Trinidad and Tobago head coach Dwight Yorke celebrated his first victory at the helm after the Soca Warriors battled to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Cuba in their Concacaf Gold Cup preliminary clash on Friday.
However, Yorke knows the job is far from done and, as such, urged his team to be at their best to seal qualification in Tuesday’s return leg at the Ato Boldon Stadium.
"I’m very proud of my players in terms of having to come to a very difficult place in Santiago to get a result. Cuba are a very good team, and we had to work extremely hard. This is a huge result for me, the team, and the country. Hopefully, we can put the final touches on Tuesday," Yorke said.
“We knew the players were up for it mentally as well as physically. I'm so proud of my players in terms of what they have done. We know how important this was because we know the second leg is going to be tough," he added.
The Soca Warriors’ night got off to a nightmare start at the Antonio Maceo Stadium when Yasnier Matos struck in just the sixth minute, as he caught Trinidad and Tobago’s defence off guard with a slick one-two and a left-footed finish from a tight angle. Cuba nearly doubled their lead minutes later, but Denzil Smith was equal to Willian Pozo’s curling effort.
Yorke’s men responded in the 20th minute, with debutant Tyrese Spicer making a statement down the left flank. Spicer’s powerful run and low cross caused chaos in the Cuban box, which allowed Isaiah Lee to bundle the ball over the line and restore parity.
The game remained a scrappy affair, with neither side able to take control before the break. Cuba threatened from set pieces, but Maykel Reyes fired over the bar from close range in the 42nd minute.
Trinidad and Tobago found the breakthrough early in the second half, as they capitalized on a set piece of their own. Joevin Jones’ corner was flicked on by his brother Alvin Jones, falling kindly to Steffen Yeates, who swept the ball home for his first international goal in the 53rd minute.
Cuba pushed for an equalizer, with substitute Alessio Raballo twice going close in the latter stages—first firing wide from a tight angle and then somehow missing from point-blank range after an intelligent cut-back by Karel Perez.
The Soca Warriors had chances to extend their lead as well. Daniel Phillips rattled the crossbar with a thunderous effort in the 69th minute, and substitute Kaihim Thomas hit the post with a curling free kick in the 81st. The rebound fell to Ajani Fortune, who volleyed wide with the goal at his mercy, leaving Yorke hoping they won’t rue that miss in the second leg.
Yorke acknowledged the narrow lead gives Cuba hope and cautioned against complacency.
“I can anticipate that Cuba will think they have a very good chance of turning this tie around. We've got to make sure we’re fully aware of that and prepare correctly. We need to bring our ‘A’ game. We’ll also have the home advantage, so hopefully, that will make a significant difference," Yorke stated.