Trinidad and Tobago U-17 women stay perfect; blank Belize 2-0

Trinidad and Tobago's under-17 women's football team got their second win in round one of Concacaf's 2025 Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers when they beat Belize by a 2-0 margin at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on January 29.

The win took TT to six points and kept them atop the group ahead of Honduras (also six points) on goal difference.

After a resounding 5-0 victory over the US Virgin Islands (USVI) in their group B opener on January 27, the hosts again showed their attacking quality as they dominated proceedings against Belize despite missing many clear-cut chances.

Attacker Orielle Martin was the star in the first game with a beaver-trick, but goals in either half from midfielders Cherina Steele and Rori Gittens did the business for TT this time around.

In slick conditions in Balmain, TT created a host of chances early on but their finishing let them down in the initial stages.

Rasheda Archer was lively down the flanks, and she had a 13th-minute effort cleared off the line by a defender, while she also sent a tame stab at goal in the 23rd minute after a nice piece of skill in the area.

After brilliant wide play by Ty'Kaiya Dennis in the 27th minute, Martin also got a good look at goal, but she crucially slipped and missed her kick as she tried to latch onto the former's square pass.

Three minutes later, the hosts did break the deadlock – albeit in a very scrappy fashion.

The Belize defence failed to deal with a left-side corner from left-back Hackeemar Goodridge, with the feisty Steele tapping over the line from close range after a mad scramble ensued in the six-yard box.

Steele's goal was fitting for the sluggish start to the game, but there was nothing sluggish about the 16-year-old's performance as she was a constant force in the midfield – breaking up attacks and swiftly getting her team into their transition game.

TT goalie Zaira Aimey was rarely troubled in the contest, but she did have a moment of worry in the 38th minute when she fumbled a long-range effort from Riann Acal.

Regular proceedings continued after the one-sighter for Belize, as TT tried their best to extend their lead before the break.

In the last two minutes of the first half, a long-range free kick from Goodridge bounced agonisingly wide, Martin thumped the bar with a wicked left-footed shot and Gittens missed a chance from close range after smart wing play from Archer.

Seconds after the resumption, the frustration continued for coach Ayana Russell's team when Dennis hit the base of the post after being freed down the left.

In the 49th minute, though, TT finally got their second goal when Gittens sent a deft volley past goalkeeper Angelica Lopez after Martin beat her marker effortlessly down the right flank.

Just after the hour mark, TT continued their love affair with the woodwork when captain Kanika Rodriguez struck the bar with a powerful right-footed shot after a set piece sequence.

TT's second goal took them past Honduras' +6 goal differential after the latter's 4-0 victory over USVI earlier in the evening.

Try as they might, TT couldn't widen their margin of victory against Belize, as Gittens fired over from point-blank range in the 73rd minute and substitute Madison Campbell followed suit after being set up by the tireless Steele in stoppage time.

From 8 pm on January 31 at the Couva venue, TT and Honduras will battle for group B honours and passage to the next round of qualifying.

The top team in each of the six first-round groups will advance to the next round, along with the two best second-placed teams.

A draw or victory for TT will see Russell's charges marching into the next round as group winners.