Sealy gets debut double, as T&T trounce St Kitts and Nevis 6-2 before sell-out crowd

A double from debutante Dante Sealy, a goal on return from Levi Garcia and another from veteran Kevin Molino, and a sell-out crowd at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

There was plenty to please Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards and, more importantly, football fans in red, white and black strip, as the Soca Warriors recorded a comprehensive 6-2 win over Saint Kitts and Nevis in Concacaf World Cup qualifying action.

The result sees Trinidad and Tobago climb to the top of Group B, albeit having played a game more than second-place Costa Rica, whom they lead by a single point. (Costa Rica play away to The Bahamas tomorrow.)

The top two finishers advance to the third and final Concacaf qualifying round.

Trinidad and Tobago have seven points, and are three points and seven goals better than third-place Grenada.

Grenada are away to Saint Kitts and Nevis next Tuesday, while the Soca Warriors are away to Costa Rica. It would take a lopsided loss for Trinidad and Tobago, matched by a big win for Grenada, to deny progress to coach Dwight Yorke’s troops.

But Friday night in west Port of Spain is not the time for worrying.

Tonight, in an unusual move, the Trinidad and Tobago players will stop off at Zen to sign autographs—an initiative sanctioned by the TTFA president—before heading for a 3am flight to Costa Rica for their final group assignment.

Good luck getting captain Kevin Molino and his squad out of the club in time to get to the airport. In fact, one might say the same about Yorke.

To be fair, over 20,000 patrons who filled the Hasely Crawford tonight might argue that they deserve a Pardy.

The TTFA announced attendance at 20,350 supporters, which is just about the stadium capacity. However it is unlikely that non-ticket holders—like specially invited guests, which ranged from VIPs to High Performance Programme footballers—were among that number.

It was the biggest crowd at a football match in Trinidad since the Soca Warriors held the United States goalless on 17 November 2015, under then-head coach Stephen Hart.

Hundreds of spectators had nowhere to sit. But, at the same time, gate receipts are likely to fall between TT$2.5 and TT$3.2 million.

It is, arguably, a welcome headache for the current executive. Football, in terms of spectator interest, is on the rise, and the impact will surely be felt positively in the TTFA’s coffers.

Whether or not the Soca Warriors themselves have turned a corner and are on a trajectory to accomplishing something memorable is another question. And it is probably one better answered against tougher opposition.

Over the next two weeks, Trinidad and Tobago face Costa Rica (10 June), USA (15 June), Haiti (19 June) and Saudi Arabia (22 June) respectively. Those outings will better illustrate the immediate capabilities of Yorke’s troops.

It might be hard to remember now that, at halftime, the two nations were locked at 2-2 and—if that score held—the Warriors would have been staring at World Cup elimination.

Saint Kitts and Nevis players complained bitterly about the penalty decision that saw the hosts reclaim the lead, two minutes into the second half, after US referee Natalie Simon ruled that defender Jordan Bowery had pushed over Molino.

It was one of at least five controversial decisions by Simon. Four of them went in favour of the home team.

But, although it might be scant consolation to the Sugar Boyz, Trinidad and Tobago were the better team on the balance of play.

Saint Kitts and Nevis looked reactive and unconvincing without the ball, unable to stop their hosts from passing and receiving the ball between the lines or isolating their full backs one-on-one.

The problem for Yorke is that the same could be said about Trinidad and Tobago.

The Soca Warriors settled first and went ahead in the ninth minute, as midfielder Andre Rampersad picked out forward Levi Garcia, unmarked in the opposing box, for a simple finish.

Garcia, in his first international outing under Yorke, turned provider in the 29th minute, as he tore down the right flank and pulled the back for Sealy to lash home.

But, each time, Saint Kitts and Nevis managed a reply.

Left side midfielder Gvaune Amory stepped inside his marker to beat Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Denzil Smith at his near post in the 27th minute.

And, in the 44th minute, SKN right winger Tiquanny Williams won a free kick off Warriors left back Darnell Hospedales, before beating Smith and a poorly set wall with an emphatic finish.

At the interval, the two teams were still level, thanks in large part to a penalty save from Saint Kitts and Nevis custodian Julian Archibald from Garcia.

Trinidad and Tobago had 66% possession after the first 45 minutes, with 256 passes to 157 from their visitors. But the shot count of 10 to seven—with Smith forced into three saves, outside of the two goals—showed that the game was by no means under control.

Yorke replaced Hospedales, who was struggling to cope with Williams, at the half, while he also introduced the more attacking Ajani Fortune for midfielder Andre Rampersad.

Simon gifted Trinidad and Tobago a second penalty within seconds of the restart, and the two-island republic never looked back.

Sealy got his second goal in the 66th minute with a powerful low drive into the corner from the edge of the area. And Fortune gave Trinidad and Tobago an unassailable 5-2 lead in the 85th minute, after a clever assist from fellow substitute Nathaniel James on a counter.

James got one for himself in the 89th minute—his fifth international goal on the occasion of his 12th cap—although he did appear to control Spicer’s cross with his arm at first glance.

The buoyant audience could not care one jot.

The fun is back with the Trinidad and Tobago national team. And tonight, the team with the better players won.

But can Yorke’s troops survive with such carefree defending against superior opposition?

We will not have long to find out.

Trinidad and Tobago (4-1-4-1): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 16.Alvin Jones, 4.Josiah Trimmingham, 5.Sheldon Bateau, 2.Darnell Hospedales (6.Andre Raymond 46); 8.Daniel Phillips; 15.Dante Sealy (14.Wayne Frederick II 86), 18.Andre Rampersad (19.Ajani Fortune 46), 10.Kevin Molino (captain) (3.Joevin Jones 86), 13.Tyrese Spicer; 11.Levi Garcia (9.Nathaniel James 75).

Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 21.Jabari St Hillaire (GK), 7.Steffen Yeates, 12.Isaiah Leacock, 17.Rio Cardines, 20.Real Gill, 23.Noah Powder.

Coach: Dwight Yorke

Saint Kitts and Nevis (4-4-1-1): 18.Julani Archibald (GK) (captain); 22.Omari Sterling-James, 4.Andre Burley, 3.Jordan Bowery, 2.Ordell Flemming, 7.Tiquanny Williams, 8.Yohannes Mitchum (14.Tyquan Terrell 68), 15.Mervin Lewis, 10.Gvaune Amory (9.Harrison Panayiotou 62); 19.Romaine Sawyers; 20.Tyrece Simpson (11.Kimaree Rogers 62).

Unused substitutes: 1.Kai Francois (GK), 23.Zaykeese Smith (GK), 5.Denis Fleming, 13.Allay Newton, 17.Nequan Browne, 21.Dionis Stephen.

Coach: Austin Huggins.

Referee: Natalie Simon (USA).

2026 World Cup qualifier

(6 June 2025)

Trinidad and Tobago 6 (Levi Garcia 9, Dante Sealy 29, 67, Kevin Molino 48 pen, Ajani Fortune 84, Nathaniel James 88), Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 (Gvaune Amory 27, Tiquanny Williams 44) at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

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Lasana Liburd

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.