PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Mexico secured qualification to the FIFA Under-17 World Cup with a tense 2-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago here on Thursday.
Mexico Under-17s celebrate after qualifying for the FIFA Under-17 World CupThe win ensured Mexico ended unbeaten in Group A with four victories in their four matches and booked a ninth consecutive appearance for the North American nation at the marquee event.
With the contest seemed headed for a goalless stalemate, Mexico won the match in the game’s final minutes.
Jesús Orduño put the visitors in the lead in the 82nd minute with a simple finish after receiving a pinpoint pass from Adán Sánchez and they doubled their lead four minutes later when Sánchez rose to head home a cross.
T&T pulled one back in the fifth minute of added time through Adasa Richardson who converted from the penalty spot.
With the result T&T slipped to third in the group behind Barbados, who trounced Saint Martin 6-0.
Jacob Gollop scored a brace for Barbados, while goals from Reuben Garnes-Alleyne, Amari Small and Jamarco Johnson, along with an own goal, carried to them a lopsided victory.
Barbados took the lead in the 11th minute through an own goal from Saint Martin, but added two more in a span of nine minutes to go into the half leading 3-0, courtesy of a penalty by Gollop in the 17th minute, and a long-range banger from Garnes-Alleyne in the 26th.
Gollop further extended the lead for Barbados in the 70th minute, before second-half substitutes Small and Johnson completed the rout in the 84th and 87th minutes respectively.
