Sports Desk

BRAZILIAN coach José Duarte offered T&T women’s team the services of Sissi, Tania and Naldinha for their friendly match-up on Friday night in the hope there would be no repeat of the 11-0 Confederation Women’s Gold Cup whipping they suffered last month.
 

That hope was dashed when his team—minus the three stars—overran coach Kestor Landore’s squad 14-0 in the second match of a doubleheader of the Millenium Football Week event.
 

It was, to say the least, an embarrassing situation.
 

Embarrassment would not have been on the mind of the 1000-plus crowd when the game started and their cheering for the introduction of Sissi and company on the country’s team suggested they felt the “new” T&T would hold their own.
 

They could not.
 

Their three guest players apart, the T&T team were technically deficient. What should have been straightforward passes went directly to opponents and many crosses flew over the by-line during the very few attacks on the Brazilian goal.
 

These were skills at which Duarte’s women were very adept. Trapping and passing the ball seemed second nature. And so was their technique in shooting and heading. So it did not take too long for the Brazilians to put their stamp on the game.
 

As early as the fourth minute, Rosana sent Pretinha down the right flank. Her accurate cross found her partner Maycon who headed past captain Nicole Carla Mitchell in the T&T goal.
 

Mitchell’s opposite number Maravilha was scarcely called upon to intervene in the proceedings. But Mitchell would see the ball past her three more times.
 

Maycon returned the favour to Pretinha, squaring one back for her teammate to tap home.
 

Then in the 23rd minute, Pretinha ran onto a pass from Simone and beat Mitchell with a well-placed shot.
 

Mitchell could do nothing five minutes later when Cidinha latched on to Maycons’ ball in the penalty area.
 

Shortly after, Mitchell was attempting to keep the scorecard respectable when she was injured diving at the feet of Cidinha.
 

Her replacement, Lisa Jo Ramkissoon, was soon picking up where Mitchell had left off—collecting the ball out of the net from Karen’s powerful right-footer in the 37th minute.
 

The halftime score was 5-0. But unfortunately for Ramkissoon and company, the Brazilians’ appetite for goals was now whetted.
 

Breaking free from the defence, Pretinha put the ball around the T&T keeper before hitting into the net for the visitors’ sixth item in the 51st minute.
 

Six became seven two minutes later, Pretinha again finding the space in the six-metre box for another strike.
 

Then the next 14 minutes of play produced six goals. First Rosana scored from a right-side cross, then Cidinha found the net from a left flank attack.
 

From an acute angle, Raquel turned and squeezed one past Ramkissoon on the near post. Three minutes later, Pretinha took advantage of more space to place one to the left of Ramkissoon. Another three minutes later, Karen was the beneficiary of Maycon’s lay-off that found her unmarked in the centre of the penalty area from where she made no mistake. And the last item in the six-goal burst came when Rosana headed home from Rauel’s corner. Having apparently lost count, the house announcer identified it as the12th goal. He was one off, the score was 13-0.
 

At that point, some fans had seen enough and started making their way to the exits. The upshot was that many were not there to see substitute Gracy head in number fourteen in the last minute of play.
 

And it is doubtful whether, when Sissi, Tania and Naldinha return to their proper side for the second game at the Hasely Crawford Stadium today, there will be quite as many on hand to watch the full-strength Brazilians strut their stuff.