TT U-20s beaten on penalty kicks

The Americans will oppose Costa Rica in the tournament’s decider from seven o’clock, with the Costa Ricans also needing penalties to get past Honduras 4-2. Both semifinals were goal-less after regulation and extra time respectively.

Trinidad and Tobago and Honduras will square off at 4 pm in the third-place playoff, even though it will be of minor significance as the four semifinalists will advance to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt later this year.

Despite Perica Marosevic’s shot, the third for the Americans in the shootout, sailing overbar, Jared Jeffrey, Dilaver Duka, Kyle Davies and Anthony Wallace converted theirs.

Jean-Luc Rochford, Daniel Joseph and Uriah Bentick netted their efforts, but Sean De Silva and captain Leston Paul saw their shots blanked by goalkeeper Brian Perk to seal the result, which was too close to call throughout the match.

National coach Zoran Vranes suffered a pre-game setback as midfielder Marcus Joseph had to be withdrawn from the squad due to the death of his mother earlier in the day.

The Serbian-born tactician reverted to his regular line-up, but for striker Juma Clarence coming in for Qian Grovesnor and Rochford replacing Daniel Cyrus in the midfield.

The Americans, who asserted themselves early in the contest, needed only eight minutes to test the Trinidad and Tobago defence, as striker Marosevic chested a deep ball from Wallace and, on the turn, had his left-footed shot parried by goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel.

Marosevic again muffed an opportunity when, from the resultant corner, he shot wide from a few metres out.

In the 19th minute, the lanky Clarence, benefitting from a long ball from Nicholas Walker, could have sent the sold-out crowd into a frenzy, but he drilled his right-footed effort off the right post with Perk alone to beat.

Samuel did his best to tip Brian Ownby’s right-footer overbar, but chances were at a premium for the rest of the half, though forward Trent Lougheed suffered an injured left hand and had to be replaced, early in the second half, by Grovesnor.

A pair of chances by Trinidad and Tobago in the dying moments were spurned – De Silva got a ball on the run from Grovesnor but his right-footer went astray, while Joseph stripped a lackadaisical Gale Agbossoumnde in the centre of the American defence, faked the defender but sent his left-footer wide.

In extra time, both defences held firm throughout, even though Marosevic struck the side netting from a close range early in the stage while, minutes from the end, Ownby was spotted unmarked in the box but sailed his right-footer overbar.

In the earlier game, 120 minutes of regulation and extra time could not determine the winner between Costa Rica and Honduras, but the Costa Ricans prevailed in the shootout, courtesy Diego Estrada, David Guzman, Cristian Gamboa and Jorge Castro.

Honduras, who went first in the spot-kick affair, netted their first effort (Johnny Leveron) and fourth (Joel Fonseca), while the Costa Rica goalkeeper Minor Alvarez denied Alfredo Mejia and Reinieri Mayorquin.

Teams –

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Glenroy Samuel; Robert Primus, Curtis Gonzales (Uriah Bentick 120th), Nicholas Walker, Akeem Adams, Sheldon Bateau; Jean-Luc Rochford, Leston Paul (capt), Sean De Silva; Trent Lougheed (Qian Grovesnor 50th), Juma Clarence (Daniel Joseph 69th).

UNITED STATES: Brian Perk; Kyle Davies (capt), Gale Agbossoumonde, Sheannon Williams (Aaron Maund 120th), Anthony Wallace; Jared Jeffrey, Daniel Cruz (William Schuler 79th), Brian Ownby, Dilaver Duka; Perica Marosevic, Alejandro Taylor (Amobi Okugo 68th).