Trinidad and Tobago bow out Concacaf U17 Champs with 3-2 loss to El Salvador

TRINIDAD and Tobago put on a spirited performance but were eliminated in their Concacaf Under-17 Championships round of 16 ties against El Salvador on Sunday night after losing 3-2 in a nail-biter at the Estadio Pensativo in Guatemala.

Favourites El Salvador went ahead as early as the third minute with Bryan Vasquez rifling home a long-range, curling shot from outside the 18-yard box, beyond the outstretched arms of TT custodian Ailan Panton.

In the 33rd minute, a defence-splitting pass from Lindell Sween fell perfectly for striker Rio Cardines, who fired past the El Salvadorian goalkeeper to level the match. It remained 1-1 at the half-time break.

Twenty minutes into the second period, El Salvador went ahead once more courtesy of forward Walter Menjivar. A charging Menjivar latched on to a well-timed pass into the TT area and shot past Panton with the ball ricocheting off the goal post; his fourth goal of the tournament.

TT kept pressing for the equaliser and were soon rewarded in the 79th minute when Derrel Garcia found substitute Malachi Webb on the breakaway, who made no mistake.

Cardinez kept TT in the contest as he executed a desperate goal-line clearance in the 82nd. After regulation time, the score was drawn 2-2, which initiated two 15-minute periods of extra time.

Both teams showed equal intent in the first period of extra time but it was El Salvador who would make the breakthrough in the second.

A loose ball, well outside the 18-yard box, found the feet of Michael Ventura in the 106th minute, and he launched an unstoppable rocket which banged in past Panton, off the cross bat to send them 3-2 up.

TT were unable to draw level for a third time in the match and despite a valiant display, bowed out of the tournament.

El Salvador move on to play Mexico in the quarter-finals.