The Guyana Women’s Football team put on a spectacular performance last evening to beat the T&C Select team by 5 goals to nil in their opening game of the Turks & Caicos Football Festival.
The Guyanese girls started cautiously and maybe somewhat nervous within the first few minutes as this was for most of them the first time playing together. However things changed in a hurry as just 7 minutes into the game a shot from a Guyanese player rocked the cross bar of the T&C goal. Immediately after, the Guyanese were on the attack again with Ashley Rodrigues finding the back of the net in the 8 minute to put Guyana up 1-0.
This certainly lifted the confidence resulting in the Guyanese putting T&C under heavy pressure with constant attacks down the wings and through the center, several shots were taken that went wide of the T&C goal or over the uprights.
At this time the T&C women were totally on the defensive and it was only a matter of time as Guyana went 2-0 in the 15th minute, again from Ashley Rodrigues who converted a penalty after a T&C player handled the ball in the box.
By this time the tone of the game was already set with 90 percent of play being in the T&C half of the field. Guyana were awarded numerous corners and had many near misses as they kept the pressure up.
Guyana scored again in the 30th minute off a corner kick with a Justine Rodrigues header into the back of the net.
In minute 34 the coaching staff decided to make their first substitutions with Odessa Romeo and Kaitlyn Wong-You replacing Kayla DeSouza and Ashley Rodrigues. The tournament is being played under FIFA rules except that a team can make unlimited substitutions.
Shortly after the substitution Guyana continued their dominance and was awarded another penalty which was saved by the T&C goalkeeper. The half ended on yet another headed corner by Justine Rodrigues who continued her stellar play in the penalty area on set plays, but was brilliantly saved by the T&C goalkeeper.
The Guyanese girls left the field to thunderous applause from the numerous Guyanese supporters living and traveling to T&Cwho showed up to see the game.
The second half continued much the same as the first with the coaching staff using the opportunity to give playing time to all the substitutes as well as rotating the players in different positions still in search of the best possible formation for the later games.
Goals were scored in the second half by Justine Rodrigues 70th minute and Rehana Murani in the 78th minute.
The Game ended 5-0 for Guyana with Ashley Rodrigues being named game MVP by the Technical staff.
It was indeed a very encouraging performance by the Lady Jaguars which gave the Guyanese supporters a lot to cheer about. After the game the players were swamped by the supporters who wanted photographs with the team and individual players. Finally the team was allowed to leave for the hotel with loud chanting, music and flag waving from their excited, loyal supporters.
Guyana face the T&C U20 National team in their second game today at 6:00 pm.
Starting-Lineup
Leonie Robinson - GK
Alison Heydorn
Alyssa Budhoo
Ashley Rodrigues
Ashley Savona
Briana DeSouza
Donna Carvalhal
Kayla DeSouza
Nikkita Persad
Rehana Murani
Justine Rodrigues
Substitutes
Kaitlyn Wong You
Bailey McKendrick
Odessa Rameo
Roxanne Stephen
Tarissa Stanislaus
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