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Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior Women footballers left a good first impression on newly appointed head coach Randy Waldrum as they eased to a 5-0 victory over Venezuela’s Senior Team in Sunday’s friendly at the Ato Boldon Stadium.

The American Waldrum flew into the country on Sunday just to witness the match and left early on Monday and will take up duties at the training camp in Houston later this month.

Playing against a Venezuela team that included six members of the Venezuela team that placed fourth at the 2014 FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup. In the Venezuela starting team were Gabriela Garcia and Deyna Castellanos who both shared the golden boot award at the Finals with six goals apiece.

Despite the presence of the Under 17 stars, T&T captain Maylee Attin-Johnson proved to be up to the test and took control of the match from early on.

US-based forward Kennya Cordner who arrived home on the weekend to join the squad, put T&T ahead with a clinical finish in the 11th minute after being sent clear on goal by Attin-Johnson. That would be her first of three goals as she added further items in the 56th and 90th minutes.

T&T lost their starting goalkeeper Kerri Myers through injury in the 14th minute and Tenesia Palmer proved to be an able replacement with a few composed saves later in the match, the first to a low effort by Milagros Mendoza in the 18th minute.

Cordner should have doubled T&T’s advantage just before half time but dragged her right footer wide of the upright following another fine delivery by St Louis.

The visitors were comfortable 9-0 winners over a Women’s League Eleven on Friday but were finding the senior T&T team to be much more capable opponents on Sunday. They did manage a few opportunities on goal but nothing to trouble the hosts.

Shenelle Henry turned provider for two of T&T’s second half goals by Jo Marie Lewis and Cordner in the 52nd and 56th minutes. St Louis converted a 65th minute penalty and Cordner completed her hattrick in the third minute of added on time.

Waldrum observed the match from the stands ass Jason Spence took up charge of the team on Sunday and will also be in charge for Tuesday’s second meeting between both teams at the Couva venue from 6:30pm.

Waldrum said he was pleased with what he saw of the T&T team,

“It’s early days yet but there were some very positive things. Here you can tell these players have been playing from a young age. First impressions were very positive. There is a lot of talent in the right places. I thought centrally in midfield you’ve got some talent. There is a lot of pace up front and the back was solid also,” Waldrum told TTFA Media.

He did add that the team’s fitness level needs some working on.

“I think one priority is going to be on the fitness level. That’s one area tonight that looked like we’re not where we need to be. I just picked up on a few things that I noticed like when the team presses it doesn’t do it with all ten players and it presses in just small groups and when you do that the team gets spread out and good teams will exploit that. And we’ll work on switching the play a bit quicker in attack. There will be a few little tweaks. The foundation has been set and I think the staff before looks like they did a good job and now it’s more about fine tuning some of those different elements of the game,” he added.

The former US Olympic and youth team coach said he is ready for the challenge ahead which is guiding T&T out of the CFU Final Round and onto the CONCACAF Finals later this year in the United States leading to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada

“I fell in love with the country the first time I came and I’ve followed the progress of the football since then. The excitement now with this opportunity to try and lead them to a World Cup is something I’m very thankful for and we’re just looking forward to get the team into camp and beginning the campaign.”

Tuesday’s second game will be preceded by another between T&T Under 15 girls and Defence Force from 4pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium. Admission is $10.