While neither of Trinidad and Tobago’s teams took home the title, coaches Ayanna Russell and Dernelle Mascall say the just-concluded First Citizens Jewels of the Caribbean Women’s Football tournament was successful as it allowed them the opportunity to gauge players readiness ahead of the Concacaf Under-20 Women’s qualifiers next year.

Russell’s Red Angels fell 2-1 to regional rivals Jamaica in the tournament’s final at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Friday. However, beyond the loss, she believes the tournament served as an essential step in preparing her players for the challenges ahead.

“This was huge because it gave us an opportunity to see the young ladies, and our objectives as a staff were really to give everybody an opportunity to play and give them a chance to be selected for the Concacaf tournament in January,” Russell shared.

Reflecting on the fierceness of the final encounter in which Alyssa Stephenson and Tiny Seaton scored for Jamaica and T&T’s prolific forward Orielle Martin scored for her Red Angels, Russell beamed with pride about her team’s progress.

“It was a competitive match—Jamaica versus Trinidad is always a competitive match—but unfortunately, the result didn’t go in our favour. Still, we are proud of our young ladies. Every game we got better, every game we started to buy into the game model and how we would like to play,” she said.

Mascall, who guided the T&T White Angels, also saw the tournament as a valuable learning experience. Her team finished fourth with four points after a 2-0 loss to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in their final match.

“This tournament was perfect for us. It was a perfect opportunity for those who are based abroad for us to see them—a chance to see them at a competitive level, so it served well,” Mascall stated.

Mascall praised her players for their adaptability and willingness to learn, noting that the tournament forced them to adjust their tactics for each opponent.

“Each opponent we had to play differently, and in every game, we had to play differently. I am proud of the girls; they were very coachable. We had to implement new tactics, and at times we had to play a little quicker. We made demands for individual players... and I think introducing all 23 players into the game helped,” she explained.

Both Russell and Mascall believe the lessons learned during the tournament will definitely aid in their preparations for the upcoming CONCACAF Women’s Qualifiers.

“This tournament allowed us to measure where we are and what we need to work on,” Mascall said.

Russell echoed similar sentiments, as she too emphasized the importance of giving all players a chance to prove themselves.

“This was huge because it gave us an opportunity to see the young ladies, and our objectives as a staff were really to give everybody an opportunity to play and give them a chance to be selected for the Concacaf tournament in January,” she noted.