Antigua and Barbuda crashed to a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Guyana in Group A of the Concacaf Under-20 Women’s Qualifiers here at the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association Technical Center on Sunday, as their hopes of qualifying for the next round evaporated with what was their second straight loss in the competition.
Antigua and Barbuda started strong and there were loud appeals for a penalty from the home crowd after striker Gabrielle DeSuza went down in the box on a breakaway, but the standing official waved off all appeals.
The young Benna Girls fell behind in the 21st minute when Se-Hanna Mars struck from the penalty spot for her first of a hattrick of goals against the home team. The striker placed her effort to the left of the diving Alyssa Laviscount in goal for the home team as Guyana celebrated an opening goal.
The visitors enjoyed much of the possession in the first half as Antigua and Barbuda, at times, looked one-dimensional in trying to force the ball forward to DeSuza.
Things however went south for Antigua and Barbuda in the second half, as they allowed four more before the final whistle.
Mars made it 2-0 with a long range effort that slipped through Laviscount’s gloves and over the line in the 66th. The US-based striker completed her hattrick in minute 68 when she outpaced the home team’s defence to hit past the Antigua and Barbuda custodian.
The home team were reduced to 10 players just two minutes later when Zaya Simon was shown straight red for an aggressive challenge on the Guyana goalkeeper that resulted in the custodian having to leave the match.
Guyana did not take their foot off the gas however, finding a fourth in the 78th when Liyah Menilek capitalized on a defensive breakdown to hit into an empty net. Laviscount went down on the same play, resulting in her substitution from the game.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Karmiella Hughes recorded an own-goal in minute 88 when she inadvertently headed into her own net in an attempt to clear an incoming cross.
In their opening match on Friday, Antigua and Barbuda were beaten 3-1 by Haiti.
Antigua and Barbuda got off to a positive start, taking the lead in minute 10 when Iressiea Allen lifted her close range effort over the head of the advancing Haiti custodian and into the far end of the goal. DeSuza should have made it two-nil just minutes later but sent her close range effort into the side-netting after rounding a defender.
Haiti found the equalizer in the 17th when Ella Etienne slotted into the far corner from inside the area after outpacing a defender. Dominique Desert made it 2-1 in favour of Haiti in the 31st before Pierreline Nazon capitalized by poor marking in the home team’s box to head over the goal line from close range.
Antigua and Barbuda sits at the bottom of the standings without a point following their two losses while Guyana moves into second with four points following a scoreless draw with Belize on Friday. Antigua and Barbuda will meet Belize in their final group fixture on Tuesday.
