T&T Under-17 girls team led by striker Anique Walker blasted Guyana 8-0 in their opening match of the Caribbean Football Union U-17 Women’s Final Round Championship at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston, Jamaica, yesterday.
The Soca Princesses took the lead in the first half with defender Marlique Asson scoring the opening goal in the second minute. Diarra Simmons notched four goals with her first two items coming in the first half.
She scored her opening goal in the ninth, then in the 42nd. Captain Anique Walker also added another item in the 17th to the scoresheet, increasing her goal tally to a 11 thus far, to give the Princesses a 4-0 lead at the half. In the second half, twin sisters Khadishra and Khadisha Debesette also connected in the 47th and 70th, respectively. Both sisters now have a total of 24 goals between them.
Simmons returned some minutes before regulation time to complete her beaver trick with late goals in the 87th and 88th minute In last night’s late match host Jamaica came up against Bahamas. The Soca Princesses advanced to the CFU final round after lopsided victories at home and away over Dominica (13-0 and 5-0) and St Kitts/Nevis (11-0 and 17-0) in Group B while Guyana, which will be hoping to follow its senior men’s team and upstage the T&T team, blanked Anguilla 2-0 and drew with Netherland Antilles 1-1 to top Group C.
Bahamas won Group A with wins over Bermuda (2-0) and Antigua & Barbuda (10-0); while Jamaica whipped Dominican Republic (3-0) and Aruba (9-0) in Group D. At the end of the series, the top three teams will advance to the Concacaf Championship where hosts Guatemala, Canada, Mexico and USA awaits.
The other Central American qualifier will come Costa Rica, and Panama, which won their home-and-away series against El Salvador and Nicaragua, 8-1 and 2-0 respectively on Sunday. The U-17 Concacaf finalists and third-place match winner will qualify for the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Azerbaijan.
CFU Under-17 Women’s result (Yesterday)
T&T 8 (Diarra Simmons 9th, 42nd, 87th, 88th, Anique Walker 17th, Khadishra Debesette 47th, Khadisha Debesette 70th, Marlique Asson 2nd) vs Guyana 0.
Tomorrow
T&T vs Bahamas, 3pm
Jamaica vs Guyana, 6pm
Saturday
Bahamas vs Guyana, 3pm
Jamaica vs T&T, 6pm
Trinidad & Tobago: - Shantelle Christian, Khadisha Debesette, Jonelle Warrick, Adeka Spence, Abigal Jacob, Marlique Asson, Khadidra Debesette, Emma Abdul (Olivia Jaggernauth 61st), Shanisa Camejo (Zoe Swift 61st), Diarra Simmons, Anique Walker (capt) (Darian Diaz 54th).
Coach: - Stephan De Four (T&T).
Guyana: - Shonnette Gasper, Dian Mandokin, Sheneeze Henry, Kerry Thomas, Sasha Loo, Leah Allison, Prescilla Allan (Jenell Browne 56th), Everne Ambrose, Sara Vaughan (Rachel Subick 74th), Kailey Leila (Beverly Rodriguez 80th), Ursuline Primus.
Referee: - Gillian Martindale (Barbados).
Attendance: - 500.