Women U-20 Football Thread

[D.H.W]

Alot of players from the u17 world cup missing , some Canadians and US players , i can recall about 3 or 4 from Canada that i remember not on the team and Lauren and another one from US missing, those that i can recall. Im sure there are more but i really cant remember the names. 

[jamaica2099]

Soccer19! I told you the fat lady had begun to her aria from the moment Guyana beat Puerto Rico 1-0.

U-20 Girlz progress to CONCACAF play-offs
BY SEAN WILLIAMS Assistant sports editor williams@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, January 12, 2012

NEWS coming out of Cuba last night that Guyana clipped Puerto Rico 1-0 and hosts Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago ended 1-1, catapults Jamaica's Reggae Girlz to the CONCACAF Women's Finals set for Panama in March

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/-U-20-Girlz-progress-to-CONCACAF-play-offs#ixzz1jHYeEIQw

[Soccer 19]

Congrat's to the Ragae Gurlz in moving to th next round. Am quite dis-illusioned with the TTFF womens side riht now as we have the talent however why are we bring our best available. One would think that we would have learned from our recent mistakes. Shaun , Flex, Tallman you guys are in the "know". Whats the deal? Inquiring minds want to know

[Tallman]

Epic! Costa Rica tops T&T for U-20 WWC berth
CONCACAF.com

Nicole Araya booked Costa Rica’s ticket to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup on Sunday, striking for a pair of goals to open extra time and lifting her team to a 7-3 win over Trinidad & Tobago in the 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship’s match for third place at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.

Trinidad was less than 20 minutes away from becoming the first Caribbean side to qualify for a FIFA Women’s World Cup at any level, when the Central Americans started a rally to recover from a two-goal deficit, scoring six unanswered goals.

Araya broke a 3-3 deadlock in the 94th minute, when a right-sided cross from Noelle Sanz bounced in the penalty area, allowing the unmarked Saprissa forward to blast home from 12-yards out.

Two minutes later, the 19-year-old athletically threw herself at a Michelle Rodriguez corner kick to volley brilliantly off the hands of goalkeeper Keri Myers and into the upper-left corner.

In the 115th minute, Katheryn Arroyo netted neatly with the outside of her right foot after being released on a telling through ball to make it 6-3.

Mariana Benavidez completed the scoreline seconds into stoppage time with a dazzling free kick from 45-yards out that found the upper-left corner with exquisite accuracy.

It was a stunning reversal for the Soca Princesses, who did extremely well to carve out a 3-1 lead by half-time.

Anique Walker scored the first of her two goals in the 16th minute to give Trinidad a 1-0 lead.  Shenelle Henry latched on to a Khadidra Debesette effort and alertly dropped the ball back for the 18-year-old to left-foot past diving goalkeeper Mariela Vasquez from 15-yards out.

Trinidad continued to look dangerous and shortly after Patrice Campbell hit the outside of the left post, Walker netted again in the 28th minute.  This time, the Central FC forward headed a free kick lofted into the box by Jonelle Warrick off Vasquez’s fingertips and into the net.

Costa Rica got on the scoreboard in the 33rd minute.  The outstanding Melissa Herrera charged into the right side of the Trinidad box and directed the ball towards goal after the sprawling Myers impeded it with her hands.  Warrick made a block four yards from goal, only to give inadvertently possession back to Herrera.  The 17-year-old placed the ball easily inside the near post.

Four minutes before the break, Khadisha Debesette restored the two-goal cushion with one of the strikes of the tournament.  Benavidez cleared the ball out of her box directly to Debesette.  Without reluctance and with perfect technique, the defender slammed it from 28-yards out just underneath the crossbar.

Yesmi Rodriguez started the Costa Rican comeback in the 71st minute with her third goal of the competition.  Initially miskicking a punched cross by Myers, she lobbed the second attempt over the stranded goalkeeper and inside the left post from 17-yards out.

The Ticas levelled the score at 3-3 with five minutes left in normal time.  A pass was floated near the edge of the Trinidad penalty area and took a roguish backspin.  The ball ended up on the foot of Michelle Montero, who slammed it into the back of the net.

Costa Rica qualified for its second U-20 Women’s World Cup and first since 2010.

[Bakes]

How did I know this was a CONCACAF link... no local paper would dare headline it "Epic"... unless they're talking about a collapse.  6 goals in 20 minutes is unpardonable.

[coache]

Beautiful girls..beautiful football..technically good tactically poor defensively and lacking fitness ..two aspects which the coaches were responsible for..can't blame those girls for their inept staff..decent show anyway.

[Bakes]

Beautiful girls..beautiful football..technically good tactically poor defensively and lacking fitness ..two aspects which the coaches were responsible for..can't blame those girls for their inept staff..decent show anyway.

Yeah, my gripe is with the technical staff.

[SWF Reporter]

Foul! T&T U-20 women face W/Cup heartbreak against Costa Rica
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868)

The only sound in the Trinidad and Tobago national under-20 women team’s dressing room last night was the sound of sobbing. Instead of toasts, there were tears.

The “Soca Princesses”, who already set a new high for the women’s program by qualifying for the CONCACAF semi-final round, came within five minutes of booking a historic spot at the Canada 2014 Under-20 Women’s World Cup. It would have been the first time that a Caribbean women’s team qualified for a FIFA tournament.

Instead, Costa Rica pulled off a barely plausible recovery at the Truman Bodden Sport Complex in George Town, Cayman Islands. And, despite leading 3-1 at halftime, the Princesses conceded six unanswered goals to lose 7-3 to Costa Rica in the third place play off. As a result, Costa Rica advances to the Under-20 World Cup alongside CONCACAF champion team, the United States, and runner-up, Mexico.

The United States scored three second half goals last night to rout Mexico 4-0 and underline its status as CONCACAF’s premier football nation and a global powerhouse in the women’s game.

The Princesses are out of their depth in such company. The two island republic lost 3-0 to Mexico in the group stage and then 6-0 to the United States in the semifinal.

But Trinidad and Tobago’s playoff contest against Costa Rica promised to be a much tighter proposition. At the final whistle, the Princesses struggled to come to grips with the result.

“It was very hard on the girls, especially knowing that they had it,” Trinidad and Tobago technical director Anton Corneal told Wired868. “If they were blown away at the beginning, then okay. But knowing they had it in their hands… It was difficult to take.”

In a game that featured 10 goals, Corneal singled out one as the turning point.

In the 86th minute, a Costa Rica attacker headed a ball into the area towards her teammate, Michelle Montero. Trinidad and Tobago defender Otisha David was in her way; but only for a few seconds.

David collapsed in a tangle of legs and Montero ran clear to prod the equaliser past Trinidad and Tobago custodian Keri Myers. Corneal called foul.

“David was shielding the ball and the player clips her foot, she falls and a goal scores,” said Corneal. “I don’t want to say it is a refereeing error but you make your own call. Maybe (David) could have kicked it out. Maybe she was kicked accidentally. But she was tripped.”

At 3-3, the game went into overtime; but the Princesses had nothing left in more ways than one.

First choice goalkeeper Tenesha Palmer and midfielder Shanisa Camejo were already missing through injury while the Princesses then lost Khadisha Debesette to a hamstring injury. There was not, according to Corneal, enough depth in the squad to compensate for those absences while the psychological blow of failing to protect their lead also weighed heavy.

“We tried to pick them up but that goal broke our spirit completely,” said Corneal. “When we went deeper into the game, we didn’t have a lot of depth in the team and there were a lot of blunders in extra time.

“The momentum had switched completely in favour of Costa Rica.”

Costa Rica took the lead for the first time in the 94th minute as substitute Nicole Araya drove home after David mistimed an attempted header in her own penalty area.

Araya then made it 5-3, two minutes later, with an audacious volley from a Yesmi Rodriguez corner kick that Myers somehow failed to keep out of her near post.

Katheryn Arroyo raced clear of the defence in the 115th minute to make it 6-3 before Mariana Benavidez administered the last rites in the closing seconds.

Trinidad and Tobago’s final finish among the top four CONCACAF teams was unprecedented. But it might be a long time before the Princesses feel like celebrating.

“The dressing room was very sober after,” said Corneal. “Some of them were crying, which was expected. I know they really wanted it. We saw a lot of passion and desire by some girls and it was a really sad aftermath.

“We cannot blame anyone. We had it to win it and we did not.”

Trinidad and Tobago opened their World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Honduras, which was the Princesses’ first win at CONCACAF level, and followed it up with a 4-0 demolition job of host nation, the Cayman Islands. But lopsided defeats to Mexico and the United States came next.

Before the semifinal fixture against the US, Corneal revealed that the technical staff, which is led by coach Izler Browne, had decided to sit deep and conserve energy with the third place play off in mind.

In the opening 45 minutes yesterday, it might have felt like mission accomplished.

The Princesses opened the scoring after just 16 minutes as Shanelle Henry neatly teed up captain Anique Walker inside the opposing area and the latter player stroked into the far corner with her left boot.

Walker doubled the lead in the 28th minute with a bullet header from a deep Jonelle Warrick free kick with a well-executed set piece that the US team would have been proud of.

Costa Rica halved the deficit with a slice of good fortune in the 34th minute. Daphne Herrera slipped behind the overworked Daniella Findley and rounded Myers to hit goalward but Warrick anticipated the danger and retreated to make the stop. Warrick’s tame clearance undid her clever defensive work, though, and Herrera made no mistake with the rebound.

There seemed to have been little harm done when Khadisha Debesette brought the Trinidad and Tobago bench to its feet with a brilliant, dipping 25-yard volley, three minutes before the interval, which kissed the underside of the bar on its way to the back of the net.

“We got the start we wanted,” said Corneal. “We were waiting for this game and we went up three goals to one, which is pretty much how we would have liked it to go.”

But the second half did not go as planned.

There were some nerves when Myers tipped a mishit cross from Viviana Chinchilla on to her own bar in the 57th minute. And, in the 70th minute, Costa Rica scored another soft goal.

Myers failed to get distance on her punched clearance and Rodriquez took aim, swung and scoffed her shot. Trinidad and Tobago substitute Akilah Sparks had already turned her back and the ball hit her and dribbled back into Rodriguez’s path.

Like Herrera, Rodriguez made the most of her second opportunity.

Four minutes from time, Costa Rica again got the ball into the opposition’s penalty area as a headed pass prompted a race between David and Montero. The two players appeared to get entangled, David fell and Montero stayed on her feet to apply the dagger to Trinidad and Tobago’s World Cup dreams.

“How unlucky could we be?” asked Corneal, rhetorically. “That was a foul and we could be out of a World Cup because of a referee’s blunder. It is really a bitter pill for us to have to swallow; but we just have to live with it. That is all we can do.”

The Princesses took a stride forward in the Cayman Islands but it was still a step short of the ultimate prize. And the cruel number 19, which ambushed the “Strike Squad” and haunted the senior men’s game for 16 years, was back to claim another victim.

(Team)

Trinidad and Tobago: 1.Keri Myers (GK); 18.Liana Hinds, 14.Otisha David, 17.Jonelle Warrick, 8.Daniella Findley; 6.Khadisha Debesette (7.Akilah Sparks 57), 11.Khadidra Debesette, 4.Brianna Ryce, 9.Patrice Campbell (15.Donika Murray 75); 19.Anique Walker (captain), 13.Shenelle Henry (10.Tsaianne Leander 112).

Unused substitutes: 20.Tenesha Palmer (GK), 2.Tkeyah Phillips, 3.Emma Abdul, 5.Adeka Spence, 12.Shanisa Camejo, 16.Summer Arjoon.

Coach: Izler Browne
 

CONCACAF U-20 Women’s Tournament

Third Place Play Off

(Sun January 19)

Costa Rica 7 (Daphne Herrera 34, Yesmi Rodriguez 71, Michelle Montero 86, Nicole Araya 94, 96, Katheryn Arroyo 115, Mariana Benavidez 120), Trinidad and Tobago 3 (Anique Walker 16, 28, Khadisha Debesette 42) at George Town;

Final

United States 4 (Andi Sullivan 9, Savannah Jordan 59, Margaret Purce 68, Estefania Fuentes OG 90), Mexico 0 at George Town.

[Tiresais]

Coped over from the Women's U20 thread

Soca Princesses collapse - World Cup dreams crash at final hurdle
T&T Guardian

T&T’s dream of becoming the first team to represent the Caribbean at the Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup came to bitter end in the Cayman Islands, yesterday, when the Soca Princesses suffered a heartbreaking 7-3 defeat in overtime to Costa Rica in the third-place play-off of the Concacaf Under-20 Women’s Championship.
 
This was a result of a tired second-half performance from the team which closed the first half with a 3-1 lead. In fact, the T&T team which stormed to a two-goal lead by the half-hour mark, courtesy of a classy brace from Anique Walker, before she drifted out of the match, showed signs of slowing down. Khadisha Debesette, did, however, score the goal of the match, a blistering effort midway into the Costa Rica half, but it seemed only to invite a more determined response from Costa Rica.
 
Without taking too many risks, Costa Rica patiently capitalised against a tired looking T&T, who ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes of regulation time.
 
Costa Rica pulled a second goal back in the 71st minute from Yesmi Rodriguez Talavera, at which point a total collapse was imminent.
 
Second-half substitute Michelle Montero beat on a messy T&T defence with four minutes left to take the match into extra-time.
 
Another second-half substitute Nicole Araya Munoz scored two simple goals in the first half of overtime, before Katheryn Arroyo and Benavidez Arguedas put the match to rest with one item each in the closing moments. T&T never looked likely to reply to Costa Rica’s second-half efforts as most plays were broken down in the final third of the pitch, unlike that from T&T’s energetic showing in the first half-hour.
 
As a result of its deserved victory, Costa Rica joined finalists, USA and Mexico as the teams to represent Concacaf in August’s 2014 Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada. The two finalists were in action in the second match which concluded after press time last evening.
 
Third place play-off result, Concacaf Under-20 Women’s Championship
 
Costa Rica 7 (Daphne Herrera Monge 34th, Yesmi Rodriguez Talavera 71st, Michelle Montero 86th, Nicole Araya Munoz 94th, 96th, Katheryn Arroyo 115th, Benavidez Arguedas 120th+1) v T&T 3 (Anique Walker 16th, 28th, Khadisha Debesette 42nd)
 
Teams:
 
Trinidad & Tobago: Keri Myers; Khadisha Debesette, Otisha David, Daniella Findley, Jonelle Warrick, Liana Hines, Brianna Ryce, Patrice Campbell (Donika Murray 75th), Khadidra Debisette, Anique Walker, Shenelle Henry.
 
Costa Rica: Mariela Fuentes; Mariana Benavidez Arguedas, Michelle Rodriguez Mendoza, Raquel Matarrita, Yesmi Rodriguez Talavera, Noelle Sanz Cale, Viviana Chinchilla, Gloriana Vega, Krista Chavarria Hernandez (Michelle Montero 47th), Daphne Herrera Monge, Jazmin Elizondo Villalobos (Nicole Araya Munoz 67th).

T&T U-20s let 2-0 lead slip to lose 7-3
T&T Express

HEARTBREAK

FOUR extra-time goals gave Costa Rica a come-from-behind 7-3 victory over Trinidad and Tobago in the third place playoff at the 2014 Concacaf Under-20 Women’s Championship last night at Truman Bodden Sports Complex in the Cayman Islands.

Substitutes Nicole Araya (94th, 96th) scored twice, Katheryn Arroyo (115th minute) got another and Mariana Benavidez (120th minute) struck a long-range free-kick, all in extra-time, as Costa Rica rallied to beat a dead tired Trinidad and Tobago team, which held a 2-0 lead in the first half.

The Caribbean team was just five minutes away from qualifying for a FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time, when another Costa Rican substitute, Michelle Montero, capitalised on a defensive slip and put a low shot past T&T keeper Keri Myers in the 85th minute to end the regulation period in a 3-3 draw.

Costa Rica join already qualified United States and Mexico, who played the final later last night. A semi-finalist for the first time, Trinidad and Tobago finished fourth.

Led by two first half goals from captain Anique Walker, the T&T Soca Princesses led 3-1 at the half before Costa Rica rallied forcefully.

Walker (16th, 28th) gave Trinidad and Tobago a two-goal advantage in the first half hour, before right midfielder Daphne Herera took advantage of Jonelle Warrick’s weak clearance to pull Costra Rica back in the match at 2-1 in the 34th minute.

After a period of Costa Rica domination, the tide shifted again when T&T midfielder Khadisha Debesette beat Costa Rica keeper Mareiela Vasquez in the 42nd minute to make it 3-1 with a dipping volley from outside the penalty area.

Both Walker and Debesette were members of the Trinidad and Tobago team which hosted the 2010 Under-17 World Cup. Trinidad and Tobago had never previously reached a Concacaf age-group women’s semi-final.

Defender Yesmi Rodriguez later found the far corner on the second attempt to pull Costa Rica closer at 3-2 in the 71st minute, before Montero tied the match at 3-3.

With Costa Rica in full flight, Araya netted from inside the penalty area for a 4-3 lead in the 94th minute and two minutes later found the corner with a speculative chip to the top corner.

Physically imposing over their opponents, Trinidad and Tobago dominated the opening quarter-hour, despite surviving an early Costa Rica chance in the 10th minute through Gloriana Villalobos, who shrugged off T&T left-back Daniella Findlay, but could not pick out a teammate.

T&T took the lead when Walker found the corner with a low shot after being set up by right midfielder Shennel Henry and got her second when powerfully heading in a cross into the box, despite keeper Vasquez getting a touch.

Between Walker’s goals, T&T’s Patrice Campbell shaved the foot of the post with a low shot after stealing the ball from a defender.

Herera got Costa Rica closer at 2-1 by getting past both Findlay and goalkeeper Myers, but only scored when Warrick’s weak clearance went straight back at the Costa Rican attacker.

The Soca Princesses, though, were back in front again when Debesette’s 22-metre volley spectacularly dipped into the top of the net.

Costa Rica pressed early in the second half and forced a couple of good saves from T&T keeper Myers.
Trinidad and Tobago came close to scoring again when Campbell had a low shot cleared off the line by Raquel Matarrita in the 63rd minute with the Costa Rica keeper beaten.

Rodriguez and Montero then got late goals against a tiring Trinidad and Tobago squad to tie the match.
Costa Rica dominated the later stages against a very tired T&T team.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: 1-Keri Myers; 8-Daniella Findley (10-Tsaianne Leander 112th), 14-Otisha David, 17-Jonelle Warrwick, 11-Khadidra Debesette , 6-Khadisha Debesette (7- Akilah Sparks, 57th), 3-Liana Hines, 9-Patrice Campbell (15 -Donika Murray, 75th), 4-Brianna Ryce, 13-Shenelle Henry, 19-Anique Walker (capt.)

Subs: 2-Tkeyah Phillips, 12-Shanisa Camejo ,7-Akilah Sparks,18-Emma Abdul, 15-Donika Murray, 10-Tsaianne Leander, 20-Tenesha Palmer, 16-Summer Arjoon, 82)

Head Coach: Izler Browne

[socalion]

Still a bit  dizzy by the outcome of  yesterdays  game (Trinidad/Tobago vs Costa Rica ) ...... i am even more convinced a lack of fitness, ( fatigue)   was a key  factor in the lost yesterday ..   one just has to take a look at the stats during the second period of the  game !!  a clear  sign of a lack of fitness....... i am making a direct plea to the powers that be ...in this  case to the President and general  secretary of the TTFA and other  officials attached to national team football , please . please let us all ensure  that  adequate  and  preparations be given to all national team's , be it men,/ women / or youths.... let us not keep repeating the same errors with such frequency ........The key is long term  continuity ..... we cannot be truly serious when sending any national teams to competition with  1 month  and a half preparation  expecting  to win  its   laughable  .....   my simple Plea is  lets do things properly  and have our teams given all the tools to compete well so we can all be proud of them ... when wearing the red white and black....  .....  i just want to add Mr sheldon phillips and Mr richard tim kee   keep up the work ,

[Coop's]

Still a bit  dizzy by the outcome of  yesterdays  game (Trinidad/Tobago vs Costa Rica ) ...... i am even more convinced a lack of fitness, ( fatigue)   was a key  factor in the lost yesterday ..   one just has to take a look at the stats during the second period of the  game !!  a clear  sign of a lack of fitness....... i am making a direct plea to the powers that be ...in this  case to the President and general  secretary of the TTFA and other  officials attached to national team football , please . please let us all ensure  that  adequate  and  preparations be given to all national team's , be it men,/ women / or youths.... let us not keep repeating the same errors with such frequency ........The key is long term  continuity ..... we cannot be truly serious when sending any national teams to competition with  1 month  and a half preparation  expecting  to win  its   laughable  .....   my simple Plea is  lets do things properly  and have our teams given all the tools to compete well so we can all be proud of them ... when wearing the red white and black....  .....  i just want to add Mr sheldon phillips and Mr richard tim kee   keep up the work ,

      How many times will it be mentioned that u can't get these women/girls for any length of time to do any kind of proper preperation,these players going to school/work and is not like they can take time off when ever it's convenient,they don't play on professional teams to consistently get exposed to high level competition,they don't get don't get paid like the men do to remburse them for there time,it happens with all our Women's teams,this is not an excuse it's fact.
      How would our Women gain any kind of experience if we don't send them to play in major competitions,i'm not saying i'm happy with the loss or we didn't qualify but i'm satisfied with the effort made by our Women,that's the best they could have done considering the preparations they had.
      After reading all these posts,views and ideas by some experts on the forum my feeling is that some of us was waiting for this to happen,some ppl have nothing good to say,they repeating their criticism of the team over and over and over again like a long playing record,we all know what went down u don't think the TTFA know what went down too but we want to advise them like they blind,look how long we have Women Football only when things like this happen ppl does give them any attention,Shabazz fight with them Women for years without no support only criticism.
      Our Women have come frome very far to reach where they reach,i want to thank the coaching staff including Anton Corneal for an excellent performance by our team,just like i never thought we would have qualified for a WC in my lifetime these Women will surprise alyu one day.
       

[doc]

Still a bit  dizzy by the outcome of  yesterdays  game (Trinidad/Tobago vs Costa Rica ) ...... i am even more convinced a lack of fitness, ( fatigue)   was a key  factor in the lost yesterday ..   one just has to take a look at the stats during the second period of the  game !!  a clear  sign of a lack of fitness....... i am making a direct plea to the powers that be ...in this  case to the President and general  secretary of the TTFA and other  officials attached to national team football , please . please let us all ensure  that  adequate  and  preparations be given to all national team's , be it men,/ women / or youths.... let us not keep repeating the same errors with such frequency ........The key is long term  continuity ..... we cannot be truly serious when sending any national teams to competition with  1 month  and a half preparation  expecting  to win  its   laughable  .....   my simple Plea is  lets do things properly  and have our teams given all the tools to compete well so we can all be proud of them ... when wearing the red white and black....  .....  i just want to add Mr sheldon phillips and Mr richard tim kee   keep up the work ,

      How many times will it be mentioned that u can't get these women/girls for any length of time to do any kind of proper preperation,these players going to school/work and is not like they can take time off when ever it's convenient,they don't play on professional teams to consistently get exposed to high level competition,they don't get don't get paid like the men do to remburse them for there time,it happens with all our Women's teams,this is not an excuse it's fact.
      How would our Women gain any kind of experience if we don't send them to play in major competitions,i'm not saying i'm happy with the loss or we didn't qualify but i'm satisfied with the effort made by our Women,that's the best they could have done considering the preparations they had.
      After reading all these posts,views and ideas by some experts on the forum my feeling is that some of us was waiting for this to happen,some ppl have nothing good to say,they repeating their criticism of the team over and over and over again like a long playing record,we all know what went down u don't think the TTFA know what went down too but we want to advise them like they blind,look how long we have Women Football only when things like this happen ppl does give them any attention,Shabazz fight with them Women for years without no support only criticism.
      Our Women have come frome very far to reach where they reach,i want to thank the coaching staff including Anton Corneal for an excellent performance by our team,just like i never thought we would have qualified for a WC in my lifetime these Women will surprise alyu one day.
       

I actually think the team was fit enough.... their downfall was their inability to retain possession long enough. The game plan  was to play a high pressure game and they bonked. Their inability to alter their approach did them in. Added to that it was their 5th game in 10 days with basically the same players involved. It could have been predicted

[socalion]

Coops  listen  bro i am not here to fight down  or be  on any tit for tat , calm down  meh bro ... i imagined  you may have misssd my earlier posts  yesterday , otherwise  you would have realised i fully supported the team's( ladies)  effort, of which  i clearly mentioned...  i have no issues  with your reactionary response , however your response comes over as combative , as i have said i am not here to pick a fight with you or anyone for that matter , we all want what's good for the betterment / improvement of all sporting disciplines at all levels  throughout TnT, i am sure you will agree with that don't you ?  we also have differing opinions with all due respect , i hope we can appreciate that as well ,  again let me state clearly i have not attacked the ladies  nor have minimised their efforts one bit nor did i assigned blame to anyone all i stated was by appearances a lack of fitness/ fatigue may have been a factor in the loss  and plead  for is that all of  our teams men and women alike  be well prepared  when going to compete  , now if you want take issues with that then  what am i to say bro ....!!! again if you di not see my previous  post let me repeat i am proud of the women's effort.... and will continue  be fully behind any positive initiatives taken by  our football officials ... keep on posting  respect to you coops .. we aint here to fight down each other..

[Sam]

I actually think the team was fit enough.... their downfall was their inability to retain possession long enough. The game plan  was to play a high pressure game and they bonked. Their inability to alter their approach did them in. Added to that it was their 5th game in 10 days with basically the same players involved. It could have been predicted

I think Against USA they should have played a second string and rested the players for Costa Rica.

[Coop's]

Socalion,sorry Breds if i came across like i am attacking u that was not my intent,if u notice i've not been posting on this topic because i was reading,i did not see the games and depend on here for info/coments,i have a soft spot for our Women national teams especially as daughter once played there,don't get me wrong i like criticism but be constructive,i just find ppl beating down the team like is a road march,our Women don't need that at this time. 

[socalion]

Much respect coops.......  no hard feelings ....   i do believe as fellow trinis both at home and abroad we all have an interest in  our sports men and women alike . as for me i will continue to be a passionate  supporter of all our national teams (men and women) in triumphs or disappointments ....again much respect to you coops   no hard feelings ....

[Coop's]

Much respect coops.......  no hard feelings ....   i do believe as fellow trinis both at home and abroad we all have an interest in  our sports men and women alike . as for me i will continue to be a passionate  supporter of all our national teams (men and women) in triumphs or disappointments ....again much respect to you coops   no hard feelings ....

     

[Tallman]

Praise for Women…Presidents hail effort of U-20s
By Roger Seepersad (T&T Express)

President of the Republic, Anthony Carmona and Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Raymond Tim Kee both praised the performances of the national Under-20 women’s team who placed fourth in the 2014 CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship in the Cayman Islands on Sunday.
 
President Carmona said the Under-20 women “displayed grit and determination to become real contenders in the Cayman Islands qualification tournament.”

The T&T women lost 7-3 to Costa Rica in overtime in their third place playoff contest, having led 3-1 at halftime and held that lead until two minutes from the end of regulation time. They were scheduled to return home last night.

“I can tell you I felt a great sense of national pride and joy when I saw how those young women fought on behalf of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago,” Carmona said during the launch of the TTFA’s Youth Football Community Clinics at the VIP Lounge,  Hasely Crawford Stadium yesterday.

Tim Kee said the women played hard and the defeat will give an indicator to the technical staff and coaches about what they need to do to ensure the team remains competitive in the future.

“From what I saw yesterday, remember we led 3-1 at half time, I get the impression that they were leg-weary, because it was a hectic schedule and that will of course point our technical staff in a direction to correct things like that,” he said.

“I know some initiatives have been taken in the past about fitness and the level of preparedness that is necessary for those types of games and I know that we made a decision to make it a policy, so you would not see a recurrence of that moving forward, but those things do not happen overnight.”

He added with caution: “I am not knocking them for lack of fitness, but I expect that by the middle of this year we will have some really fit players.”

Speaking about the TTFA’s financial position and the money the organisation still owes to various people, Tim Kee said: “We are trying to settle-up our debts.”

Asked about how much of the TTFA debt has been repaid, Tim Kee said “about 60 to 70 per cent in many regards, in other situations, especially huge debts like for (Russell) Latapy for example. We have not paid him yet but the “Soca Warriors” got a huge amount. As for the other big debts, we are trying to pay incrementally...as money comes in we try to pay it.”

Former national star and ex-coach Latapy withdrew a lawsuit against the TTFA for more than $5 million in compensation after both parties arrived at an out-of-court settlement.

And although Latapy is yet to get actual payment, Tim Kee said, “I have taken responsibility on behalf of the Association to settle a debt that before now was denied and we will see how it goes there. But I know for a fact that he will get his money.”

He also noted that the former footballer left the TTFA headquarters “pleased and satisfied” following their last meeting on Sunday.

“We depend on sponsorships and no sponsor is going to give you money to pay debts,” Tim Kee explained. “We have to utilise what they give us to put resources in place to generate income.

TTFA Director of Communications Shaun Fuentes noted that the TTFA is in the process of preparing the team for the Argentina game on June 4. He said that there is an international date in March and that the TTFA is  hoping to utalise to get some match practice.

In the meantime, he said coach (Stephen) Hart will continue to scout for players in the local Pro League and in foreign leagues.

“He (Hart) is really interested in seeing what local talent we have at our disposal. We expect to have (Leo) Beehakker back at some time and we expect him to be a huge part of this Community Clinic the TTFA is undertaking along with technical   director Anton Corneal,” Fuentes added.

[asylumseeker]

Tim Kee said the women played hard and the defeat will give an indicator to the technical staff and coaches about what they need to do to ensure the team remains competitive in the future.

Hmmmmm.

Please implement a structured debriefing process to solicit participant input regarding occurrences during the tournament, should such a process not exist. Secure anonymity of responses, to the extent possible. Pursuant to those findings, act accordingly.

Please Mr. Tim Kee, lehwe not move along swimmingly with assumption. Accountability, transparency and consequences. Ah gone.

[Tallman]

T&T U-20 women: proud, but saddened
CONCACAF.com

The sound of pan music, clanking pot covers and chirpy calypso sing-alongs filled the air.  That’s all you heard.  Carnival -- ‘Trini’ style -- had taken over the Truman Bodden Sports Complex on a delightful Sunday evening.

Not that it mattered, but this musical bustle was being made by a small group of Trinidad and Tobago supporters, who cheered on their team as it dangled on the cusp of football history.

With auspicious leads against Costa Rica in the match for third place at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-20 Championship, the Soca Princesses appeared on their way to becoming the first Caribbean side to qualify for a Women’s World Cup at any level.

The Trinidadians topped the Ticas 1-0, 2-0 and 3-1.  Then, with fewer than 20 minutes remaining in normal time, everything changed.  Costa Rica made a late rally, tying the score at 3-3, and forcing 30 additional minutes of play in perhaps the most dramatic game of the tournament.

Substitute Nicole Araya delivered two quickfire goals for the Central Americans in the first extra period -- the first breaking the deadlock and the other extending the lead -- that set them on a path to a 7-3 victory, sealing a berth in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada later this year.

The United States and Mexico, which met in the championship later at the same venue, had booked their spots thanks to semifinal triumphs.

The shocking turn around was not only a crippling blow to the Trinidad players, it also silenced the makeshift band.

Anique Walker, Trinidad’s inspirational captain, could not hide the disappointment as her face was etched in pain --- a heart-wrenching portrait.

She had given her team a driving start with two goals (16’, 28’) in a commanding first-half performance.  No wonder the 18-year-old was the look of despair at the end.

“Yes, I am very disappointed.” Walker lamented.  “I don’t know what to say than we lost our concentration and those two goals I scored don’t mean anything now as we have lost and we are not going to the World Cup.”

She said no more, hung her head, and quickly walked away.

The losing team’s coach, Izler Browne, too, was low in spirit, but managed some words.

“To know that we were right there is a hard pill to swallow,” she expressed.  “I think conceding a goal so late and close to the final whistle put us in a sink and, unfortunately, we were not able to pull ourselves out of it.”

[asylumseeker]

Anique, the goals meant a lot to us. Believe that! Thanks for bringing them to the table.

[socalion]

To Skipper Anique Walker  and all of your team mates, not forgetting coach  Izler Brown and staff  if any of you are reading  from this site/forum   you have nothing to be ashamed of, you brought pride  to Trinidad and Tobago  keep your heads up and press on .... thanks again  thank you thank you  ..  to the entire team. you have made  many take notice by your performances ... be proud

[Socapro]

To Skipper Anique Walker  and all of your team mates, not forgetting coach  Izler Brown and staff  if any of you are reading  from this site/forum   you have nothing to be ashamed of, you brought pride  to Trinidad and Tobago  keep your heads up and press on .... thanks again  thank you thank you  ..  to the entire team. you have made  many take notice by your performances ... be proud

[Sando]

From leading 3-1 to coming back to loose 7-3 could mean 2 things.

1. The players unfit.

2. The coach fail to make tactical adjustments.

We can't be celebrating failure.

The team defending was very poor.

We need to hire a US coach and have the locals work alongside them and have some program in place for these ladies so they can develop to be great senior players.

[Tiresais]

From leading 3-1 to coming back to loose 7-3 could mean 2 things.

1. The players unfit.

2. The coach fail to make tactical adjustments.

We can't be celebrating failure.

The team defending was very poor.

We need to hire a US coach and have the locals work alongside them and have some program in place for these ladies so they can develop to be great senior players.

Why do you think a US Coach is immediately better - there's a hella lot of negativity in this thread. We got as far as we have ever got in the competition, dominated the first half against a team better than ourselves, and the ladies have an experience they can take into the senior team so we can challenge there. Yes, they're unfit, mainly because the domestic scene is no where near as competitive as Costa Rica's and the other teams above us. Yes we might be naive, for the same reasons as above - experience is the critical factor here. Yes tactically we might not be all that, but again Izler is limited in the coaching experience she can accrue at the moment - for months before this tournament she was arguing for more friendlies leading up to it and didn't get them, didn't even get the training camp she wanted. You look at their fixtures - all they get are 4 games a year, whilst the men's team can get 3 in a month. According to FIFA the women's senior team didn't play a single game in 2013 - mainly because T&T Women's went to England on a tour to play English women's teams (whom they mostly trounced).

Instead you get lines like this "Trinidad and Tobago's national senior women's team footballers have no place to train. So, on Thursdays they head to the Queen's Park Savannah, in Port of Spain." (21st March 2013 news on Soca Warriors).

You need to check your expectations - they're not being supported, coaches are potentially being undermined and the team can't arrange matches to practice and prepare for major tournaments. The ladies got so far on skill and determination, but there's only so far they can get without support and preparation for both the players and the head coach. If you care so much go do something about it - contact any contacts you have, turn up to women's games, ask what you can do, because there's a lack of support here that if you care enough about it you can help reduce.

The Women's teams need support for the coaches by giving them enough games to prepare and a proper infrastructure to train their teams.

[Coop's]

From leading 3-1 to coming back to loose 7-3 could mean 2 things.

1. The players unfit.

2. The coach fail to make tactical adjustments.

We can't be celebrating failure.

The team defending was very poor.

We need to hire a US coach and have the locals work alongside them and have some program in place for these ladies so they can develop to be great senior players.

Why do you think a US Coach is immediately better - there's a hella lot of negativity in this thread. We got as far as we have ever got in the competition, dominated the first half against a team better than ourselves, and the ladies have an experience they can take into the senior team so we can challenge there. Yes, they're unfit, mainly because the domestic scene is no where near as competitive as Costa Rica's and the other teams above us. Yes we might be naive, for the same reasons as above - experience is the critical factor here. Yes tactically we might not be all that, but again Izler is limited in the coaching experience she can accrue at the moment - for months before this tournament she was arguing for more friendlies leading up to it and didn't get them, didn't even get the training camp she wanted. You look at their fixtures - all they get are 4 games a year, whilst the men's team can get 3 in a month. According to FIFA the women's senior team didn't play a single game in 2013 - mainly because T&T Women's went to England on a tour to play English women's teams (whom they mostly trounced).

Instead you get lines like this "Trinidad and Tobago's national senior women's team footballers have no place to train. So, on Thursdays they head to the Queen's Park Savannah, in Port of Spain." (21st March 2013 news on Soca Warriors).

You need to check your expectations - they're not being supported, coaches are potentially being undermined and the team can't arrange matches to practice and prepare for major tournaments. The ladies got so far on skill and determination, but there's only so far they can get without support and preparation for both the players and the head coach. If you care so much go do something about it - contact any contacts you have, turn up to women's games, ask what you can do, because there's a lack of support here that if you care enough about it you can help reduce.

The Women's teams need support for the coaches by giving them enough games to prepare and a proper infrastructure to train their teams.

From leading 3-1 to coming back to loose 7-3 could mean 2 things.

1. The players unfit.

2. The coach fail to make tactical adjustments.

We can't be celebrating failure.

The team defending was very poor.

We need to hire a US coach and have the locals work alongside them and have some program in place for these ladies so they can develop to be great senior players.

        Everything u said here have been said concerning these Women already,we not celebrating failure we celebrating effort,did u read our newspapers?the country is behind them u not hearing nothing negative at home.
        Hire what US Coach?u feel when we hire them our problems will change,we going to have access to our players when we want,our girls will be able to train full time etc etc like the US and other teams?imagine our Women have to train in the Savannah and up to Monday i saw Rangers training at the Hasely Crawford Stadium (practice field). 

[Sando]

Coops, I agree with you as far as things will not change because the federation needs to get their act together first.

Tiresais, US have the best women team in the world. We could do with a decent US coach.

But coops have a valid point, nothing will change until de federation improves.

[Tiresais]

Coops, I agree with you as far as things will not change because the federation needs to get their act together first.

Tiresais, US have the best women team in the world. We could do with a decent US coach.

But coops have a valid point, nothing will change until de federation improves.

We could do with a decent T&T coach, or any nationality - where we getting the money to hire a US coach? They'll (rightly) demand a wage more in-line with US Coaches, which will be hire than the going rate in T&T. They also won't have any contextual knowledge of the country, and in some cases less motivation

[Deeks]

We had Pellerud. He coach the US. And WE ARE NOT CELEBRATING FAILURE. We are supporting our female athletes who get the crumbs. We are not that naive.

[CK1]

Coops, I agree with you as far as things will not change because the federation needs to get their act together first.

Tiresais, US have the best women team in the world. We could do with a decent US coach.

But coops have a valid point, nothing will change until de federation improves.

We could do with a decent T&T coach, or any nationality - where we getting the money to hire a US coach? They'll (rightly) demand a wage more in-line with US Coaches, which will be hire than the going rate in T&T. They also won't have any contextual knowledge of the country, and in some cases less motivation

There are quite a few very experienced and well respected US based Trini coaches who could fill these roles if the TTFA were really interested in that concept. Some have more than enough experience to help in other areas of Administration; Player Development Programming; Coaching Education; Sports Business acumen; Public Relations and Marketing; Fundraising and Infrastructure Development; Staff Development; Coaching Education Curriculum Development etc. etc. etc.
Some are Directors of Coaching in clubs with 5,000 players; some have built clubs from the ground up; some have coached and managed college programs; trained and developed players who play in US State, Regional and National teams at all age groups, some have developed coaches who now coach US national teams and MLS teams.
The only problem here is whether we you are willing to give these Trinidadians the same level of respect and pay that you would be willing to give to a non Trinidadian.