Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
“We doh beat gyul,” sang Wadicks, in the post-game entertainment at the Ato Boldon Stadium tonight, “but we beat rum bad!”
Trinidad and Tobago beat Cuba pretty badly too, as it turned out. And, as far as homecomings go, Dwight Yorke could not ask for much better than that.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
The Soca Warriors, sporting a new black kit with gold trim, cruised to a 4-0 win that confirmed the two-island republic’s fourth straight Concacaf Gold Cup appearance and our largest ever triumph against Cuba.
The stadium announcer declared that there were 6,240 patrons at the Ato Boldon Stadium, which could only mean that there were over 2,000 complimentary guests, as the smallish sporting venue looked near to capacity.
Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Santiago de Cuba last Thursday, Cuba had a serious job to breathe life into the tie. Their recovery mission was undermined almost as soon as Mexican referee César Ramos blew the opening whistle.
Cuba holding midfielder Romario Torres took a heavy touch in the middle of the pitch and, having conceded possession to opposing midfielder Andre Rampersad, he lunged in with both feet to win the ball back.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
With just two minutes and 22 seconds gone, Ramos produced the red card—and an uphill battle for Cuba suddenly looked as unfathomable as a Watson Duke–Kezel Jackson reunion.
Cuba coach Yuneilys Castillo ditched the 4-3-3 formation he used at home for 3-4-3, with retreating wingbacks, this evening. The early dismissal prompted a third system, as he shuffled his players into a 4-4-1 shape.
The cliché about rearranging chairs on the Titanic comes to mind.
Cuba could not advance the ball safely beyond their own defensive zone—at least not for the opening 30 minutes—and they could not stop the Warriors from getting beyond them.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
The former problem came from an adventurous top-heavy press at goal kicks from Yorke, which Cuba could neither pass through nor go over. The latter issue was primarily caused by left winger Tyrese Spicer, whose galloping legs should come with a mental health warning for opposing full backs.
In Santiago, Spicer repeatedly bettered Cuba right back Alejandro Delgado. This evening, Castillo tried Elvis Casanova instead. He changed his mind by the interval and brought Delgado back into the fray.
He might have played them both together—Spicer was unstoppable. Fast, direct and shifty with a fine low, driven cross, the Toronto FC flanker teed up captain Kevin Molino for what should have been the opening goal in the 12th minute.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Ten minutes later, he produced a brilliant cross that forward Isaiah Lee could not miss for the opener.
In between, the Warriors missed a hatful of chances as Molino headed over from an Isaiah Garcia cross, while Spicer hit the bar with the goal at his mercy after Cuba custodian Raiko Arozarena fended an Alvin Jones free kick into his path.
Lee got his second goal in the 36th minute. But, this time, it was Cuba captain Yosel Piedra who got the assist with a horrendous back pass.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Cuba, it seems, were intent on not making a fight of this game.
Trinidad and Tobago were decent. With two wingers and two creative midfielders behind a striker, the Soca Warriors obviously came out to thrill. There were good signs—but it is a work in progress.
Alvin Jones’ penchant to disrupt a passing move with a forced long ball had Yorke screaming into the night on more than one occasion; the Trinidad and Tobago front three were often passive when trying to win the ball. And there was one occasion when two Warriors players went out to confront a Cuba short corner, and just stood off and allowed the cross anyway.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Those are the sort of sloppy errors that Concacaf’s stronger teams can exploit. But this Cuban team could not rough up a piñata—even without a blindfold!
At the interval, Prime Minister Stuart Young introduced himself to the covered stands as he walked out on the mangled running track to wave at patrons.
There could be no doubting his celebrity status these days, even though some might have preferred Patrice Roberts to provide the halftime entertainment.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
The Warriors continued where they left off in the first half, as Spicer wriggled between opposing defenders Karel Espino and Delgado before surprising Arozarena—to be fair, the Cuban goalkeeper always looked surprised—with a rasping low drive in the 50th minute.
Naturally, Arozarena could not hold on, and Molino steered home the rebound. It was the veteran playmaker’s 24th senior international goal, and it took him past Kenwyne Jones to joint-fifth on Trinidad and Tobago’s all-time scoring list alongside Cornell Glen.
A raft of Trinidad and Tobago substitutions probably saved the visitors from a proper rout.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Still, busy midfielder Daniel Phillips struck the bar in the 65th minute. And, six minutes from time, substitute Nathaniel James got his fourth senior international goal with a sharp near-post finish.
It was more than enough for the Soca Warriors to advance. Next up, Trinidad and Tobago host Saint Kitts and Nevis in a World Cup qualifier on 6 June.
Expect another Pardy.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
On 10 June, the Warriors travel to Costa Rica, though. And the Gold Cup starts four days later—co-hosted between Canada and the United States.
We will learn a lot more about Yorke’s troops then.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (3-4-2-1): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 16.Alvin Jones, 4.Josiah Trimmingham, 17.Darnell Hospedales; 5.Isaiah Garcia, 8.Daniel Phillips, 18.Andre Rampersad, 13.Tyrese Spicer (15.Dantaye Gilbert 78); 10.Kevin Molino (captain) (19.Ajani Fortune 71), 3.Joevin Jones (20.Real Gill 46); 12.Isaiah Lee (9.Nathaniel James).
Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 21.Jabari St Hillaire (GK), 2.Aubrey David, 6.Andre Raymond, 7.Steffen Yeates, 11.Brent Sam, 14.Wayne Frederick II, 23.Kaihim Thomas.
Coach: Dwight Yorke.
Cuba (5-1-3-1): 12.Raiko Arozarena (GK); 2.Elvis Casanova (19.Alejandro Delgado 46), 6.Yosel Piedra (captain) (4.Leandro Mena 65), 15.Yunior Perez, 5.Dariel Morejon, 13.Karel Perez; 16.Romario Torres [Red card 3]; 14.Karel Espino (8.Pedro Bravo 71), 18.Yasnier Matos (7.Willian Pozo 65), 11.Onel Hernandez (17.Daniel Diaz 65), 20.Alessio Raballo.
Unused substitutes: 1.Ismel Morgado (GK), 21.Yurdy Hodelin (GK), 3.Camilo Vercammen, 9.Maykel Reyes, 10.Rey Angel, 22.Aniel Casanova, 23.Christian Flores.
Coach: Yuneilys Castillo.
Referee: Cesar Ramos (Mexico).
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Concacaf Gold Cup playoff
(25 March 2025)
Trinidad and Tobago 4 (Isaiah Lee 22, 36, Kevin Molino 50, Nathaniel James 84), Cuba 0 at Ato Boldon Stadium.
The Soca Warriors will face USA in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, which will be their third meeting in the Read more
Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker passed away today at the age of 82. Beenhakker won three titles at the helm of Read more
“[…] You’d be lucky to find five kids who can name five national players they admire. The conversations have vanished. Read more
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFA) has confirmed the Soca Warriors’ participation in the 2025 Unity Cup, an ‘Afro-Caribbean Read more
“[…] The administration should set in place a programme to begin teaching the youngsters the technical aspects of the game. Read more
“[…] Me: What I paying for? Security: To park. My husband: Who is you? Me (in a loud voice): I Read more
Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
