Cordner guides T&T past Puerto Rico.
By: Shari John (T&T Guardian).
Petite striker, Kennya Cordner, saw T&T past Puerto Rico yesterday, by scoring two goals and assisting in a third, to help register her team’s second win in three matches in the Central American and Caribbean Games (CAC). T&T’s Soca Princesses, cruised home, despite a scare in the final minutes of the match, to get past their challengers 3-2 in Merida City, Venezuela. T&T was edged 1-0 by the hosts on Monday. Cordner put T&T ahead in the 30th minute, with a left footed strike, which curled into the net from just outside the 18-yard box.
The Soca Princesses held the lead at the end of the first half before Corner doubled up in the 52nd, with another left footed strike which soared into the far left of the post, bringing the crowd to their feet. Tobago mid-fielder, Karyn Forbes, then got in on the action in the 63rd, collecting a through ball from Cordner from inside the box, which she blasted past the Puerto Rican keeper, to get her name on the scorecard. T&T got a little too comfortable though, and allowed its opponents to pull one back in the 80th minute. Puerto Rico never gave up and found the net a second time inside the final minute of play.
Speaking after the match, coach Jamaal Shabazz explained that the altitude is finally getting to his team, and believes their match against Guatemala tomorrow will be a testing one. “I think the altitude is taking its toll on the team, and the fourth game is going to be a huge challenge,” he said. “It’s our fourth game in eight days and right now, we are just looking for rest and recovery. So the bigger challenge is with our medical staff to have the players recovered and regenerated for the next match.” Shabazz said he is happy for the challenge none-the-less and believes; “It is just what the doctor ordered for women’s football; a lot of matches.” T&T will meet Guatemala tomorrow from 3 pm.
