PUEBLA, Mexico– Trinidad and Tobago;s National Undr 20 Women's team went down 4-0 to USA in their  CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying encounter at Estadio Cuauhtemoc in Puebla, Mexico on Wednesday.

American forward Michelle Enyeart led the way with a hat trick, while Kelly O’Hara also tallied a first-half goal to put the USA tied atop Group A.

“I was proud of our effort today,” said U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team head coach Tony DiCicco. “I think they had some nerves going into the game as there are always high expectations for a U.S. team. Trinidad & Tobago really defended well, they have great athleticism and they didn’t make it easy for us to get scoring opportunities. I’m proud of the girls. It’s a great way to launch the tournament for us knowing that our task will get more difficult as we move along.”

The U.S. controlled the game from start to finish, but escaped an early mistake when two Trinidad & Tobago players got behind the U.S. defense after a quick restart in the fourth minute. U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, who did not see much action otherwise, was swift off her line and smothered the ball after Kenya Cordnet took her first touch toward goal.

After the early scare, the U.S. settled down and took over the game, getting on the board in the ninth minute. Alex Morgan, playing in her first-ever international match, received the ball, turned and played a perfect through ball for Enyeart, whose first touch put her around her only defender. Enyeart looked up and slipped the ball past Trinidad & Tobago ‘keeper Kimika Forbes for her first goal of the night.

Enyeart’s second of the night was a culmination of a U.S. possession that began from the back line and moved all the way up field with quick passing around the tightly-packed Trinidad & Tobago defense. In the attacking third, captain Keelin Winters played a ball through two defenders for Enyeart, putting her alone on goal. She calmly touched it past Forbes to double the American’s lead in the 30th minute.

With a relentless attack, the U.S. struck again two minutes later. Kierstan Dallstream pushed forward into the attack from her right back position and swung a ball into the box that skipped off a defender to O’Hara. O’Hara, who is one of two players with Under-20 Women’s World Cup experience along with Casey Nogueira, tapped it in for a 3-0 lead.

USSoccer.com reported that Trinidad & Tobago kept fighting on defense, keeping at least 10 players behind the ball to limit the USA’s chances in the second half. Despite the defensive formation, a great individual effort from Enyeart produced her third goal and rounded out the scoring on the night. On the goal, Enyeart intercepted a pass in the T&T defensive half and dribbled around the defender that coughed up the ball. She then split two more defenders on the dribble to get inside the box before slotting the ball to the far post for her hat trick.

“We came out and accomplished what we wanted,” said Enyeart, who increased her team leading goal tally to seven on the year. “We got the result and now we can build from today. At this level three goals isn’t a very big margin of victory so we knew we had to keep attacking. I think scoring in the second half was important for us as we move forward.”

The top two teams from each group will play in the semifinals, and the top three teams in the tournament will advance to the 2008 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Chile. Eleven nations have already qualified for the U-20 World Cup: host Chile; Japan, China and North Korea from Asia; France, Germany, Norway and England from Europe; New Zealand from Oceania; and Brazil and Argentina from South America.

T&T will face hosts Mexico in their second game on Friday. (June 18, 2008)

Lineups:

T&T: 1-Kimika Forbes; 3-Danielle Blair, 2-Ayana Russell, Jennelle Cunningham, 8-Iyesha Olliveirre; 7-Dernelle Mascall, 5-Annalis Cummings, 15-Nikeisha Noel (9-Shanelle Warrick 68), 19-Kenya Cordnet (12-Bianca Walker, 14), 16Candace Edwards (6Kenya Charles 80), 11-Karissa Rodney
Subs not used: 4-Kasara Gardner, 10-Avanelle Isaac, 13-Arielle Ramchand-Duque, 14-Avhlen White, 20-Julie Ann McDougall
Head Coach: Marlon Charles

USA: 1-Alyssa Naeher; 19-Kiersten Dallstream, 2-Lauren Fowlkes, 4-Nikki Marshall, 3-Meghan Klingenberg;
25-Becky Edwards, 15-Casey Nogueira, 5Keelin Winters (9-Gina DiMartino 72); 13-Michelle Enyeart, 17-Alex Morgan (22-Sydney Leroux 60), 10-Kelley O’Hara (7-Nikki Washington 58)
Subs not used: 18-Kristin Arnold, 8-Kaley Fountain, 6-Elli Reed, 21-Ingrid Wells
Head Coach: Tony DiCicco