The CONCACAF Women’s Championship has kicked off, and the two opening matches in Group A were both tight affairs. Haiti defeated Guatemala 1-0, and the host United States edged Trinidad-Tobago by the same scoreline in a pair of matches played in Kansas City, KS.

The Haitian squad ran into trouble early on, as goalkeeper Cynthia CHERY was sent off for a foul on Guatemala’s Ana Lucia MARTINEZ that denied a goalscoring opportunity. However, substitute keeper Geralda SAINTILUS saved the resulting penalty. Haiti would eventually score the winning goal through Yvrose GERVIL in the second half.

For the heavily favoured Americans, T-T proved a tough test. Not until the 55th minute did the US finally take the lead on a header by Abby WAMBACH. The committed Trinidadian defending, and the brilliant play of Kimika FORBES in goal, kept the US’s numerous other chances from going in.

Group B opens on THU 16 OCT 2014 with Jamaica-Martinique and Costa Rica-Mexico, also in Kansas City. The top three teams in the tournament qualify for the 2015 Women’s World Cup, and the loser of the third place match meets Ecuador in a two leg playoff for the last ticket to Canada.