TT sink US Virgin Islands 3-0

BOUNCING BACK from an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the United States junior team, the TT Under 20 squad mowed down the US Virgin Islands yesterday in a 3-0 trouncing at their final group match at the CONCACAF U20 Championships.

The win comes as redemption to their brutal 6 - 1 loss against the United States, and gave them an added three points to put the team in second place in their group with nine overall points, but it was not enough to take them to the next stage, as only the group winners would qualify to advance.

Nikel Orr opened the scoring in the first minute of play,at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, capitalising on an incisive left field pass which outpaced Virgin Island defenders. Orr placed the ball to the right side of the goal, leaving goalie Connor Querrard flat-footed.

The team tried to reproduce the magic for the remainder of the first half by making more attacking plays on the left field, but were unable to get the same result.

The pace picked up in the second half with TT dominating play, and the Virgin Islands doing the majority of defending.

The defenders’ resolve was eventually broken in the 77th minute, when substitute Isiah Lee put the ball past the keeper once again, after it was fed to him from a cross ball.

Minutes before the final whistle, midfielder Che Benny also beat the keeper.

He shot a rocket from the top of the 18-yard box, which was too hot for the goalie to handle. The ball slipped through Querrard’s fingers for a third goal. The under-20 team will return home on Monday.