分类： sports

In a thrilling Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship qualifier, Trinidad and Tobago’s young footballers experienced both triumph and disappointment as they conceded a late equalizer to settle for a 2-2 draw against host nation Curaçao on January 24. The Group F encounter at Stadion Rignaal “Jean” Francisca in Willemstad saw dramatic momentum shifts that ultimately denied the Caribbean visitors a coveted victory.

The match remained scoreless through the first half despite promising opportunities for both sides, with TT striking the crossbar and Curaçao forcing a goal-line clearance during a chaotic penalty area scramble.

Curaçao broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute when Jacelynn Jubithana capitalized on a defensive error from Layla Gregoire to put the hosts ahead. Trinidad and Tobago responded decisively six minutes later as Jade Jones unleashed a spectacular left-footed strike from outside the penalty area following a partially cleared cross from Giuliana Meyer.

The visitors appeared destined for victory when captain Sanni Wilson demonstrated exceptional composure in the 80th minute, expertly converting Jones’ precision cross from the right flank with a clinical left-footed finish. However, Curaçao substitute Xiarleahmay Martis Nocento delivered a crushing blow just three minutes later, scoring with a deft glancing header from an in-swinging corner that eluded TT goalkeeper Zofia Richards.

Head coach Ayana Russell, while expressing pride in her team’s performance, acknowledged the result as a missed opportunity. “I thought they did an excellent job and fought until the very end,” Russell stated. “The result is unfortunate. We dominated and I felt we dropped some points today.”

Statistical analysis revealed TT’s dominance throughout the match, with 54% possession and 15 shots (five on target) compared to Curaçao’s seven attempts. Russell identified finishing as the primary area requiring improvement, noting, “We struggled to put the game away in that final middle to final third.”

The squad now prepares for their January 28 encounter against Barbados, with additional training sessions focused on offensive execution before concluding group play against El Salvador on February 1. The top six group winners and two best second-place teams will advance to join Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States in the tournament’s final round.

Diego Martin Central Secondary and Holy Name Convent have emerged as early frontrunners in the Form One category of the 2026 Republic Bank ASATT National Secondary Schools Water Polo League, maintaining flawless records during the January 24 matches at the Diego Martin community pool.

The Diego Martin Central boys’ team delivered a commanding performance against Trinity College (Moka), securing a decisive 15-5 victory. Andriel Williams showcased exceptional offensive prowess, netting nine goals throughout the match—four of which came during a dominant second-quarter display. Keston Brisan provided valuable support with three goals, while Trinity’s Jayden Antoine managed a respectable triple score in response.

Mirroring their male counterparts’ success, the Diego Martin Central girls’ team demonstrated overwhelming superiority against Providence Girls’ Catholic School with a 15-1 triumph. The victory featured distributed scoring across the roster, with Talayeh Baker leading the charge with five goals, followed by Amiyah Phillip’s four and Allessia Dash’s three goals.

In one of the day’s most thrilling encounters, Bishop Anstey High School mounted a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback to edge St Joseph’s Convent Port of Spain 8-7. Despite trailing 7-4 entering the final period, Bishop Anstey’s Gia-Marie Plaza erupted for three of her five total goals during the decisive quarter, while Sara Francois contributed three crucial goals. Danielle Popplewell’s five-goal effort for SJCPoS ultimately proved insufficient against Bishop Anstey’s late surge.

Holy Name Convent continued their dominant run with a comprehensive 17-4 victory over Corpus Christi College, establishing a commanding 12-2 halftime advantage before cruising to victory. The offensive duo of Ariya Bolai De Matas (nine goals) and Amilya Marshall (seven goals) proved unstoppable throughout the contest.

Queen’s Royal College rounded out the day’s action with an impressive 15-9 win against rivals St Mary’s College. Kamal Cumberbatch spearheaded the Royalians’ attack with seven goals, supported by Roland Beard’s four-goal contribution. Andrez Robinson led St Mary’s resistance with five goals, accompanied by two goals each from Joab Dick and Aiden Ramparick.

In a dramatic rain-affected encounter at the High Performance Oval in Windhoek, Namibia, the West Indies Under-19 cricket team secured a crucial 25-run victory against Ireland in their ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup Super Six match on January 25. The Caribbean side’s triumph was orchestrated by their spin duo of Micah McKenzie and Vitel Lawes, who derailed Ireland’s chase with their wrist-spin mastery.

The match began with West Indies posting a competitive 226 all out in 46.5 overs, thanks largely to wicketkeeper-batsman Jewel Andrew’s commanding 66 runs from 82 deliveries. Andrew’s innings, featuring four boundaries and four sixes, provided the foundation despite several batsmen failing to convert starts into substantial scores. Jonathan Van Lange (28) and Aadian Racha (28) contributed valuable runs in the middle and lower order.

Ireland’s response appeared promising initially as they reached 82/1 in the 18th over, with James West leading the charge with a brisk 45. However, the introduction of leg-spinner McKenzie (4/36) and left-arm unorthodox spinner Lawes (2/41) triggered a dramatic collapse. The spin twins dismantled Ireland’s middle order, reducing them from comfort to 98/4 within five overs.

Rain interruptions twice disrupted Ireland’s chase, ultimately proving decisive. When play was halted for the final time at 164/7 after 40 overs, Ireland found themselves 25 runs behind the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern par score of 189. Robert O’Brien (26) and Marko Bates (22) showed resistance but couldn’t prevent the inevitable DLS decision in West Indies’ favor.

The victory elevates West Indies to four points in their Super Six group, positioning them third behind Australia (6 points) and Afghanistan (4 points). With net run rate currently negative, the Caribbean team faces a must-win scenario against defending champions Australia on January 28 in Harare, Zimbabwe, where a substantial victory is required to secure semifinal qualification.