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The Trinidad and Tobago national under-20 football team had its 2013 Turkey World Cup dream extinguished today after a shock 1-0 loss to Curaçao in Kingston, Jamaica.
The defeat saw the young “Soca Warriors” finish bottom of Group A on goal difference while Haiti and Puerto Rico advanced automatically to the CONCACAF stage.
Puerto Rico and Haiti played to a 1-1 tie in the second match this evening at the Waterhouse Stadium.
It was a tame end for Trinidad and Tobago who downed Puerto Rico 2-0 on Monday but never looked like matching that early success thereafter.
Curaçao scored first against Haiti and Puerto Rico but failed to hold on and lost 2-1 on both occasions. Trinidad and Tobago could not break them down, though.
Much was expected of DirecTV W Connection midfielder Jomal Williams going into the tournament. His subsequent output was deemed so underwhelming that coach Ross Russell started him on the substitutes’ bench for today’s crucial fixture.
Trailing by a 10th minute goal from Geryon Alberto, Russell introduced Williams at the start of the second half.
Either way, the impact was negligible.
The under-20 team now has the unwelcome distinction of being the only Trinidad and Tobago team that failed to advance to the CONCACAF stage in this calender year.
Curaçao qualified for the CONCACAF stage as the best third place team after calling a coin toss correctly against Antigua and Barbuda.
Trinidad and Tobago (4-3-3): 20.Quesi Weston; 2.Anthony Charles, 3.Alvin Jones, 7.Neil Benjamin (12.Shaquille Holder 58), 5.Damani Richards; 11.Xavier Rajpaul, 8.Duane Muckette (capt), 19.Marcus Gomez; 14.Akeem Garcia, 9.Dwight Quintero (17.Shackiel Henry 74), 15.Shaquille Nesbitt (10 Jomal Williams 46).
Unused subs: Kevin Dodds, Shannon Gomez, Keane McIvor, Garvin Samaroo
Coach: Ross Russell
CFU Under-20 qualifiers
(9 November)
Curaçao 1 (Geryon Alberto 10), Trinidad and Tobago 0 in Kingston, Jamaica
Haiti 1 (Chery Johnley 86), Puerto Rico 1 (Jose Abrams 38) in Kingston, Jamaica
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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.
