HEAD coach of the TT Under-20 women’s football team Dernelle Mascall believes in her players although they were eliminated from the 2023 Concacaf Under-20 Women’s qualification tournament. Mascall said this squad can put TT back on the map in the sport.

TT lost 5-0 to Puerto Rico in their final Group D match on Wednesday in Curacao. The defeat meant TT did not qualify for the 2023 Concacaf Under-20 Championships later this year. The championships would have given TT an opportunity to qualify for the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

TT won their first two matches of the qualification tournament before playing Puerto Rico. TT eased past Cayman Islands 3-0 and then recorded a narrow 3-2 victory over Guadeloupe.

Mascall thanked the other coaches who were part of the preparation in the lead-up to the qualification tournament.

“The reality is the core of this team was taken from our high-performance programme where we have (coaches) Ayanna Russell and Marlon Charles. They have been doing a great job working with these youngsters,” Mascall told TT Football Association Media.

Most of the team will be around for years to come, said Mascall. “Most of the players here still have a shot at youth Under-20 level and nine players are still eligible for the upcoming Under-17 tournament.”

The TT coach thinks her players have the ability to go far in the sport, but they need support. “The experience and exposure they gained here in this tournament I really think it augurs well for the future of the women’s programme and I strongly believe that with ample time for preparation, this group of players are the ones to put us back on the map in the women’s game.”

Mascall said Puerto Rico’s development of women’s football was one of the differences in the match.

“Puerto Rico has invested in the women’s game and they are now reaping the rewards so we must give them credit. Fitness, maturity and experience were the deciding factors for us in the end. The game versus Guadeloupe took a lot out of us. They were physical and they actually matched our athleticism in some parts of the park.”