T&T WOMEN LOSE TO MEXICO IN GOLD CUP QUALIFIER

Women downed 3-0 by Mexico in Gold Cup.
By: Shaun Fuentes.

Trinidad and Tobago’s senior women footballers failed in their bid to advance to the semi finals of the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup as they went down 3-0 to Mexico in its quarter final encounter at the Tropical Park in Miami on Sunday evening.
Needing to win to advance in the tournament, the T&T team, despite a valiant effort, were let down by some defensive lapses as they conceded on either side of the half Leyva 38’.
Mexico went ahead when Patricia Perez slammed the ball past stranded goalie Lisa Jo Ramkissoon in the 20th minute. Ramkissoon had failed to hold the initial free kick by Monica Gonzalez. Then Gonzalez struck a 40 yard free kick over Ramkissoon who was playing her first match for the T&T side in over 18 months or more.
Maribel Dominguez then sealed the win for the Mexicans with a 75th minute item when she latched on to a long ball from Monico Ocampowhich bounced over Ramkissoon, to tap in from close range.
The first one came when the T&T 'keeper spilled a free kick from Mexican defender Monica Gonzalez right in front of the net and Patricia Perez slammed home the rebound. At the stroke of halftime, Gonzalez got a goal of her own, lofting a 40-yard shot over the head of the T&T 'keeper. Mexican star forward Maribel Dominguez added the final goal in the second half, running onto a long ball that had bounced over the head of the T&T 'keeper. "Mari-Gol" only had to tap it into the net. T&T coach Marlon Charles eventually replaced his goalie with Kimika Forbes in the 75th minute.
T&T didn’t always chase their opponents as with the likes of speedy Ahkeela Mollon and Tasha St Louis, they did manage to push forward and maintain some form of possession. Mollon had a rare shot from a tight angle in the 75th minute. It was Mexico though who continued to pressure the T&T goal.
T&T will now return home with Mexico advancing to the semi finals. Caribbean neighbours Jamaica overcame Panama 2-0 in the other quarter final match and will meet Canada in the semis while Mexico faces United States on November 22. By way of their win, Jamaica will also represent the CFU in the Pan American Games in Brazil in 2007.

TEAMS:

TRI:
1-Lisa-Jo Ramkissoon (21-Kimika Forbes 75th) – 2-Ayana Russell, 4-Katrina Meyer, 5-Nadia James-C (11-Aveann Douglas 63rd), 6-Leslie Ann James (19-Kennya Cordner 58th), 7-Niasha Reyes, 9-Dernelle Mascall, 10-Tasha St. Louis, 12-Ahkeela Darcel Mollon, 15-Micah Mahabirsingh, 20-Mauricia Nicholson.

Booked: St. Louis 20'

MEX:
20-Sophia Perez – 2-Elizabeth Patricia Gomez, 3-Rubi Marlene Sandoval, 4-Monica Gonzalez, 5-Maria De Jesus Castillo, 7-Juana Evelyn Lopez (16-Carmen Padilla 73rd), 8-Fatima Leyva, 9-Maribel Dominguez-C, 10-Iris Adriana Mora (17-Monica Ocampo 61st), 11-Patricia Perez (18-Teresa Guadalupe Worbis 65th), 15-Luz Del Rosario Saucedo.

Booked: Lopez 34’.