Trinidad and Tobago’s Head coach, Dwight Yorke, found himself balancing disappointment and optimism after his Soca Warriors fell to a 1-3 defeat against Saudi Arabia in a friendly at the Al Shabab Stadium in Riyadh on Tuesday.
While the result went against the visitors, Yorke, who recently took charge of the national team, saw enough positives in the performance to remain encouraged about the road ahead.
This, as, despite limited preparation time, the Soca Warriors gave a competitive showing against the higher-ranked Saudis and even went close to scoring on multiple occasions.
“Disappointed that we lost the game, but, overall, I think I got enough from the game to really stay positive and excited of the future going forward,” Yorke admitted in a post-match interview with TTFA Media.
Yorke praised the team’s attitude and resilience, noting their ability to create chances and test their opponents in challenging conditions.
“Despite the defeat, I was delighted with the team’s attitude and performance,” Yorke noted.
“And there’s so much positive. Yes, there are some negatives involved, but I look for attitude and positive reason to try and build this team in a much stronger place. And everyone knows what we are trying to achieve (2026 World Cup qualification),” he added.
Saudi Arabia, fresh from their World Cup qualifying campaign and preparing for the Gulf Cup, took an early lead through a contentious penalty in the 13th minute, which was converted by Saleh Alshehri.
The hosts extended their lead in the second half with goals from Abdullah Alhamddan (53rd) and Nasser Aldosari (88th).
However, Trinidad and Tobago had their moments in the game, with Isaiah Lee and Jariel Arthur both striking the woodwork. Lee, who plays for La Horquetta Rangers, also had a shot saved in the 71st minute, while Arthur forced a fine save with a well-placed free kick.
Trinidad and Tobago managed a consolation goal in stoppage time when veteran defender Jamal Jack found the back of the net and added a late silver lining to the team’s effort.
The match, played behind closed doors at Saudi Arabia’s insistence, marked the first win in five matches for the 59th-ranked hosts, who sit 42 places above the Twin Island Republic in the FIFA rankings.
Yorke, however, placed the performance in context, as he pointed to the disparity in preparation between the Saudis gearing up for a regional tournament and recently active in World Cup qualifiers and his Soca Warriors.
Still, he found merit in testing his players in difficult conditions.
“The Saudi team was much more advanced in terms of preparation. We knew they were advanced, but we wanted to see the players in very difficult circumstances,” he explained.
“We knew it was difficult, but I was absolutely delighted with the effort, the work ethic, the approach to the game, and those are the things I look for,” the former Manchester United and Soca Warriors striker ended.