2 weeks ago
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T&T’s junior footballers will clash with regional rival Jamaica in the semifinals of the Concacaf Under-15 Championships in Aruba at 4pm today.
The teams ended up on a collision course at the competition after the Jamaicans played unbeaten in Group D, while the junior Soca Warriors topped Group E with a similar record after wins over Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda and Barbados.
Following T&T’s 3-0 win over Barbados at the Guillermo Trinidad Stadium, Oranjestad, Aruba on Thursday (August 7), head coach Densill Theobald expressed eagerness to face the young Reggae Boyz, “We look forward to our semifinal clash against our arch-nemesis, Jamaica tomorrow (August 8), and we know that’s going to present some difficulties in itself because we know what it was playing against Jamaica last year in the CFU under-14. But we look forward to it and I know the boys look forward to it too as well.”
Having arrived in Aruba two days later than originally expected T&T completed a grueling schedule. which saw them having to play three games in as many days, with a 3-0 thrashing of Barbados.
Theobald acknowledged what has been keey to keeping his team fresh in the group stage and said those practices will become even more integral.
“For us, it’s just about taking one step at a time, which is to continue to look after ourselves, the recovery, the rest, the eating, and then tomorrow (August 8) will take care of itself in terms our strategy, our approach for that big semifinal.
The win over Barbados in their final Group E assignment meant T&T won all of its matches without conceding a single goal following 2-0 wins against Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday August 5, and a similar 2-0 win against Bermuda on Wednesday August 6, leaving Theobald well pleased with his young team.
“It’s been really challenging playing three games in three days but an important aspect is that we achieved our objective, which was to win the group and go on to the semifinals,” he said.
“I think all the players have applied themselves well in terms of their efforts, their attitude, their mindset, just wanting for us to take each game as a final. To see how they have been doing that and coming out on top, not being able to concede any goals while being able to score goals, that speak volumes for the squad depth that we have at our disposal.”
Theobald rested several starters for yesterday’s win over the Bajans, which was engineered courtesy of a brace from Kevez Quintero in his first start of the tournment. T&T’s other goal was scored by Antoni James.
Having already been assured of entry into the semifinals before a ball was kicked, and with Barbados winless after two matches, the T&T team assumed early control of the match.
The young players in red, white and black generated the first chance of the match in the sixth minute when a neat exchange of passes at the edge of the Barbados penalty area resulted in Quintero forcing a save from Shaquan King.
However, having preserved that clean sheet for the time being, it was the Barbadians who almost drew first blood in the eighth minute. Ricardo used his speed and skill to get down the right flank before releasing to the unmarked Dimiko Jordan at the edge of the T&T goal area. However, the lanky striker could not direct his shot on target, as it blazed over the crossbar.
It would be a costly mistake for the Bajans as T&T took the lead in the 11th minute when James, despite being tightly marked inside the six-yard area, was still picked out from a cross after a quickly taken corner kick on the left side. James, the slender-built defender, seemed to have mis-timed his leap but managed to connect with a no-look header that bounced past the stranded King in the Bajan goal.
James’ goal separated the team as they went to the half-time break, and when they resumed, coach Densill Theobald’s charges increased their lead.
This time, Oshea Watson sent Quintero galloping through the Bajan defence, before he was tripped in the box by Adam King, forcing the referee to point to the penalty spot in the 39th minute.
Quintero then picked himself up and sent the Bajan custodian the wrong way for the 2-0 lead.
The goal seemed to have opened the young Soca Warriors’ appetite for goals. In the 42nd minute, they increased the scoreline. The skilful Jeremai Nanton, who has been a thorn for defences in the group stage, wriggled past two defenders toward the inside left of the Barbados 18-yard area and struck a thunderous left-footed shot that King (S) could only parry into the path of the unmarked Quintero to tap home for a 3-0 advantage.
The goal had taken the T&T goal tally for the tournament to seven.
Despite seemingly headed to their third defeat in as many matches in the group stage, Barbados created chances in numbers through the combination of Ricardo and Jordan, thwarted only by the steadiness of the T&T defence. Midway through the second half, Ricardo, again the architect, dribbled past two T&T players in the centre of the field and slipped it inside the box to Jordan, on a one-on-one with T&T goalie Christian Telfer; however, Jordan put it wide of the gaping goal.
Theobald’s lads then could have extended their advantage in the 68th minute, as Watson shook off his marker from a long Adasa Richardson pass, but fired wide of the goal.
English (US) ·