Coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier was left a disappointed man after his under-15s were held to a 1-1 tie by regional neighbours Barbados in the Concacaf Boys Under-15 Championship on Monday at the IMG Academy in Bradenton Florida, USA.
However, Charles-Fevrier told the media that he was somewhat pleased with the performance of the team.
On the second day of competition, poor finishing affected the T&T team, despite starting positively and creating numerous chances in the encounter. Nathaniel James and Abdul Quddoos-Hypolite both did well to get sights on goal but were either off-target or stopped by Ramario Carter who put in a Man of Match performance in the Barbados goal.
Josiah Wilson mesmerized opponents with surging runs into the penalty area only, but scorers failed to convert. However, Wilson later did it alone in the second half when he took a short corner to Hypolite and collected the return ball, to fire a blistering shot from the top of the box, past Carter in the Barbados goal.
The Bajans decision to tighten up in their defence curbed the T&T attacks, and later benefitted from several soft fouls around the penalty area to launch some testing free kicks. In spite, if this, the men in the red, white and black still controlled the majority of the possession.
T&T then paid the footballing price for their missed chances by conceding the equalizer six minutes from time. Barbados number 10 Nadre Butcher, who came on as a substitute, picked up deep within his half and took it past his markers before rifling his shot past Kenye Lazarus in the T&T goal area.
Afterwards, Charles-Fevrier said, “We dominated the game but you have to score to win, so the 70% possession we had (though good) was not enough to get three points.”
He noted further, “The boys are in pain but this is what happens when you don’t score your chances, they must learn that and must learn it fast because we have an important game on Wednesday which will give them an ideal opportunity to bounce back from this.”
With Portugal and Costa Rica playing to a 2-2 draw in the other group match, it will be an uphill task for T&T to advance when they face the Europeans in their final Group D match on Wednesday.
T&T TEAM
Kanye Lazarus (GK), 3. Dawn St. Rose, 4. Jeron Pascall, 7. Abdul Quddoos Hypolite (17. Jaheim Faustin 67’), 8. Molik Khan (Captain) (8. Jaheim Marshall 58’),
Nathanial James, 11. Josiah Wilson, 12. Triston Stafford, 13. Kassidy Davison, 14. Deshawn Brown, 15. Dante Gilbert (16. Isaiah Thompson 51’).
Unused Substitutes: 18. Triston Edwards, 2. Christian Bailey, 5. Tyrik Trotman,
BARBADOS
1.Ramario Carter (GK), 3. Kobe Hutson, 4. Shay Prescod, 5. Tyrique Bailey-Edwards (Captain) 6. Janash Jaunal (2. Kellon Carrington 66’), 7. Khimani Cox (14. Shewayne Burke 53’), 8. Ethan Squires (15. Ryan Lashkley 36’), 9. Colin Griffith (10. Nadre Butcher 48’), 11. Zachary Applewhite (16. Jonathan Sealey 54’), 12. Aaron Cumberbatch, 13. Ethan Taylor.
Unused Substitute: 18. Allan Mallalieu (GK), 17. Savejo Blenman.
