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“We are scratching our heads at how Jamaica took three points from us,” said Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior team head coach Dwight Yorke, in the wake of last night’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss away to Jamaica.
“We came in here with every intention that we could get something from the game, yet we left with nothing to show—despite the performance from the players, despite dominating Jamaica on their own turf.
“Outplaying them, more shots on target, scoring three goals and not getting one… Jamaica will feel that they got away with one tonight.”
(via Concacaf.)
The Soca Warriors have one point from a possible six, after their two opening matches in the third round of the 2026 Concacaf World Cup qualifying series. And, just as important, Yorke’s troops now sit five points behind Group B leaders, Jamaica.
The winners of Group B, which also includes Curaçao and Jamaica, qualify directly to the next Fifa World Cup while the best two runners-up from Concacaf’s three groups will head to an inter-confederation playoff.
There are still 12 points at stake, with four games remaining. But, even if Trinidad and Tobago win all their remaining matches, they would still need other results to go in their favour to get the automatic berth to the World Cup.
(via TTFA Media.)
Yorke took heart from a decent showing in a tough, away fixture—albeit against a Jamaica team without eight regular first-team players through injury.
The Soca Warriors had more possession, shots and passes than the Reggae Boyz. However, three items by stand-in captain Levi Garcia were ruled out, correctly, for offside while Jamaica were more clinical with their opportunities.
Yorke described it as a bitter blow to his team.
“We felt we’d done enough to come away with a result from the game,” said Yorke. “Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened and we are leaving Jamaica with an empty hand… Certainly performance-wise, I am very pleased with my players.
The effort was ruled out for offside.
(via TTFA Media.)
“We feel we have been hard-done by… Sometimes, you don’t get what you put in.
“[…] You can’t score three goals away from home and none of them count. It was a defining moment in the game. Goals really change the momentum in the game.”
Jamaica coach Steve McClaren, unsurprisingly, was far more satisfied with how things went at The Office.
(via Concacaf.)
“The first goal was important and we got it—we controlled the game in possession and out of possession,” said McClaren. “[…] To come here with an inexperienced squad and get six points (from two games), credit to the players and the staff. I think they have done a remarkable job.”
McClaren hinted at his vision for the Jamaica national football team.
“We want to be hard to beat and keep clean sheets,” said the former England head coach. “We have good players to come back in who can score goals…”
So McClaren’s philosophy is to be dogged at the back while relying on individual quality at the other end.
Certainly, the English-speaking Caribbean’s longest and fiercest football rivalry lacked sophistication and quality—not helped by the poor, uneven surface at the Kingston National Stadium.
Yorke noted that he sent his players out to press Jamaica, only for the hosts to go the long-ball route from quite early.
(via Concacaf.)
“[For them] to not have the courage to play at home,” said Yorke, with a disapproving air.
Trinidad and Tobago have not been fluent in possession either—not for a long time. Possibly the last coach to truly attempt to control games on the ball was Dennis Lawrence, and he was the least successful in the job.
Thirty-five years since coach Everald ‘Gally’ Cummings’ team instigated the phrase kaisoca soccer, Trinidad and Tobago remain uncertain about the national identity of its football teams.
Do we dingolay on the ball? Is the goal to jam opponents on fast breaks? Or do we make their heads spin with glitzy introductions (build-ups) like a good Machel Montano production?
And after 11 months and 13 games on the job, which is Yorke’s philosophy?
Last night, the Trinidad and Tobago coach and former World Cup 2006 and Manchester United hero said he was proud of his players, despite the defeat.
(via TTFA Media.)
“The positives are that we played well,” said Yorke. “We dominated Jamaica, we dominated Curaçao—and yet we only have one point. We keep making these little blunders and letting teams in.
“[…] With the performance that we put in the first two games, I think we don’t deserve to lose any of those games. But […] in that final third, we are just lacking a little bit.”
So, Trinidad and Tobago lack teeth on offense and are prone to lapses of concentration on the defensive end. Are those minor details to be tidied up, or potentially fatal flaws at this stage in the campaign?
(via TTFA Media.)
Much has been made of Jamaica’s high-profile absences, but it might also be worth pointing out that many of Yorke’s players are still adjusting to the senior international game too.
Defender Kobi Henry made his second senior international appearance in Kingston while the other relative green starters were: Rio Cardines (seven caps), Wayne Frederick II (three caps), Tyrese Spicer (eight caps), and Dante Sealy (six caps).
Josiah Trimmingham has 15 national senior team outings while Steffen Yeates made only his fifth start last night.
(via TTFA Media.)
And Yorke, of course, had less than a year’s experience as a head coach before the Kieron Edwards-led TTFA hired him last November.
There’s another way to look at those stats.
It was Yorke’s choice to omit the likes of Joevin Jones (101 caps), Aubrey David (87 caps), Neveal Hackshaw (41 caps), Triston Hodge (34 caps), Reon Moore (32 caps) and Jomal Williams (22 caps), while Justin Garcia (32 caps) and Ryan Telfer (31 caps) were on the bench last night.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Eventually, the win-loss ratio will determine whether or not the Yorke era was a success—although it has already been a commercial triumph, judging by the bulging stands and influx of sponsors.
“There’s 12 points to play for,” said Yorke. “We play Bermuda next; they are coming off of two defeats. That is a must win game to get us back in the thick of things.”
Trinidad and Tobago might easily have gotten a better result against Jamaica and Curaçao—maybe even against Haiti and Saudi Arabia at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.
(via TTFA Media.)
They won none of those games though, and it is now six matches without a win for Yorke, whose only competitive wins thus far were against Cuba and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Away from home, Yorke’s Soca Warriors must add Bermuda and Curaçao to that list of defeated nations on 10 and 14 October respectively. Otherwise, there will be no hiding place.
“We just got to continue to believe,” said Yorke. “We are showing we are a good team—we just need to get that little luck going when it matters.”
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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.
