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The Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team’s front three of Levi Garcia, Tyrese Spicer and Dante Sealy were too hot to handle this evening, as the Soca Warriors cruised to a 3-0 win away to Bermuda in a 2026 World Cup qualifier at the Bermuda National Stadium in Hamilton.
It was the Soca Warriors’ first victory of the 2026 Concacaf World Cup qualifying third round, on the occasion of their third group match.
Photo: Concacaf.
And, by nightfall, coach Dwight Yorke’s troops were three points off leaders Curaçao, as the Dutch-speaking islanders stunned Jamaica 2-0 in Willemstad.
Just like that, the Warriors have the path to the 2026 Fifa World Cup in their own hands again. The equation is simple: win the next three games, and Trinidad and Tobago will qualify for their first World Cup since 2006.
On Tuesday 14 October, Yorke will take his team to Willemstad for their last away game of the group. Win there and the Warriors would be on the verge of another milestone in the country’s football history.
For Bermuda, tonight’s affair was a third straight defeat, which almost certainly closed the door on any chance that they will get beyond this group. They conceded 10 goals in those matches while scoring just twice—despite playing two of their games at home.
Photo: Concacaf.
The contest was not as straightforward as the final score might suggest, though.
Bermuda had the first two shots of the game with captain and centre forward Nahki Wells forcing a corner kick from Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Denzil Smith, with a firm drive in the 10th minute—after a long, lofted pass from Bermuda right back Richard Jones Jr found the attacker in space behind the visiting defence.
Ironically, it was the Warriors who took advantage of Bermuda’s set piece on the break.
Spicer collected the ball in space down the centre of the Bermuda defence and played down the right channel to Levi Garcia. And Garcia, the stand-in captain on the night, beat opposing central defender Harry Twite out of his shoes with a stepover before pulling the ball back from the byline for Sealy to stab home.
Photo: Concacaf.
Up until that point, Bermuda enjoyed more ball possession and forced repeated turnovers from Trinidad and Tobago during the latter team’s build-up phase.
An injury to Jones Jr in the 22nd minute did not help his team’s cause, especially as his replacement, Justin Donaway, featured prominently in Trinidad and Tobago’s second.
Donaway made a slack first touch on a straightforward ball—in the Bermuda half of the field—and was robbed by the mercurial Spicer, who beat opposing central defender Dante Leverock with his second touch, and then goalkeeper Dale Eve with his third to stroke the ball into an empty net.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Bermuda never really looked capable of finding their way after that. Sure they were able to work the ball into attacking areas and provided plenty of tests for the Trinidad and Tobago defence.
However, they were always exposed at the other end. And Trinidad and Tobago’s offense was simply more potent than theirs.
Bermuda’s World Cup hopes seemed certain to disappear inside Trinidad and Tobago’s offensive triangle.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Garcia was inches away from a third at the near post in the 32nd minute, after the Warriors sliced through Bermuda’s clumsy high press and Spicer released his captain.
And playmaker Steffen Yeates might have had one himself or assisted on a few, only to get tangled up with the ball at key moments.
Yeates, incidentally, retained his place in the team ahead of captain Kevin Molino, who was available again after serving suspension but not selected in the 23-man squad.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Wired868 understands that Molino missed the team’s pre-game training camp in Florida due to travel issues and joined them in Bermuda instead. His absence meant Trinidad and Tobago did not have a single local-based outfield player in the match day squad.
But it did not matter in the end.
Defender Kobi Henry, on his third international outing, got his first goal in red, white and black strip, with a close ranged header in the 49th minute, after Eve could only parry a fierce Sealy free kick.
Photo: Concacaf.
Garcia and flanker Rio Cardines both hit the upright as well, as Trinidad and Tobago threatened to widen the win margin. But three goals sufficed.
There was a second half debut too for Netherlands-born right back Déron Payne, who played for the final 20 minutes of the contest. Twenty-one-year-old midfielder Molik Khan also got his first cap under Yorke.
Mission accomplished in Hamilton. A tougher challenge in Willemstad awaits.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Teams
Trinidad and Tobago (4-3-3): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 19.Rio Cardines, 5.Josiah Trimmingham, 3.Kobi Henry, 6.Andre Raymond; 7.Steffen Yeates (10.Molik Khan 73), 18.Andre Rampersad, 8.Daniel Phillips (4.Jerrin Jackie 66); 15.Dante Sealy (2.Déron Payne 73), 11.Levi Garcia (captain) (16.Justin Obikwu 66), 13.Tyrese Spicer (20.Kaïlé Auvray 78).
Unused substitutes: 1.Jabari Brice (GK), 21.Jabari St Hillaire (GK), 9.Nathaniel James, 12.Ryan Telfer, 14.Wayne Frederick II, 17.Justin Garcia, 23.Noah Powder.
Coach: Dwight Yorke.
Bermuda (4-2-1-3): 1.Dale Eve (GK); 2.Richard Jones Jr (22.Justin Donaway 23), 16.Dante Leverock, 17.Harry Twite, 14.Deniche Hill; 15.Willie Clemons (5.Ne-jai Tucker 46), 13.Keziah Martin; 19.Reggie Lambe (4.Roger Lee 67), 20.Kane Crichlow (9.Rahzir Smith-Jones 76), 21.Nahki Wells (captain), 11.Djair Parfitt (10.Zeiko Lewis 67).
Unused substitutes: 12.Detre Bell (GK), 23.Coleridge Fubler (GK), 3.J’nai Butterfield-Steede, 6.Julian Carpenter, 7.Lejaun Simmons, 8.Aunde Todd, 18.Kieron Richardson.
Coach: Michael Findlay.
Referee: Julio Luna (Guatemala).
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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.
Earl interesting observation—and a great catch on the 16-year pattern! But maybe we shouldn’t be too hard on Mr. Warner’s math. If we factor in the 4 years the world spent off-balance during the pandemic, it’s possible his internal calendar just skipped a beat (or four).
In pandemic time, 2026 might feel like the natural next step in the 16-year cycle from 2006. After all, those years were anything but normal—and maybe even football timelines got a little… postponed.
Still, let’s hope the footballing prophecy holds, fuzzy math or not.
And yes, seconding your request—let’s get those starting XI names on that final photo. It might just be historic after all.
Mr Editor, a request: please add the names of the starting XI to the final photo. It might yet prove to be (that much overused word) historic.
I heard Jack Warner telling Andre Baptiste and Tony Lee on i95.5 the other day that history has a way of repeating itself.
1974 to 1990, I think he argued, is 16 years. 1990 to 2006 is 16 years. And 2006 to 2026 is 16 years…
If the hosts noticed, they were too polite or too something else to comment on the maths.