Trinidad and Tobago finished bottom of their group in the CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers, following a 1-0 defeat to Mexico on Tuesday.
Playing at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, the hosts conceded through Cristina Ferral five minutes before half-time and never found their way back into the contest.
The defeat was their fourth in Group A of League A, their only point coming in a nil-all draw with Puerto Rico last October.
Hoping to end an otherwise disappointing campaign on a high note, T&T were lucky not to fall behind early in the contest as Mexico created a flurry of half chances but failed to finish any.
Jacqueline Ovalle twice came close while Stephany Mayor missed a gilt-edged chance from the middle of the six-yard box.
However, Ferral’s brilliance gave her side the lead in the 40th, the 30-year-old collecting the ball on the edge of the 18-yard box and curling her volley into the far corner.
Down 1-0 at the break, T&T then survived an assault early in the second half and needed the sharpness of goalkeeper Simone Eligon to keep the scoreline intact.
Eligon saved low from the feet of substitute Alexia Delgado in the 48th, reacted well to push away Ovalle’s low drive in the 63rd before collecting Mayor’s on-target cross in the 74th minute.
At the same venue in League B, St Vincent and the Grenadines scored three goals in the space of eight minutes towards the end to beat Barbados 4-2 and log their only win in Group C.
With the game deadlocked at 1-1 after 74 minutes, goals from Samayaa Connell (82nd) and Asanteni Charles (89th), coupled with an Ashanee Thompson 84th minute own-goal, turned the result in SVG’s favour.
They finished bottom of the group on three points with Barbados one above them in third.
In Group B of League C, visiting St Lucia were put to the sword by hosts Cuba, Eunises Núñez (9th, 14th) netting a first half brace.
St Lucia finished second on six points behind group winners Cuba on 12.
Source-CMC
