TT Under-17s score historic win over Chile in World CupBy JOEL BAILEY Monday, September 6 2010
DIARRA SIMMONS and Liana Hinds scored on either side of the half as Trinidad and Tobago earned a history-making 2-1 win yesterday over Chile at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.
Ths hosts thus opened up their campaign in Group “A” of FIFA Under- 17 Women’s World Cup. The result was Trinidad and Tobago’s first victory – male or female – of any age group in a FIFA World Cup, and came to the delight of a crowd estimated at 16,000, which included Prime Minister Kamla Persad- Bissessar and FIFA vice-president Jack Austin Warner, who was instrumental in getting the rights for TT to host the tournament.
Warner also was responsible for hiring experienced Norwegian coach Even Pellerud to coach the national team specifically for the current tournament. Simmons, one of Pellerud’s latest recruits, did well to turn and shoot from close range after nine minutes while Hinds capitalised on a horrendous piece of defending to widen the gap in the 80th. Chile substitute Iona Rothfeld took advantage of Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper’s Linfah Jones’ lack of height with a fantastic long-range freekick, but the win was already secured, despite a massive scare in stoppage time as Rothfeld’s spot-kick, again from the left, crashed off the crossbar. Playing for the first time in a Women’s World Cup, of any kind, Trinidad and Tobago started the game with a high tempo, which clearly bothered the Chileans who, like the hosts, are making their debut in this tournament. Simmons, the youngest member of the Trinidad and Tobago team (she will turn 15 on September 11), created the first chance in the eighth minute, when she picked out Brianna Ryce with a brilliant diagonal ball to the left and Ryce, in turn, sent a cross to Kayla Taylor, but she could not keep down her off-balanced header. But another attack, a minute later, resulted in Trinidad and Tobago’s first goal, as a throw from the left by Ryce fell to Simmons, who held off her marker Leticia Torres and sent a low left-footer past the left of goalie Veronica Saez.
Taylor was given a good ball from the right by Hinds, but her right- footer sailed overbar while, in one of the game’s debatable decisions, Simmons was clearly held in pursuit of goal by Torres, and furthermore, Saez came out of the penalty box to make a save, but no infringement was awarded by Hungarian referee Gyoengyi Gaal.
Chile gradually got into the game, and Jones was forced to make a save from a shot by Francisca Moroso, in the 29th, and the striker chased down the loose ball and fed Yanara Aedo, who skied her right-footer from 10 metres out. Trinidad and Tobago were pegged back in their half for a long period, but Chile lacked the killer instinct up front, while Barbara Santibanez failed to hit the target with a long-range right-footer, after she was given time and space by the defence. Simmons was replaced by Jo-Marie Lewis, who thought she got her name on the scoresheet in the 70th, as she outmuscled Rothfeld inside the penalty box and scored, from a tight angle, on the left. However, to the dismay of the Trinidad and Tobago technical area, Gaal ruled for a foul on the Chile defender. Trinidad and Tobago deservedly got their second 10 minutes later, as the Chile defence, including Saez, made a hash of Emma Abdul’s right- sided corner, and Hinds was on spot to drill the loose ball into the open net. Another set-piece, this time by Rothfeld, trimmed the lead with a 35- metre blast, while Aedo pounced on a headed clearance by Khadisha Debesette to send a goal-bound effort which was well held by Jones.
The Trinidad and Tobago goalie could do nothing to stop a free-kick, on the left flank, by Rothfeld, who ricocheted off the crossbar, and Gaal’s whistle, seconds later, brought relief and subsequent joy to the home team. On Wednesday, in a double-header at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Trinidad and Tobago will play Nigeria at 7 pm while, three hours earlier, Chile will oppose reigning champs North Korea.
LATEST: In the final match yesterday South Korea beat South Africa 3- 1 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago.
