A dogged display in both defence and attack but that efort still did not prevent T&T from slumping to a 2-1 loss to Mexico in the final match in Group A of the Concacaf Under-17 World Cup Qualifiers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Thursday night.
The result meant the Mexicans won the group and qualified for the World Cup in Qatar later this year, while T&T had to settle for third overall in the group with six points, as Barbados in the first game hammered Saint Martin 6-0 to move to nine points in the second position. The Mexicans moved to 12 points.
The home team went into the match with a slim chance of having to beat the Mexicans by five clear goals.
Early on, Mexico’s fast-paced, smooth-passing game was allowed only in their defensive and middle thirds of the field, as T&T defended deep and in numbers, as they curbed the early attacks.
Yet, the T&T players were undaunted by the fluency of their opponents and had the Central Americans back anytime they countered. Adasa Richardson, J’Meke Watkins and Kanye Glasgow came from deep within the team’s defensive structure and showed that they had the legs when the team transitioned into attack.
Twice, Richardson and Watkins forced the Mexican defenders into panic mode in the first half, but it was the Mexicans who should have had the opener in the 32nd minute. Midfielder Angel Reyes unleashed a thumping shot from distance that goalkeeper Levi Williams parried into the path of Alberto Cuenca, only to see the stocky Mexican striker put the ball over an empty goal from almost under the crossbar.
The development appeared to have summed up the Mexicans’ fate in the first period, but it did not reduce the attacks that the T&T team faced thereafter. Faced with a dogged defensive structure, the Mexicans still came close when a well-floated ball from the corner by Luis Trujillo in the 41st minute escaped the outstretched arms of Wiliams inside the T&T six-yard box, but it also missed a lunging attempt from Cuenca at the back post.
Then, a minute from the halftime interval, Reyes again with a thunderous shot from outside that Williams somehow managed to keep out.
Captain Jeremiah Daniel and team-mates defended stoutly against the raging Mexican attacks in the second period of play. In the 75th minute, Adan Sanchez drove from left to the centre of the pitch, but his low shot was gobbled up by Williams.
Substitute Jesus Odurio handed the Central Americans the advantage in the 82nd minute after racing onto a cheeky flick that put him alone with goalkeeper Williams, and he buried it in the bottom left corner for the 1-0 lead. The goal brought the Mexicans alive, and three minutes before the stroke of regulation time, Alan Sanchez raced into the box to convert a left-side centre for a two-goal cushion in the 87th minute.
However, the visitors attempt to maintain a clean sheet was foiled when Richardson galloped onto a through ball and was swept off his feet by Andre Godinez inside their penalty area, in full view of referee Michael Akangou from the Cayman Islands, who immediately pointed to the penalty spot.
Richardson, given the responsibility from the spot kick, sent goalkeeper Johan Cuenca the wrong way for a 2-1 scoreline. T&T then held out for the 2-1 result. It was his second penalty taken and scored in the tournament.
TEAMS
MEXICO
1 Johan Cuenca, 2 Alan Hernandez, 3 Gael Solorio, 4 Andre Godinez, 6 Jonathan De La Fuente, 10 Alberto Cisneros, 14 Carlos Calvillo, 15 Eliud Sanchez, 16 Luis Trujillo, 18 Angel Reyes, 19 Edy Lugo.
Subs
12 Marcelo Avalos, 21 Jose Corona, 5 Adonai Valdez, 7 Noe Mota, 8 Ricardo Gonzlez, 9 Adan Sanchez, 11 Edgar Vargas, 13 Jesus Odurio, 17 Gerson Gitierrez, 20 Dylan Martinez.
T&T TEAM
21 Levi Williams, 4 Antonio Hills, 5 Jaylon Roberts, 6 Jeremiah Daniel, 8 Donovan Drayton, 9 J’Meke Watkins, 11 Adasa Richardson, 13 Adriel Faure, 14 Kanye Glasgow, 19 Antuan Louison, 20 Akel Vesprey.
Subs
1 Mikhail Clement, 18 Necose Moore, 2 Reagan Rowe, 3 Sebastian James, 7 Jasai Theophilus, 10 Finn De Freitas, 12 Daniel Lewis, 15 Christian Pitt, 16 Kenai Richardson, 17 Jeremai Nanton
