Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 footballers are currently in Colombia preparing for the Concacaf Final round of qualification for the 2011 FIFA Under 17 World Cup in Mexico.
The team left these shores on Thursday and went into match action in the 9th International Tournament of the Americas and began in fine style, winning their opening match 2-1 over Athletico Nacional in Cali on Saturday.
The Shawn Cooper-coached team finished the heated encounter with eight players but pulled out all the stops to hold off the potent Under 17 outfit of the professional club.
Also there with the team is Anton Corneal, director of youth development for the TTFF and also head coach of the Under 17 team which qualified for the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Cup in South Korea.
T&T, captained by Duane Muckette, went ahead in the 13th minute when Naparima’s College Adan Noel shot home after collecting a through ball from Garvin Samaroo of St Anthony’s College.
T&T enjoyed the majority of possession in the first half and maintained their lead going into the half time interval.
Wingback Nicholas Marcano kept the Nacional back line busy with his deep runs and almost contributed to a second goal when his cross was met at the far post by Kiel Pierre but only a great stop by the Nacional custodian kept the lead at 1-0.
After Damani Richards was ejected on a second yellow card, Nacional equalized in the 50th minute but T&T continued to pressure the Colombians and got due reward with a second item. Samaroo was the man hitting the mark to give T&T the hardfought victory.
T&T also lost Tarik Nicholls in the 75th minute and Shackiel Henry deep into the four minutes of added on time.
“We played a great match considering the circumstances,” team manager Christo Gouveia told TTFF Media.
“We lost three players and calls seemed a bit harsh to us but we never bent our heads.. the boys just kept on playing the game and really pulled of a hardfought showing in the end.
I think it was a great match in relation to our preparations for the Concacaf final round and we will definitely be looking to continue this kind of showing for the remainder of the tour.”
T&T, preparing for next’s year Concacaf final qualifying round in Jamaica, will face Topping Bucaramanga on Sunday.