Trinidad and Tobago's under-15 girls' football team narrowly missed out on a spot in the League B final of the Concacaf Girls' Under-15 Championships, when they fell to a 1-0 loss to the Dominican Republic in a tense semifinal at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on August 9.
Both teams advanced to the semis after topping their respective groups in the 16-team League B tourney, and it took a brilliant late free kick from Dominican Republic skipper Kaylee Lainez to separate the teams in sweltering conditions after a 9 am kickoff.
The teams looked to be headed to the dreaded penalty shootout as fourth official Annays Rosario prepared to raise her board to show the number of stoppage-time minutes to be played.
But in the final minute of regulation time in the 70-minute contest, Lainez curled a majestic free kick around the T&T wall and beyond goalkeeper Akeila Marryshow after a defender committed a needless foul on the edge of the area.
Lainez's goal sparked wild celebrations from her teammates and a small group of Dominican Republic spectators who chanted, "Dominicana, Dominicana!"
T&T standout Hackeemar Goodridge created a couple of nervy moments for the Dominican Republic defence in stoppage-time with a pair of deep free kicks, but a watchful Gionelis Perez was up to the task as she calmly preserved Dominican Republic's lead.
Earlier in the second half, Perez made a string of fine saves to thwart the hosts who had their bright moments in the attacking third.
In the 51st minute, Perez showed off her reflexes when she made a low save to stop a meaty drive from outside the area by T&T substitute Alliyah Baptiste. Five minutes later, Perez showed her excellent reaction time again when she made a fingertip save to stop a thumping free kick from the edge of the area by Trendsetter Hawks' Goodridge. From the ensuing T&T corner, Perez made a stop from close range to reject another effort by the busy Baptiste.
Perez's form at one end paved the way for excellence at the other, and captain Lainez stepped up to answer the call when she denied the hosts a spot in the final with a peach of a set piece in the final minute of regulation.
The Dominican Republic will play either Guatemala or Honduras in the League B final in Mucurapo on August 11. The T&T girls will contest the third-place playoff from 9 am at the same venue on August 11.
On August 8, Baptiste and Goodridge were among the scorers when the hosts booked their spot in the semifinals with a big 5-0 win over Grenada to finish atop group C.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday