Trinidad and Tobago’s Men’s Under 17 team remained unbeaten at the Tournament of the Americas in Colombia after holding Argentina’s Boca Juniors U-17s 1-1 in their third match on Sunday.
T&T were tied top of the Group A table with Boca, both on seven points. T&T defeated Academia Tolimense 2-1 at the La Candela field in Cali on Saturday. They defeated Seleccion Meta 1-0 in the opening game on Friday.
Against Tolimense, T&T went ahead in the second minute through a goal by W Connection and Naparima College’s Jarred Dass. He met a right side cross by Kishun Seecharan and volleyed home to give the Shawn Cooper-coached team the early lead.
T&T held the lead going into half time and then doubled their advantage in the 68th minute when Akeem Garcia sent a right footed shot into the net from the left of the penalty area following a left side corner by Dass. Tolimense pulled a goal back a minute after Garcia’s strike.
Cooper made five changes in the game with US-based midfielder Andre Fortune among those entering the action in place of Dass in the 70th minute.
The following day T&T faced their strongest challenge to date from Boca Juniors but held their own to come away with a point. Both teams were scoreless at half time before Boca break the deadlock on 51 minutes.
T&T battled back to grab an equalizer through St Ann’s Rangers and Fatima College player Leland Archer in the 74th minute. The goal came when he collected a ball from Matthew Woo Ling before volleying home to ensure a share of the points.
Cooper commended his players for holding their own in the tournament so far.
“It’s been an intensive program so far because we’ve played three games in under five days,” Cooper told TTFF Media.
“But there are no complaints because the guys have started to come into their own and they are responding very nicely.
The games have been tough and we have tried to give playing time to as many players as possible. We are in with a great chance of advancing to the final stages of the tournament which means we could possibly face one of the other national teams that are here which will be an excellent opportunity for us,” Cooper added.
T&T starting team vs Boca Juniors: - 1.Stephon Seepersad, 21.D’eandre Villaroel, 5.Mateon Watson, 4.Josiah Trimmingham, 17.Leland Archer, 3.Maurice Ford, 2.Shannon Gomez, 13.Kyle Braithwaite, 6.Brendon Creed (capt), 16.Mani Walcott, 8.Jabari Mitchell.