Trinidad and Tobago head coach Dwight Yorke expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in their two-match friendly series against Jamaica but acknowledged that there is still work to be done as they prepare for their Concacaf Gold Cup playoff against Cuba and, by extension, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
After a narrow 1-0 loss in the first match in Montego Bay, the Soca Warriors led for most of the second encounter before conceding a stoppage-time own goal to settle for a 1-1 draw at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex in Kingston.
Despite the mixed results, Yorke remains optimistic about his team’s development.
“Listen, we are a progressive team. We know there is still some hard work to be done—and we are taking from the game a few days back—areas where we needed to improve,” Yorke said in a post-game press conference.
“But in terms of the structure, the balance, the players understanding the system, our philosophy, and our playing style, it takes some time for us to get there. But we are heading in the right direction, and tonight (Sunday) was another positive step,” he added.
Yorke praised his squad for quickly adapting to his tactical approach, especially given the limited preparation time as the technical staff had only four days to work with the players before the friendlies.
“But it is very encouraging, very positive. The game played out as we expected, and I think we were unfortunate to concede late and miss out on a potential win,” he noted.
Trinidad and Tobago took the lead in the 28th minute when defender Alvin Trimmingham, who plays professionally for Montego Bay United in Jamaica, rose highest to head home a Nathaniel James corner.
However, deep into second-half stoppage time, Trimmingham was unlucky to put the ball into his own net, allowing Jamaica to snatch a draw.
Still, Yorke was pleased with the intensity of the match and the challenge posed by their Caribbean rivals.
“I expected the game to be a very competitive game, and I hope the fans who came to see the game walked away thinking they were seeing two of the best teams in the Caribbean go head-to-head. It was highly entertaining and very aggressive at times, which we expected. Some good stuff in between all of that,” Yorke said.
“In the end, I suppose we will probably be a little bit disappointed in terms of the result. But I have always stated that I have a bigger vision in terms of where we want to be, and this was a good test for us against a very good Jamaica team,” he noted.
Yorke emphasized that the friendlies provided valuable insight into how his team stacks up against Jamaica, currently the Caribbean’s top-ranked side.
“Jamaica have their way they play, and we know exactly—we have studied how Steve McClaren likes to set up his team—and we have a way how we want to play and stick to our game plan.
“We find that if we can possess the ball a little bit and try to frustrate Jamaica, the game will open. We know the first 10 to 20 minutes are always going to be a little frantic. Once we came through that spell, then we came into our own, and you could see the players grow in confidence as we went ahead,” he explained.
That said, Yorke stressed the importance of maintaining structure when defending but allowing creativity when attacking, something he hopes to fine-tune before facing Cuba in March.
After that, the Soca Warriors will shift their focus to their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against St Kitts and Nevis on June 6.
“The players tend to switch off quite a lot, and that’s something we talk about—structure, balance, and concentration—as part of my philosophy. We are trying to improve in those areas,” he declared.
“When we are in possession, of course, I want the players to go and express themselves because that is not an issue for us...when we get the ball and go forward, creating chances. But the biggest factor is that the players are buying into our ideas and philosophy, and we will continue to grow and build,” he ended.