Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men’s Head coach Angus Eve pulled no punches, as he opened up about the lack of support received during his tenure.

Eve’s revelation came during a recent interview on the I95 sports radio programme, where he also disclosed that he was without a contract and was yet to have discussions with the Normalisation Committee (NC) regarding an extension, at that point.

“They (NC) are a little bit finicky to do something about it (the contract) because, the football fraternity, I don’t know if they want me to sign a new contract. I have not heard from any of them since I have been doing this job,” Eve said, referring to the lukewarm response from the TTFA Zones.

The tactician, who led the Soca Warriors to a fairly successful Concacaf Nations League campaign, where they got to the quarterfinal and registered an historic win over United States but lost the two-leg tie on aggregate. Still, they have a second shot at Copa America qualification via a playoff fixture against Canada scheduled for March 23.

“But they are a little bit hesitant to do anything because they are studying what the members will think. So, the members have not really shown me any support. Except the president of the South Zone Dennis Latiff and Ross Russell (North Zone president) who is my friend, no other president has reached out to me or spoken to us,” Eve disclosed.

Eve believes it would be prudent if he signed a contract before the Canada game, having achieved objectives, which also included Gold Cup qualification.

“We have never been in this place before. We have never reached out of the group stage and into the knockout stage and try to reach in the quarterfinals and semi-finals of the Nations League before. So, I think we have achieved all of our targets, all of our objectives that have been placed in front of us,” he said.

 “Win, lose or draw. I could possibly not be the coach (after March). Through the whole tenure it has been like that. I think there is a distinct lack of support. A lot of the things you read on social media is like if people don’t want me in the job, so I tend to want to focus on the guys,” Eve noted.

The outspoken coach also alluded to the challenges faced with getting the twin island republic back to this point of competitiveness.

“It has been a re-building process, and it has gone pretty much better than we expected. Nobody expected us the way we got into the A, nobody felt that we belonged, and we were under pressure from the first match,” Eve shared.

“Also, there was some other stuff happening behind the scenes with some of the older players and it probably took a little of the focus away from the homing in on the games. We were fighting against a lot of stuff, and I think that the staff and the Normalisation Committee pulled together, the people who support us.

“We insulated ourselves and I think you saw the fruit of that re-building where we won three of the four games and that was fantastic,” he ended.

To say that 2023 was an outstanding year for rising Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Denzil Smith would be an understatement.

Smith, who earned his first senior cap in March, has been a staple and standout performer for the Soca Warriors since, and by all indications, has no intentions of relinquishing his spot. In fact, the 24-year-old has boldly staked his claim as frontrunner to become the twin island republic’s next number one shot stopper.

“I always wanted this chance (to play for the senior team) and I waited for it for a long time. It’s a great feeling going out there to play against a big team and country. I feel great, to be honest,” Smith said, adding that his career path was inspired by the likes of now-retired Marvin Phillip and still in-action Andre Foncette and Canadian-based Nicklas Frenderup.

“Being around the national team for a while, I can say that these guys taught me a lot and I’m thankful for that,” he noted.

After two heroic performances between the sticks in Trinidad and Tobago’s 0-3 loss and 2-1 win against United States in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, Smith has grown even more in confidence.

Though Trinidad and Tobago failed to make the Nations League semi-finals and qualify automatically for next year’s CONMEBOL Copa America, the Angus Eve-coached team still have a second shot at qualification for the prestigious South American tournament.

To do so, they will have to get by the other North American powerhouse Canada, in a single-match playoff scheduled for March, and Smith is cautiously optimistic about assisting his team towards the feat.

“What really motivated me during the Nations League was that chance to play in Copa America. I really want to play there and I know my teammates also want to play there, so that was our main driving force over the past few games,” Smith shared.

Until the opportunity comes to possibly deny Canada, Smith is looking ahead to the upcoming TTFL season to not only put his club Point Fortin in a position to challenge for the title, but also to improve his craft.

“I want to keep as much clean sheets as I can and help the (Point Fortin) boys to come and join me in the national team. I also want to help this side to qualify for the Concacaf tournaments. It will do wonders for the club,” Smith reasoned.

“My family is always behind me no matter what. My brother passed away a few years ago and everything I’m doing is for him. I really want T&T to qualify for the Copa American and, honestly, I want to get a big contract outside (of T&T),” he ended.

Trinidad and Tobago senior men's Head coach Angus Eve says the momentum from their recent Concacaf Nations League win over United States will serve his team well in their buildup for the Copa America playoff encounter against Canada next March.

Despite losing the overall quarterfinal tie against United States 4-2 on aggregate, Eve and his Soca Warriors took heart from the fact that they topped their more fancied rival 2-1 in the second leg at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Monday.

While United States secured a spot in the Concacaf Nations League semi-finals and Copa America, along with Jamaica, Mexico and Panama, Trinidad and Tobago are set to face Canada, with Honduras to oppose Costa Rica, to decide the final two Concacaf representatives to contest the prestigious Copa America.

Though the upcoming contest against Canada is one which they will again be the proverbial underdogs, Eve and his players eagerly await the challenge that lies ahead, especially after the confidence boosting win.

"This (result) goes a long way in building team confidence. Every time the guys play, they get a little more confidence. When they play a game like this against an opposition like that – and come out with that type of performance and come out with that type of result – it only augurs well for them to believe in themselves more,” Eve said.

Eve also commended captain Aubrey David, who took over the team captaincy after Kevin Molino retired, for his leadership on and off the field.

"This is a fantastic result for us for where we are in our development,” the tactician noted.

David, 33, also expressed delight in the team’s progression.

"I think it is a step in the positive direction for us to get the win. This is the last FIFA window for the year, so I think we have ended the year on a good note, and the players have a lot of belief amongst themselves that we can play against the likes of the US and these teams,” said David.

"This was our goal when the year started. We wanted to get back into (Concacaf Nations) League A and try to stake a claim and put T&T football back where it was.

"It is a bittersweet feeling. It is amazing to get a victory against the US at home, but we did not get to qualify for the Copa America tournament this time around. We have another game in March, and we have to go with everything we have. I think we can do the job in March,” he added.

Meanwhile, defender Alvin Jones, who was named in the window’s League A Best XI, stole the show against United States with a rasping right-footed free kick in the second half.

"Scoring the winner against the US at home is a big thing for me and this month is a very emotional month for all of us as a country," said Jones, referring to the 34th anniversary of the 1989 World Cup qualifier between the Strike Squad and the United States.

"We have a lot of young talent coming up, and it is just about coaching them and nurturing them. This win can build our confidence going forward to the next round to try and qualify for Copa 2024,” Jones reasoned.

If the confidence exuded by Neveal Hackshaw and Reon Moore is anything to go by, then Trinidad and Tobago are poised to give United States a tough run in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.

Both Hackshaw and Moore, declared the Soca Warriors intentions of taking a positive result off their highly-fancied opponents in their first-leg encounter at the Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas on Thursday.

The return-leg fixture is scheduled for four days later at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

The Angus Eve-coached Trinidad and Tobago secured their quarterfinals berth after they finished second in the six-team Group A on nine points. Their last two meetings with United States ended in 0-6 and 0-7 losses.

Despite the United States holding a significant advantage over Trinidad and Tobago based on those scorelines and others in the past, both Hackshaw and Moore rate their chances of upsetting the applecart, highly.

Hackshaw, who has 39 caps and two goals for Trinidad and Tobago, first expressed satisfaction with the preparation heading into the encounter.

“These sessions have been very important as we try to get match fit with these games we have been playing here and I think the guys are playing and doing pretty good. Now we're just waiting to meet up with the rest of the guys and I think it's going to be fun,” Hackshaw said prior to their departure.

“I think with the bunch of guys we have now; I think we're going to give them (United States) a good fight. It's not going to be easy both ways for us and for them, and I think we are going to do good.

“This team we have here is a fighting team. It's a younger group, but I think everyone is always up for the fight, and with the addition of Levi (Garcia), I think we are going to do great,” he added.

Should they pull a surprise in Texas, the midfielder pointed out that it would be a significant boost to ensure local fans are entertained when they return home for the second leg.

"It's not going to be easy for us, but we are going there to give them a show, and we are not going to step short, and we are going to go full hundred,” Hackshaw declared.

Meanwhile, Moore, 27, who has scored seven goals in 24 appearances, echoed similar sentiments.

“I think we will do well in Texas. The training session with the boys have been high intensity so far, we are fully enthusiastic about the task at hand, and we are going to go there and show that we have what it takes to beat the USA,” he stated.

The striker also welcomed the return of captain Levi Garcia, who missed all four matches for the Soca Warriors in the six-team League A qualifiers.

“It will be a big plus for all the guys and the technical staff to have Levi back in the team because what he brings to the table for us is great,” Moore noted.

The other quarterfinals fixtures will see Canada against Jamaica, Mexico against Honduras, and Panama against Costa Rica.

At the end of the two-leg ties, the four winners will progress to the Nations League semi-final in March next year, as well as the Copa America tournament.

The four losing quarterfinalists will engage a single-match direct elimination play-in for the final two spots to next year’s Copa America, which will be hosted in the United States.

 Trinidad and Tobago's national football squad, led by coach Angus Eve, is set to face the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final on Thursday at Q2 Stadium, Texas. The lone newcomer to the 23-man squad is goalkeeper Rushon Sandy, a former member of the country's Under-20 men's football teams.

T&T secured their spot in the quarterfinals as the runner-up in the League A Group A round-robin qualifiers, boasting three wins from four matches. They will play the first-leg quarterfinal away to the USA on November 16 and then host the Americans at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on November 20.

The historical matchup favors the USA with a 21-3-4 all-time advantage against Trinidad and Tobago. In their most recent encounter at the Concacaf Gold Cup, the US secured a 6-0 victory with notable performances from Jesus Ferreira, Cade Cowell, Gianluca Busio, and Brandon Vazquez.

A notable inclusion in the squad is 20-year-old goalkeeper Rushon Sandy, who, despite being uncapped, has earned recognition for his standout performances at Yavapai College in the USA. Sandy's recent accolades include Second-Team All-Conference honors in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference.

Coach Eve has also welcomed back 25-year-old striker Levi Garcia, who missed the previous Concacaf Nations League group matches due to injury. Garcia, based in Greece with AEK Athens, led his club to a Greek League and Cup double last season. Despite a start-stop campaign due to injuries, Garcia is expected to bolster the Soca Warriors' attacking prowess.

Other returning players include Nathaniel James, Malcolm Shaw, Shannon Gomez, and Daniel Phillips. The squad sees some changes, with notable exclusions being Defence Force back-up goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire, AC Port-of-Spain midfielders Tyrone Charles and Duane Muckette, Defence Force midfielder Kevon Goddard, and Finland-based defender Kareem Moses.

Goalkeepers:

Denzil Smith (Defence Force), Christopher Biggette (Denzil Smith), Rushon Sandy (Yavapai College/USA),

Defenders:

Aubrey David (CS Cartagines/Costa Rica), Jesse Williams (Central Valley Fuego/USA), Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC/USA), Justin Garcia (Defence Force), Ross Russell Jr (La Horquetta Rangers), Alvin Jones (Tiger Tanks Club Sando), Andre Raymond (Vilar de Perdizes/Portugal)

Midfielders:

Michael Poon-Angeron (AC Port-of-Spain), Daniel Phillips (St Johnstone FC/Scotland), Neveal Hackshaw (Oakland Roots/USA), Noah Powder (North Colorado Hailstorm/USA), Andre Rampersad (HFC Wanderers/Canada), Kristiam Lee-Him (IFK Eskilstuna/Sweden), Kaile Auvray (Mount Pleasant/Jamaica)

 Forwards:

Reon Moore (Defence Force), Malcolm Shaw (Atletico Ottawa/Canada), Real Gill (Tiger Tanks Club Sando), Levi Garcia (AEK Athens/Greece), Natahniel James (Mount Pleasant/Jamaica), Ryan Telfer (Miami FC/USA).

Though his return to Trinidad and Tobago’s squad will be for a tough Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals encounter against United States, Malcolm Shaw is undaunted by the assignment.

In fact, the Canada-based striker says he is ready to put his best foot forward to ensure the Soca Warriors are competitive in the two-leg tie scheduled for November 16 in Austin, Texas, and November 20 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

Shaw, 28, who made his debut for the twin island republic at the Concacaf Gold Cup, returns to competitive after missing the last two League A group games against Guatemala and Curacao due to an injury.

“It was unfortunate for me to miss out in the last two matches due to injury. I feel good, I'm glad to be back with the team to help contribute and fight in these two massive games against a big team,” Shaw told Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) media.

“This is going to be a massive challenge. The US are decorated with players who are in top leagues overseas. But football is won on the day, and we're going to come and fight,” he added.

Shaw, who featured in the Soca Warriors humiliating 0-6 loss to the United States, which knocked them out of the group stage at the Gold Cup, says the Warriors are up to the task ahead, especially with a spot in next year's Copa America tournament on the line.

He pointed out that the team's self-introspection is well underway, as he reflected on how the team bounced back from the Gold Cup disappointment.

They firs secured wins over Curacao and El Salvador in their opening Nations League A group matches. Shaw accounted for his first international goal for Trinidad and Tobago away to El Salvador with a well-taken penalty.

Despite the fact that Shaw missed the next two matches, the Angus Eve-coached Soca Warriors secured a spot in the Nations League A quarterfinals after a gritty come-from-behind 3-2 win over Guatemala, followed by a surprise 5-3 loss away to Curacao.

The Atletico Ottawa player is now back in the mix and will be aiming to prove his fitness to make Eve’s final squad which is expected to be announced on Sunday.

"We have to do a lot of film study to evaluate where we went wrong (in the Gold Cup game versus the US). Obviously, we don't want those breakdowns happening in the next two games. Again, I think that's what we will be doing for the next week or so with preparations,” Shaw noted.

High-flying Trinidad and Tobago are expected to seal a first-ever appearance in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals on Tuesday, when they square off against Curacao in League A action at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Curacao.

The Soca Warriors who have been in impressive form in Group A, currently sit atop the standings with maximum nine points from three games, and they are heavily favoured to make it four-from-four against their pointless host. It would also be a significant confidence booster for Angus Eve's side heading into the business end of the tournament.

With the top two teams in the group guaranteed a quarter-final berth from where they could possibly secure a place in the 2024 Copa America, today is the decisive day for Panama (seven points), Martinique (six points) and Guatemala (four points), who are all in contention. Curacao and El Salvador are both yet to register a point and have already been relegated to League B of next year's Nations League.

Trinidad and Tobago's Reon Moore has joined the call for local football fans to be their 12th man, as the Angus Eve-coached team prepares to host Guatemala in a crucial Concacaf Nations League Group A game at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Friday.

Well aware that many football enthusiasts are not fond of his leadership, Trinidad and Tobago’s Head Coach Angus Eve has encouraged the public’s continued support for the players, despite personal feelings of him.

Eve’s side recently secured two crucial victories over Curacao and El Salvador in their Concacaf Nations League campaign, and the strength of those performances has resulted in a climb up the latest FIFA World Rankings.

Trinidad and Tobago, who currently head Group A of League A on six points, jumped back into the top 100 on the world rankings after sometime away.

They will be aiming to make further inroads during the October window when they engage Guatemala and Curacao and Eve believes they deserve every bit of support.

“(The fans) may not come out and support Angus Eve because they may have an issue with Angus Eve, but let's support these players who are trying to do something positive for their country and nation. It's extremely important that people come out and support and understand that this is a new beginning,” Eve said at a media briefing recently.

"The campaign has started like a house on fire. It's a new beginning. There is a lot more work to be done, but we are well-placed and we have a good platform to build on.

"Our country is in a state where we're losing young people every day through violence and gun violence and to see young people do something positive for the country (is great). They go out and give their hearts to their country. It may be a case where we need to come out and support that," he added.

Given their current position, Eve knows that a win against Guatemala at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on October 13, would book Trinidad and Tobago a spot in the Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals where they will meet one of the four seeded Concacaf nations –Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico or the US.

As such, he stressed the significance of the 12th man to give players an extra lift when the time comes.

"Any team at home is dangerous. Some places don't think home advantage means anything, but we need to capitalise on home advantage and we need to capitalise on this start we have gotten. Hopefully, the fans will come out and celebrate these kids and push them forward so they can continue to achieve excellence,” the tactician said.

On that note, the 51-year-old Eve pointed out that though unexpected by many, the start to the Nations League is confirmation that his players are focused.

"We believe in ourselves and we believe that if we go out and do the work we can do, and match these teams' intensity, we can compete at this level,” he reasoned.

"Our first inclination would have been trying to stay in (Nations League) A, just like any team who (has been promoted) to the Premier League. We have to take it one game at a time. If we get a point, we are guaranteed a spot in the Nations League A. If we get three points, then who knows, the sky's the limit for us,” Eve ended.

 The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has announced that it has extended Angus Eve's tenure as the Head Coach of the Senior Men's National Team until March 2024.

Following Eve’s instrumental role in leading the team to a well-deserved promotion to League A in the Concacaf Nations League, he is now poised to guide the team through their upcoming challenges. On September 7, 2023, the team will face off against Curacao at the iconic Hasely Crawford Stadium. Subsequently, they will embark on a journey to clash with El Salvador on September 10, 2023.

Reflecting on this extension, Robert Hadad, Chairman of the Normalization Committee, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "Angus has injected the role with unwavering stability, exceptional quality, and a profound sense of belief, all of which have resonated within the team."

He further added, "Throughout the journey, we've confronted various challenges as a united force, and it is our firm conviction that Angus is the ideal individual, embodying the right character, to lead us confidently into League A."

Eve himself shared his thoughts on this honor, stating, "Continuing to serve my country and contribute positively in this capacity is an immense privilege."

In conjunction with Eve's contract extension, the TTFA has initiated the formation of a Technical Advisory Panel, which will play a pivotal role in supporting Eve. The identities of the members comprising this panel will be conclusively determined and subsequently unveiled within the upcoming days.

Head coach of Trinidad & Tobago’s Soca Warriors, Angus Eve, has described his team as “going through a rebuilding stage” after bowing out of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA on Sunday.

The Trinidadians secured a comfortable 4-0 win over St. Kitts and Nevis in their first game of the group stage before suffering a crushing 1-4 defeat to Jamaica then ending their campaign with a 0-6 hammering at the hands of the defending champions and hosts.

Eve, in a post-match press conference, acknowledged a gap in skill between his players and those on the teams they lost to before explaining how that gap can be closed.

“We need to have our players being exposed at the highest level and consistently play football at a high level,” he said.

“Most of the guys don’t get the exposure on the outside and consistently play at a high level, because you have to remember that our league just returned after three years. The CFU used to have competitions. You can see that St. Kitts are in the same boat as us receiving a number of goals,” he added.

Eve also criticized the fitness level of his players, noting that getting the players fit is a job for their clubs rather than the national team.

“A national team coach can’t get the players fit when they come here. They have to come from their clubs with that fitness so your job is now to put them in a formation that will get them to play well.”

“A lot of times, as you can see, we were lacking fitness,” Eve added.

Despite all this, Eve did say he sees progress in some areas, specifically in the standard of the tournament.

“The tournament is improving all the time. We were here in 2021 and we are progressing. When you look at the French-Caribbean teams, they can bring in players who are playing in France and plug those holes,” he said.

Trinidad and Tobago's Head coach Angus Eve intends to lift the mood of his dejected players, as they aim to keep their Concacaf Gold Cup campaign alive after being outclassed by Jamaica in a 1-4 loss that has basically eliminated the Soca Warriors from the tournament. 

Trinidad and Tobago's chances of claiming one of two spots from Group A evaporated thanks to goals from Demarai Gray (14th and 28th), Leon Bailey (17th) and Dujuan Richards (90+2). Andre Rampersad (49th) pulled one back for the twin island republic.

Angus and his team still have a glimmer of hope of progressing to the knockout stages, but it will require an unlikely win or draw against powerhouse and favourites United States in their final group fixture on July 2, while hoping newcomers St Kitts and Nevis also pull off an unlikely win over Jamaica by a wide margin.

United States, who hammered St Kitts and Nevis 6-0 currently heads the group on four points, same as Jamaica but with a healthy six-goal difference to Reggae Boyz three. Trinidad and Tobago are third on three points, while the Sugar Boys on their Gold Cup debut are yet to earn a point.

"We just have to pick the guys up, the dressing room is very dejected this is the first match we have lost in about nine for the season and we don't normally concede goals but I thought that the second half when we came back on I thought that we were really in the game and we created a lot of chances," said Angus, who rued what he thought was a handball against Jamaica's defender Damion Lowe.

In real time, it seemed the ball did in fact come off Lowe's hand and Mexican referee Fernando Guerrero thought so too when he initially awarded the penalty. However, by the VAR, the replay showed that the ball came off Lowe's head.

"I think the handball should have been a penalty. Unfortunately, we don't get to see it (replays) on the pitch anymore, at one point we had a tablet where we could see it. From where we were, the hand was in an unnatural position, but it was a penalty and then it wasn't a penalty, we didn't get any explanation as to why not," Angus argued.

Going into the second contest with a 5-4-1 defensive formation after a comprehensive 3-0 win over St Kitts and Nevis in their opener, Trinidad and Tobago seemingly had all their bases covered, but things didn't pan out as Angus expected.

Their defence was easily and consistently broken down by the Jamaicans who were quick to press the ball and the Soca Warriors were at times caught ball watching. In fact, Gray was left unmarked on both occasions when he scored and the one attempt Trinidad and Tobago made at pushing a high line, they were beaten by a timely run from Bailey who went on to beat Nicklaus Frenderup in a one-one-one situation.

The Soca Warriors did come into their own in the second have and looked threatening in open play, though they were unable to get anymore that Rampersad's cheeky heel finish.

Aside from possibly being star-struck, Angus believes there was some positives to work with which he is hoping they can improve on ahead of Sunday's encounter.

"I thought the second half we were way more positive it seems like we settled down better credit to Jamaica, the type of players that they have and the quality that they have in the team, we don't have that type of quality, so it was always going to be a struggle.

"But when you give away soft goals...I thought we gave away a lot of soft goals very early and we had to dig ourselves out of a hole. I think we also started really slow, but as I said I take full blame for it, the aim was to keep the game as tight as possible in the first half so we could go out and express ourselves a little bit more in the second half, but we just didn't defend well," Angus explained.

That said, the tactician gave some insight to his decision not to start three of his best players in what was a vital fixture.

"Triston Hodge had a tight hamstring, Kevin Molino is just coming back into football, and he complained that he was really tired so he didn't feel like he could start and then Auvray had some little knocks and bruises. So, we made the three changes, we were trying to keep the game a little bit tight in the first half so we could probably get those players on. 

"So, we had the plan from the time they got the goals, unfortunately we seem to be a bit nervous, I think big name (players) probably scare us and we made some bad mistakes. But I take full blame for the result because I am the coach of the team," he ended.

Demarai Gray had a birthday to remember, as he got on the score sheet twice to lead Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz to a 4-1 win over Caribbean rivals Trinidad and Tobago in their second Concacaf Gold Cup Group A fixture, at Citypark in St Louis, Missouri on Wednesday.

Gray, making his second appearance for the Reggae Boyz, celebrated his 27^th birthday in style when he scored his first goal as a Jamaican international in the 14^th minute and added a second in the 28th minute.

The Everton winger’s second came after Leon Bailey (17^th) doubled the lead, while Chelsea-bound rising sensation Dujuan Richards, who was an 82^nd-minute substitute, capped the victory with his first senior team goal in the 90+2 minute. With that, the 17-year-old became the youngest ever goalscorer in Gold Cup history.

Trinidad and Tobago got what turned out to be a consolation through Andre Rampersad in the 49^th minute.

The win –which was also Heimir Hallgrimsson’s first since taking the reins as Jamaica’s Head coach late last year –provisionally saw the Boyz to the top of the standing on four points, one ahead of Trinidad and Tobago.

Group favourites United States, on a point, were leading newcomers St Kitts and Nevis, without a point, 4-0 at half-time in the late kickoff.

The much-anticipated clash between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago

Was the first international men’s game to be played at the 22,000-plus capacity stadium and though it wasn’t the most attractive or entertaining encounter, the spectators that turned out were well treated to five goals.

It was initially projected to be a close contest, especially as the Soca Warriors Head coach Angus Eve opted for a defensive 5-4-1 formation that was expected to prove difficult for the Reggae Boyz to break down.   

But it became clear early that the objective of the formation would prove futile, as Michail Antonio dispossessed a defender a played a cheeky pass off to send Bobby Reid on his way. However, Reid took an unwanted touch and later hit the ball in the side netting.

The Soca Warriors briefly enjoyed a good passage of possession where they looked threatening in open play but couldn't create any meaningful opportunity and later found themselves behind.

In the 14th minute, a decent build up by the Reggae Boyz ended with Bailey finding an unmarked Gray, who buried his right-footed effort in the left corner beyond the slightly advanced, Frenderup in goal for Trinidad and Tobago.

Bailey doubled the lead three minutes later when he timed his run to perfection to latch on to a long pass from Joel Latibeaudiere and finished with aplomb in a one-one-one situation with Frenderup. The goal was initially flagged as offside, but that decision was later overturned on by VAR.

The Soca Warriors tried to play their game but were hardly allowed any room to cause any problems for Jamaica’s defence and, as such, only absorbed consistent pressure. 

They found themselves 3-0 down before the half-hour mark after Kevon Lambert won possession and found Antonio. The West Ham man then slipped by a defender and placed a pass on a platter for the wide-opened Gray to complete one of the easiest finishes of his career.

As the score remained unchanged at the break, the half-time team talk by Angus, coupled with Jamaica's defensive frailties, saw Trinidad pulling one back four minutes into the resumption.

Captain Levi Garcia got away from Jamaica’s debutant Dishon Bernard and drove a pass in for Rampersad to apply a back heel finish beyond Andre Blake, while under pressure from two defenders.  

Still, the Jamaicans continued to apply consistent pressure and created numerous opportunities to add to their tally, but those were squandered due to both faulty shooting and poor decision-making.

It wasn’t until close to the end that they got another when Richards’s shot from a distance took a wicked deflection and sailed past the flat-footed Frenderup, who had no chance.

Teams: Jamaica -Andre Blake, Damion Lowe, Kemar Lawrence (Dexter Lembikisa 46th), Bobby Reid (Shamar Nicholson 62^nd), Joel Latibeaudiere, Kevon Lambert, Demarai Gray, Leon Bailey (Dujuan Richards 82^nd), Michail Antonio (Corey Burke 77^th), Dishon Bernard, Javain Brown (Daniel Johnson 62^nd) 

Subs not used: Coniah Boyce-Clarke, Jahmali Waite, Kaheem Parris, Jonathan Russell, Adrian Mariappa, Amari’i Bell,

Booked: Brown (9^th), Lowe (75^th)

Trinidad & Tobago: Nicklas Frenderup, Alvin Jones, Sheldon Bateau, Kareem Moses, Aubrey David, Shannon Gomez (Molik Khan 76^th), Malcolm Shaw, Andre Rampersad (Kevin Molino 63rd), Ajani Fortune (Kaile Auvray 46^th), Levi Garcia, Neveal Hackshaw

Subs not Used: Marvin Phillip, Denzil Smith, Leland Archer, Luke Singh, Triston Hodge, Ryan Telfer, Joevin Jones, Real Gill, Kadeem Corbin

Booked: Hackshaw (5^th), Bateau (41^st), Jones (73^rd)

Referee: Fernando Guerrero (Mexico)

Assistant referees: Enrique Bustos (Mexico); Jorge Sanchez (Mexico)

Fourth Official: Reon Radix (Grenada)

Var: Benjamin Pineda (Costa Rica)

Avar1: Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica)

Canada-born defender Luke Singh is set to make his international debut for Trinidad and Tobago after being drafted as replacement for Daniel Phillips for the Concacaf Gold Cup, which gets underway on Saturday.

The Soca Warriors, who will bow into Group A action on Sunday against first-timer St Kitts and Nevis at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, lost the Scottish-based Phillips to an injury, which dealt somewhat of a blow to Angus Eve's squad that only includes two out and out strikers in Kadeem Corbin and Malcolm Shaw.

It is understood that Reports indicate Phillips, a midfielder, who represents Scottish Premiership outfit St Johnstone, sustained a Grade one quadriceps injury during the second half of the Soca Warriors practice match against Haiti recently and will be out of action for approximately three weeks.

As such, the 22-year-old Singh, who is currently on loan with Canadian Premier League club Atletico Ottawa from Toronto FC, found favour with the coaching staff and joined the team on Thursday with expectations high that the towering defender, standing over six-foot tall, will add value to the Soca Warriors charge.

Trinidad and Tobago will start favourites for Sunday's fixtures scheduled for 2:30pm, having defeated St Kitts and Nevis 2-0 in their lone meeting during the World Cup qualifiers in 2021.

Their group also includes reigning seven-time champion United States and title aspirants Jamaica, who will lock horns on Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago at 8:30pm.

The twin island republic secured their spot in this year’s tournament after initial qualifiers Nicaragua, was booted for using an ineligible player during their 1-1 Nations League stalemate, which aided the qualification process.

Trinidad and Tobago squad: Marvin Phillip, Denzil Smith, Nicklaus Frenderup, Aubrey David, Sheldon Bateau, Luke Singh, Leland Archer, Kareem Moses, Shannon Gomez, Alvin Jones, Triston Hodge, Joevin Jones, Ryan Telfer, Ajani Fortune, Kevin Molino, Real Gill, Neveal Hackshaw, Andre Rampersad, Kaile Auvray, Molik Khan, Kadeem Corbin, Levi Garcia, Malcolm Shaw

After the frantic final minutes counted down, the split points left the Trinidad and Tobago squad, as well as Guatemala’s, eliminated. Despite the elimination, both teams can be proud of their effort.

After an injury during warmups, Trinidad and Tobago were forced to adjust their lineup, replacing defender Neveal Hackshaw with Jelani Peters.

In the 12th minute, T&T right back Alvin Jones rampaged up the field on a quick counterattack then crossed to Reon Moore. Moore made a run on the right side of the goal and hit a hard, low shot past young Guatemalan goalkeeper Kenderson Navarro that found the goalpost and bounced in for the goal.

Attempting to manage the game, Trinidad and Tobago showed patience, especially in allowing Guatemala to take rushed shots from outside, but closing them down effectively and at times physically when any players entered the box.

In the second half, as Guatemala fought harder to find the equalizer, Trinidad and Tobago’s defense cracked under the pressure from Guatemala in the 77th minute, when Ceballos served in a corner kick. Gerardo Gordillo rose high in the box to meet the ball, heading it in well past Marvin Phillip, the Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper and captain.

The tenor of the game changed as both teams, hungry for an outright win, traded half-chances on both ends of the field. T&T's Jones had a shot go off the post in the best possibility for either team.

After the frantic final minutes counted down, the split points left the Trinidad and Tobago squad, as well as Guatemala’s, eliminated. Despite the elimination, both teams can be proud of their effort.

Trinidad and Tobago manager Angus Eve, the team’s most-capped player in their history, knew the team didn’t completely control its destiny in Group A but believed his squad could hold their head high no matter the outcome if they played well.

“We are very confident,” Eve said.

The team rewarded his belief, playing a smart match to hold an early advantage for most of the game. Yet Guatemala was brave in its own right, fighting back to find an equalizer and ensure they left the Gold Cup with at least one positive result. As Guatemala’s coach, Rafael Loredo said before kickoff, “If we want to grow, we need to have international competition.”

It is both sides' participation and matches like this that make the Gold Cup special.