CONCACAF Women’s U20: Haiti down TT 3-2

By Nickolai Madray

In the second match of the double header at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, during yesterday’s opening of the Women’s U-20 CONCACAF championships, hosts Trinidad and Tobago were humiliated by Haiti in-front of the home crowd. Nerilia Mondesir’s hat-trick inspired a comeback for the visiting team who found themselves 2-0 down in the first 12 minutes.

Trinidad and Tobago took the lead in the 4th minute after, Dennecia Prince, sent the crowd into a frenzy when she made room for herself by getting past her defender and curling the ball into the bottom left corner to open scoring. In the 11th minute, the home team doubled the lead thanks to Kedie Johnson finding the back of the net from a corner kick. Attempting to swing the ball to the far post, Johnson saw her effort curling into the top corner where the Haitian goalkeeper, Kerly Theus, had no chance of stopping the ball.

Haiti then pulled a goal back in the 26th minute when, captain Nerilia Mondesir, got on the end of a cross and headed the ball into the net. Her team-mate, midfielder Sherly Jeudy, could have equalised in the 34th minute after she rounded the local custodian, Klil Keshwar, but miss-kicked the shot and gave the defender time to clear the ball off the goal-line. Haiti then had another opportunity to equalise, however, the referees called offside to deny the visitors.

The persistent Haitians got their reward on the stroke of half time when Mondesir found the equaliser via a low shot. After the half-time interval, Mondesir completed her hat-trick in the 54th minute, and turned the score around by gliding past the Trinibagonian defence and slotting the ball into the goal. Chances were in the minimum after Mondesir’s third as the scores remained 3-2 in favour of until the final whistle. The Player-of-the-Match award went to the Haitian captain, Mondesir, for her performance on the field.

After yesterday’s match, TT will play Canada tomorrow at 6.30 pm, before playing their final group match against Costa Rica on Monday at 6.30 pm. The entire tournament will be held at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

Trinidad and Tobago:

Klil Keshwar (GK), Shadi Cecily Stoute, Natisha John (C), Shaunalee Govia, Dennecia Prince, Aaliyah Prince, Ranae Ward, Jaasiel Forde, Shenieka Paul, Kedie Johnson, Chelcy Ralph (Alexis Fortune).

Haiti:

Kerly Theus (GK), Ruthny Mathurin, Naphtalie Northe, Emeline Charles, Dougenie Tabita Joseph, Nelourde Nicolas (Betina Petit-Frere), Sherly Jeudy, Nerilia Mondesir (C), Roseline Eloissaint, Rosianna Jean, Melchie Daelle Dumonay.