Under-17 footballers win twice in Tobago
T&T Newsday

NATIONAL Under-17 footballers continued their preparation for the CONCACAF round of qualification for the 2011 World Cup with back-to-back wins in Tobago this weekend.

The team captained by Duane Muckette defeated Tobago champions St Clair’s Coaching School 5-2 and then thrashed Stokeley Vale 6-2 at the Dwight Yorke, Stadium, Bacolet.

In the match on Friday, the under-17s were down 2-0 at the interval but came storming back in the second period thanks to an inspirational performance from Garvin Samaroo who scored a hat-trick.

Shackiel Henry and Neil Benjamin added one each as they completed a stunning turnaround to defeat their hosts.

And on Saturday night, Benjamin and Adan Noel scored a brace each while US-based striker Isaiah Noreiga chipped in with one to get the better of Stokely Vale.

The Young Warriors coached by Shawn Cooper, will face their under-20 counterparts in another practise match at the Marvin Lee Stadium on February 4. The game will be the first of a double header with the 2010 TTFF FA Trophy Final taking place afterwards between DirecTV North East Stars and bmobile San Juan Jabloteh.

The under-17s will then travel to face Barbados in a friendly on February 6.

And they are expected to play Pro League champions Defence Force as well as W Connection before journeying to Montego Bay to face Jamaica (February 15) and Guatemala (February 17) in the group phase of the CONCACAF qualifiers.