Honduras, Guyana start CU17WQ on right foot

BRADENTON, Florida – Both Honduras and Guyana kicked off Group C of Concacaf Women’s Under-17 Championship Qualifying with victories on Thursday at the IMG Academy in
Bradenton, Florida.

The day started with Guyana taking on Anguilla and the Golden Jaguars looked set to take an early lead in the 20’ from the penalty spot, but Anguilla GK Dainelle Proctor made a big save to
keep things scoreless.

Guyana kept pressing, though, and were rewarded for their efforts shortly before halftime when Sue Edwards pounced on a loose ball in front of goal and scored to hand Guyana a 1-0 lead in the 44’.

Anguilla hung tough thanks to some more excellent goalkeeping from Proctor, however Guyana kept things clean in their own defensive end to earn the 1-0 victory.

In the day’s other game, Honduras used a strong second half to down Turks and Caicos Islands, 7-0.

It took until the 41’ before Las Catrachas could unlock the Turks and Caicos Islands defense, with Geleen Alexa Lopez Banegas scoring her first of two goals to give her side a 1-0 lead.

Larissa Arias scored her first of a pair of goals on the day right before the halftime whistle in the 45+1’ to double the Honduras advantage to 2-0.

Arias and Banegas were back at it in the second half, with goals in the 48’ and 60’, respectively, to make it a 4-0 affair with a half-hour remaining.

Susan Loany Henriquez Palma then bagged a brace herself with goals in the 62’ and 77’ before Ericka Cardenas Pavon rounded out the 7-0 scoreline with a goal in the 87’.

All four teams from Group C will return to action on Saturday, with Guyana clashing with Honduras and Anguilla facing Turks and Caicos Islands.