Under-20 women’s football captain, Mariah Shade, will be not fit enough to lead her team when called upon following a 43rd minute injury which led to her substitution in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) finals against Jamaica at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Sunday night.
Shade had to be stretchered off the field after pulling her right hamstring in the one-all draw against Jamaica which was good enough to guarantee T&T first place in the tournament.
The 17-year-old, who will turn 18 on December 9, left the field in tears upon realising that she would not be able to continue.
“I was crying because if I was on the field, I could have made a difference and it was frustrating not being able to do my job as captain,” said Shade.
Although still in pain, Shade learned the injury was just a strain and would not deter her from returning to action. She has been given a week and a half for recovery. Shade scored three goals in T&T’s CFU campaign, two against St Kitts/Nevis and one in T&T’s match against Cuba.
T&T was at a major disadvantage without the prolific striker, and it was soon obvious as Jamaica took the lead minutes after her departure. However, the local girls rallied to equalise six minutes from the end. Responding to yesterday’s results head coach Jamaal Shabazz said he is very satisfied.
Shabazz stated, “The girls played their hearts out tonight, they represented not only the Federation but the country. I have been working with this team for quite a while now, and I have seen the results I expected.
I told the girls it was not enough just to qualify, we needed to excel, and we needed to show the world that the Home of Women’s Football is Trinidad and Tobago.”
Sending congratulations on the team’s success was Fifa vice-president, Jack Warner. Warner stated that the level of play during yesterday’s match is testimony that women’s football is improving in the Caribbean. “While I was unable to attend yesterday’s final I have received only rave reviews.
The level of play in the women’s game in the Caribbean has been improving. T&T has restructured its women’s programme to fit the changing needs of the sport. I think yesterday’s game was the result of some of these changes.”