All three Caribbean Football Union (CFU) teams – Curaçao, Barbados, and Trinidad & Tobago – in action on Saturday lost their opening matches in the Concacaf Under-17 boys’ championship.
All, but T&T endured a crushing loss, as Mexico, Canada, United States, and Panama all carved out opening day wins in the championship, which is being played across two venues, the Estadio Nacional Doroteo Guamuch Flores in the Guatemala capital, and the Estadio Pensativo in the central highlands city of Antigua.
Eight different players found the back of the net for defending champions Mexico when they pounded Curacao 9-0 with Stephano Carrillo scoring twice in the first half in the 23rd and 45th minutes to lead the demolition with a brace.
Similarly, Cruz Medina, a product of U.S. Major League Soccer outfit, San Jose Earthquakes, logged first half strikes in the 25th and 43rd minutes, and returned to bury another in stoppage time at the end of the match to lead the Americans past Barbados 5-0.
Kyler Vojvodic scored in each half and Canada soaked up the pressure from Trinidad & Tobago to land a 3-2 win.
After the Canadians took a 2-0 lead through a 27th minute item from Vojvodic and a 61st minute strike from Chimere Omeze, Malachi Webb answered for T&T in the 67th minute.
But Vojvodic restored the two-goal advantage for the Canadians before Lindell Sween cut the deficit again one minute later.
In a battle of Central American sides, Panama edged hosts Guatemala 1-0 on a Kevin Walder goal in the 16th minute from a header off a cross from the left.
On Monday, Curacao will be hoping to get their first result when they take on Panama in Group E, in which Mexico will try to make it two wins in two matches when they face Guatemala.
Barbados will be hoping to be another tough opponent for Canada in Group F, and the U.S. and T&T will renew a long-standing rivalry.
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 teams – Curaçao, Barbados, and Trinidad & Tobago – in action on Saturday lost their opening){kind=link}