged the improvement in the squad, despite a 2-0 loss to Mexico on Wednesday night at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
After a scratchy goalless draw to Jamaica on Sunday, Trinidad and Tobago will be seeking to end the Invitational Four Nations Tournament with a win against the other participant, Canada, today, also at Marabella.
“The team played a much better game, against a strong opposition,” said the Norwegian-born coach. “The first half (was) decent, good defensive shape. We also started to produce some good attacks but the confidence was a little bit down after that first goal.
“In the second half, the game completely changed and it was Trinidad and Tobago who got the momentum, for the majority of the second half,” he added. “I’m very pleased with the second half, and overall, the game.”
Pellerud noted that he will be looking at some new players in today’s encounter. “We’ll see a new starting lineup on Friday. There are players I need to see.
“It’s important to be fair at this stage, to see what they can produce in a competitive environment, when the pressure is on.”
He was also impressed with the resilience of the back four – captain Camille Borneo, centre back Khadisha Debesette and wing-backs Annette Mims and Rehana Omardeen.
When asked about two new faces on Wednesday night, Mims and striker Jo-Marie Lewis, he replied: “Mims is a very skilled, talented and smart full-back, she doesn’t look that athletic but when she starts to play, she’s smart and good enough, a good passer of the ball and makes very few errors, if any.
“Lewis, when she’s ready to play, it’ll be hard to find many players better than her, at this age group,” Pellerud added. But she has many days when she does not want to play her best, that’s another story. Today, she wanted to play and she really proved a lot.”