T&T’s Under-20 Women’s footballers' chances of advancing to the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship were all but ended following a shock 7-2 loss to St Kitts/Nevis at the Estadio Pan Americano in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic on Sunday.
Following their 3-0 loss to El Salvador in their Group G opener at the same venue on Friday, the Jason Spence-coached T&T girls went into the match in a must-win situation against St Kitts/Nevis who were hammered 7-0 by Canada in their opener of the tournament, a qualifier for the 2022 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
However, within six minutes of the kick-off, T&T found itself behind when Iyanla Bailey-Williams opened the scoring for St Kitts/Nevis and two minutes later she made it 2-0.
T&T fell further behind in the 22nd minute when Jahzara Claxton got her first while Bailey-Williams completed her hattrick by getting St Kitts/Nevis’ fourth item in the 30th.
USA-based T&T captain, Maria Frances-Serrant, who scored her first goal for the senior women’s team in a recent 2-0 defeat of Dominica in their Senior Women’s World Cup qualifier pulled a goal back for T&T in the 33rd minute to trail 4-1 before Claxton added a second to her tally four minutes into time added on at the end of the first-half for a 5-1 advantage.
It seemed as though not even a half-time chat from coach Spence worked for T&T as within three minutes of the restart, Claxton completed her hat-trick to extend the lead to 6-1 while Ellie Stokes added her name to the scoresheet in the 61st minute for a 7-1 cushion.
Half-time introduction Shurella Mendez, who replaced Darrianne Henry got a second goal back for T&T in the 75th minute.
Three minutes from the final whistle, T&T was reduced to ten players after second-choice goalkeeper Aaliyah Alexander who replaced Akyla Walcott was shown a straight red card by referee Katia Garcia for a professional foul Stokes.
With third-choice goalkeeper Chelsea Ramnauth not included in the match-day roster, it was down to another substitute Aaliyah Trim to take up the goalkeeper position and she managed to fend off any further attacks until the final whistle.
However, the damage was already done as St Kitts/Nevis who were beaten by T&T 6-0 at the 20202 edition of the competition boosted their chances of advancing.
Last night Canada came up against El Salvador in the other match in the pool and depending on the outcome, T&T will still stand a chance of qualification as a top-three team from the pool with an unlikely win against Canada in their final pool match on Tuesday from 7 pm.
Three hours earlier on Tuesday, El Salvador tackles St Kitts/Nevis in both teams' final pool match as well.
Following the group phase, the top three teams will qualify to the knockout stage along with the top three teams from the three other pools where they will join the four qualifying round winners’ Bermuda, Curacao, Suriname and Cayman Islands to complete the round-of-16.
The knockout stage of the competition will all be played in a single match direct elimination format.
After the event, the champion, runner-up and third-place finisher will qualify for the 2022 FIFA Women’s U-20 in Costa Rica in August of 2022, giving Concacaf four participating teams in the tournament.
The USA is the current champion (sixth title overall) of the CWU20 after defeating Mexico 4-1 in the 2020 final.
2022 Concacaf Under-20 Women’s Championship:
Full Results:
St Kitts & Nevis 7 (Iyanla Bailey-Williams 6th, 8th, 30th, Jahzara Claxton 22nd, 45th+4, 48th, Ellie Stokes 61st) vs T&T 2 (Maria-Frances Serrant 33rd, Shurella Mendez 75th).
WATCH: Highlights of Trinidad and Tobago U-20 Women's 7-2 loss to St. Kitts and Nevis.
WATCH: Post-match reaction from Maria-Frances Serrant
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-1-3): 1.Akyla Walcott (GK) (18.Aaliyah Alexander [GK] 66); 11.Charlize Hood (2.Ashante Wilson-Campbell 46), 4.Latifha Pascall, 5.Derisha Bristol, 6.Chrissy Mitchell; 20.Darrianne Henry (19.Shurelia Mendez 46), 8.Marley Walker; 7.Sarah De Gannes; 14.Lillian Selvon (15.Ternia St Clair 46), 10.Maria-Frances Serrant (captain), 9.Tori Paul (13.Aaliyah Trim 85).
Unused substitutes: 3.Moenesa Mejias, 12.Celine Loraine, 17.Jhelysse Anthony.
Coach: Jason Spence
St Kitts and Nevis (4-2-1-3): 1.Solleessh Rawlins (GK); 20.Trishanie Warner, 17.Christi-anne Mills, 11.Eve Richards, 6.Kayla Uddenberg; 5.Cloey Uddenberg (captain), 7.Jasonna Williams (8.Kayzg Boyles 46); 9.Ellie Stokes; 19.Zania Marshall (2.Shenica Francis 78), 10.Jahzara Claxton, 14.Iyanla Bailey-Williams.
Unused substitutes: 18.Tatyanna Daley (GK), 3.Glenecia Battice, 4.Hadassah St Juste, 15.Sequia Williams.
Coach: Earl Jones
Referee: Katia García (Mexico)
Upcoming Fixtures
(1 March)
El Salvador v St Kitts and Nevis, 4pm, Estadio Panamericano, San Cristóbal;
Trinidad and Tobago vs Canada, 7pm, 1 March, Estadio Panamericano, San Cristóbal.