Jones questions Women Warriors' drive following 4-0 defeat

HEAD coach of the Trinidad and Tobago senior women’s football team Kenwyne Jones is questioning some of his players' drive to succeed after a 4-0 defeat to Costa Rica in Group B of the 2022 Concacaf Women’s Championships in Mexico, on Friday.

The defeat was TT’s second on the trot in the tournament after falling 6-0 to Canada.

The top teams in each of the two groups in the Concacaf Championships will qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The third-placed teams from each group will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs which will give teams another chance of qualifying for the World Cup.

TT’s best chance of staying in contention for the 2023 World Cup is finishing third in Group B by defeating Panama on Monday.

Two of the goals TT conceded against Costa Rica may be considered unlucky as Lauryn Hutchinson scored an own goal in the 33rd minute and in the 44th minute Cristin Granado’s strike got a deflection off TT defender Victoria Swift.

“Unfortunately in this game, you make your own luck. The fact is we just weren’t good enough today,” Jones said.

He asked some of his players to show more commitment. “I am disappointed because I think we are better than that. I know we are better than that and it is becoming repetitive that we are having these lapses and lack of desire between some players sometimes and we have to figure out really and truthfully what the game means to them, what they want to achieve out of it because it seems as if that quite a few of them are just here.

“Like you said on a different day none of those bad luck goals go in, but we did not give ourselves a chance. I think it was the 23rd minute we went down to ten women. At this level, you can’t do that.”

In the 22nd minute, TT’s Kedie Johnson got a second yellow card and was sent off.

Looking ahead, Jones said, “At this point in time we just came off the field so I am certainly disappointed, frustrated. The players at this point in time have to feel disappointed too I am sure. If they are not something is wrong. Yes we have to turn around pretty quickly (because) the next game is in a couple days time and we have to give our best for that one, but today was an opportunity for us to gain some momentum and we did not do that.”