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Trinidad and Tobago head coach Dwight Yorke marked his competitive international debut with a 2-1 win away to Cuba this afternoon as the Soca Warriors took a significant step towards a fourth straight Concacaf Gold group stage berth.
Cuba struck first at the Antonio Maceo Stadium in Santiago and were full of energy and spunk. But they lacked the street smarts to hang on and were eventually undone by maiden international goals in either half from Isaiah Lee and Steffen Yeates.
(via TTFA Media.)
The Soca Warriors host the return leg at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Tuesday 25 March and would be heavy favourites to finish the job at this stage.
“The second leg is going to be tough,” said Yorke, in the post-game press conference. “We have a good record against Cuba, but not very often we come to Cuba and beat Cuba. We wanted to try and do something different and to achieve it in my first game, I am very happy.
“This is a huge victory for us, but we are not going to get ahead of ourselves. We have a lot of work to do.”
Last October, Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago squared off in a two-legged tie to determine which team would be relegated from the Concacaf Nations League A. On that occasion, the Warriors, led by interim head coach Derek King, draw 2-2 away and won 3-1 at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Today, the hosts might have dreamed about revenge when Yasnier Matos put Cuba ahead within the opening five minutes. Matos ran on to a cushioned lobbed pass from forward and captain Maykel Reyes and finished with a fine left-footed volley into the corner.
Trinidad and Tobago did not take long to respond though.
A sweeping move into the 20th minute saw midfielders Andre Rampersad and captain Joevin Jones relay the ball to Spicer on the left flank. And the Toronto FC winger torched opposing right back Alejandro Delgado before delivering a pinpoint cross that Lee finished from close range on the second attempt.
The score remained locked at one goal apiece at the interval and Trinidad and Tobago returned to the field without Spicer—with the 24-year-old suffering a suspected concussion.
(via TTFA Media.)
Yorke employed a 3-5-1-1 formation today with Spicer and Isaiah Garcia used as wingbacks. Spicer certainly made an impact in the offensive half of the field; Garcia, not so much.
And with Andre Raymond, a more orthodox full back, coming in for Spicer, there was the chance that Trinidad and Tobago might lose momentum on either flank.
However, instead, Trinidad and Tobago found more poise in the middle of the field as Andre Rampersad, Daniel Phillips and Joevin, in particular, seemed to get the measure of their opponents.
And, seven minutes into the second half, the Warriors were ahead.
(via TTFA Media.)
Joevin’s inswinging corner kick just missed the head of giant defender Josiah Trimmingham but his young brother, Alvin Jones, collected and squared for Yeates to score from point blank range.
Cuba goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena, not for the first time, was about as useful to his teammates as an umbrella in a hurricane.
Italy-born and based substitute Alessio Raballo entered the fray in the 67th minute and had an excellent chance to pull his adopted country level, only to hit wide from inside the six yard box—after winger Onel Hernandez and left back Karel Perez combined beautifully to bamboozle Garcia.
Raballo is the first overseas-born footballer to represent Cuba since 1967, while their entire starting team ply their trade abroad. It was a sign of the more open-minded approach by the relevant Cuba officials, which could benefit the nation in the long-run.
Cuba’s talent pool was better as a result. But, collectively, they are still some distance from being a threat at this level.
Trinidad and Tobago threatened to get a third goal in the 68th minute, when Phillips struck the bar after a one-two with Joevin. And the Warriors came closer still in the 87th minute, when Kaihim Thomas hit the inside of the upright from a direct free kick while fellow substitute Ajani Fortune missed the vacant goal with the rebound—with Arozarena again nowhere to be found.
(via TTFA Media.)
But a 2-1 advantage was sufficient for Yorke and his troops.
Yorke started the match with two players, Rampersad and Yeates, still in their pre-season with their respective teams while goalkeeper Denzil Smith has also not played competitively in 2025.
Lee, a midfielder at Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, led the forward line while regular captain Aubrey David was an unused substitute. There were three TTPFL players in the starting team alongside the Jamaica-based duo of Trimmingham and Darnell Hospedales.
Clearly, Yorke is not afraid to make big changes then.
(via TTFA Media.)
In Santiago, it was a case of all’s well that ends well.
“I am very proud of my players, in terms of having to come to a very difficult place to get a result,” said Yorke. “Cuba are a very good team. We had to work very hard to get a result today.
“[…] This is a huge result for me and a huge result for our team and our country. Hopefully by Tuesday, we can put the final touch to it.”
On Tuesday, Trinidad and Tobago football fans will get their first taste of Yorke’s red, white and black army.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (3-5-1-1): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 16.Alvin Jones, 4.Josiah Trimmingham, 17.Darnell Hospedales; 5.Isaiah Garcia (23.Kaihim Thomas 80), 8.Daniel Phillips, 18.Andre Rampersad, 7.Steffen Yeates (19.Ajani Fortune 67), 13.Tyrese Spicer (6.Andre Raymond 46); 3.Joevin Jones (captain) (15.Dantaye Gilbert 80); 12.Isaiah Lee (11.Brent Sam 56).
Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 21.Jabari St Hillaire (GK), 2.Aubrey David, 9.Nathaniel James, 10.Wayne Frederick II, 14.Shannon Gomez, 20.Real Gill.
Coach: Dwight Yorke.
Cuba (4-3-3): 12.Raiko Arozarena (GK); 19.Alejandro Delgado, 6.Yosel Piedra, 15.Yunior Perez, 5.Dariel Morejon (13.Karel Perez 72); 8.Pedro Bravo, 16.Romario Torres (10.Rey Angel 56), 7.Willian Pozo (23.Christian Flores 57); 18.Yasnier Matos (20.Alessio Raballo 67), 9.Maykel Reyes (captain), 11.Onel Hernandez.
Unused substitutes: 1.Ismel Morgado (GK), 21.Yurdy Hodelin (GK), 2.Elvis Casanova, 3.Camilo Vercammen, 4.Leandro Mena, 14.Karel Espino, 17.Daniel Diaz, 22.Aniel Casanova.
Coach: Yuneilys Castillo.
Referee: Juan Gabriel Calderon (Costa Rica).
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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.
