Having completed what he deemed a fairly positive Concacaf Gold Cup campaign, Trinidad and Tobago head coach Dwight Yorke says the immediate focus for his Soca Warriors is rest, reflection, and recalibration as they now turn attention to the all-important World Cup qualifiers set to begin in September.

Yorke believes that Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia—while not enough to progress from Group D—served as further proof that his team has the ability to compete at this level, and he is optimistic that the experience gained will prove invaluable moving forward.

“We fought all the way. I like what I saw from my players; with the odds against us, to hold out and play in the manner that we did...to have the opportunity to possibly win the game and qualify at the very death, it would have been an unbelievable achievement. But we’ll take a lot from it going forward as a team," Yorke said in a post-match press conference.

Soca Warriors in action against Saudi Arabia. (Photos: TTFA Media)

Trinidad and Tobago’s Gold Cup journey started with a heavy 0-5 defeat to the United States, followed by back-to-back 1-1 draws against Haiti and Saudi Arabia. Despite finishing without a win, Yorke took heart in the improvement his players showed as the tournament progressed.

"The gap between us and America is much bigger than I thought, so there’s work there to be done. But the response in the last two games is a positive because it gives us an indication that when you play at this level, there is no respite. You have to work hard, you have to commit 100%, and the experience of being in such high competition will put them in a good place going forward," Yorke stated.

That said, Yorke believes while the results on paper may not tell the full story, the tournament offered a vital learning curve for his relatively young squad.

"There’s no question in my mind that when it comes to the World Cup campaign in September, this experience will be valuable for us as a group because the players now understand what it takes to be at the top. I’m quietly confident that the players have benefited enormously, even though the results may not suggest that," the former Manchester United striker said.

Dante Sealy and teammates celebrate his stunning goal.

With the next phase of World Cup qualifying just three months away, Yorke believes this period will allow his players to regroup and return with a sharper focus.

"We now have a window to reflect on how hard we have to work to achieve the goal of trying to get to the World Cup. Again, I am very proud of the boys and how they performed in the last two games. I like the never say die attitude, and that is what will be required for us to qualify for the World Cup,” he ended.