U-21 footballers: beaten but unbowed

Tired but happy to be home, today Belize’s young football stars returned to familiar soil. Following a two-nil surprise victory over El Salvador on Sunday in Dangriga the nation’s football hopes were riding with the Belize squad when they entered Cuscutlan Stadium last night in San Salvador for the return match. Unfortunately they found themselves on the wrong side of a three zip shutout. Our News Five crew welcomed the players of the Under Twenty-One selection this afternoon at the MCC Grounds. And while the young men we interviewed tried to stay upbeat it was clear that most blamed the loss on the referees. For Captain Ryan Simpson, the two games against regional competition have provided important lessons for his team.

Ryan Simpson, Team Captain
?It really boosts our momentum, it makes us want to play some more. It makes us believe in ourselves more that we can make a difference for football in Belize and that we want to continue making a difference for Belize in the football world and think that we could have done better in El Salvador. We did our job at home but sometimes when you go out there, it?s far different than when you?re at home. We realize that now and so like right now, we know that we could have a second chance if we go, because the best loser gets to play Panama, so right now we are first in that category to play Panama to still and go out there in Colombia, so we want to ask the public for support.?

Deon McCauley, Forward
?We did whatever we could out there, everybody played their best, but the main thing was just the support, we think. Because when we gone out there like, so much people mi deh out deh di support their team and I think that dah the most important thing.?

Janelle Chanona
?You want to see the fans out here??

Deon McCauley, Forward
?Yeah, of course, always. Once the fans out are there, that motivates us more.?

Ian Gaynair, Team Belize
?Toughest part dah because too much man di come pan we. And we, early inna the game, we get a red card, so too much man, to much, like all ah them just di bring the pressah pan we. … Everybody did mi di work fi each other, but just the pressah, they change up fu deh system ah play and dah that we get caught up inna.?

Woodrow West, Goalkeeper, Team Belize
?We blame the referee for that game. Most of the guys didn?t mention that, but we had two penalties in about five minutes and they were not penalties at all. We haven?t seen any plays or nothing why they called penalties and that made us nervous and we know we were down and we need that goal to bring it back. And the team tried their best and immediately after that penalty we get a red card and it changed the whole game on us.?

Ian Mork, Head Coach, U21
?The guys played outstanding. We had ten men for over forty-five minutes and we were able to hold them without scoring another goal. And this was also with a referee, who seemed to be really?I don?t really like to put a game on a referee because it?s the players that decide the game, but a red card and two penalties was very difficult. There?s not much we need to change, we just need to score those goals, especially away from home.?

Janelle Chanona
?Any message to fans, to the enthusiasts??

Ian Mork
?Well I hope they stay behind this team and these players. They?ve done outstanding, they achieved history last Sunday and three-two in two games against El Salvador is a great feat. That shows that our football is getting better. You know for me it?s about development, so if we lose and we played a hundred percent, then I don?t have a problem with that. But to be honest, the game yesterday we didn?t focus for ninety minutes, so that is a problem to me because we gave them a few goals that shouldn?t have been.?

The Under-21 Selection is scheduled to leave for Panama on Easter Monday for their match-up against that country’s team on the nineteenth.