Spicer helps T&T to point in Curaçao, but Warriors in must-win scenario against Jamaica

Trinidad and Tobago’s 2026 World Cup qualifying dreams are on the brink now, after the Soca Warriors were held to a 1-1 draw by Curaçao tonight in Willemstad.

On the face of it, a tie away to the Dutch-speaking islanders at a stadium where the home team just defeated Jamaica does not seem a bad result. And maybe, in the future, it would prove to be a valuable point.

However, the final whistle saw coach Dwight Yorke’s team collect only their fifth point of this qualifying round—and Trinidad and Tobago play Jamaica next.

At present, Jamaica, who whipped Bermuda 4-0 in Kingston, lead the group with nine points, followed by Curaçao with eight.

Anything short of three points for the Soca Warriors against the Reggae Boyz in Port of Spain on Thursday 13 November and the former team will have no chance of picking up an automatic berth to the 2026 World Cup.

If, as expected, Curaçao defeat Bermuda on that same night in Hamilton, Trinidad and Tobago would have no chance of getting into the World Cup Play Offs either—despite having a game to go against Bermuda on Tuesday 18 November.

In other words, Trinidad and Tobago’s World Cup campaign will be defined by the next 90 minutes. Arguably, so will Yorke’s tenure as national head coach.

Tonight, the Soca Warriors were… decent.

The attitude and application of the Trinidad and Tobago players was solid. Yorke’s team fought for the flag and represented their country just about as well as they could.

But they were not good enough to take three points, whether through collective verve or individual quality.

Captain Levi Garcia might be the embodiment of the current side. Garcia’s hold-up play was irreproachable, he toiled throughout the 90 minutes and put his body on the line on multiple occasions.

But Garcia could not pierce the Curaçao team. Because, despite his abundance of talent, he simply is not a top-drawer goal scorer. Yorke does not have one of those.

It would be overly simplistic to say that a Stern John-type forward is the only thing the current Trinidad and Tobago team lacks. But if Garcia had taken one of two decent opportunities that came his way, tonight would probably have ended quite differently.

It is now six games since Garcia has scored in a competitive international fixture, dating back to his consolation goal in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying loss away to Costa Rica on 10 June.

Yorke made two changes to his starting team that defeated Bermuda 3-0 last Friday, with Jerrin Jackie replacing Daniel Phillips in central midfield while Molik Khan came in for Steffen Yeates in the playmaker role.

Both were surprises for different reasons.

Jackie is basically an amateur footballer in Portugal, who is largely unknown in Trinidad and Tobago beyond the Presentation College (San Fernando) fanbase.

The 21-year-old Khan is certainly well regarded by Trinidad and Tobago football fans. However, he was starting ahead of a certain Kevin Molino—nominally the team captain—so that raised a few eyebrows.

As it turned out, both players did quite a bit to justify their inclusions.

Jackie’s first challenge on Curaçao attacking midfielder Juninho Bacuna was a throwback to the days of corporal punishment—a schoolmaster casually and violently extinguishing any notion of cheekiness from an impudent student.

Throughout his 90 minutes on the field, Jackie was unflashy but firm and reliable. That’s a good start.

Khan purred through his 45-minute cameo. He was almost impossible to dispossess and, although he did not craft anything of note, his passing was measured and inventive too.

Yorke hooked Khan at the interval, with Trinidad and Tobago trailing 1-0, and introduced Molino. But, surely, we’d be seeing a lot more of Khan after this.

Incidentally, it was two other talented young Warriors who combined to gift Curaçao their opening goal.

Defender Kobi Henry, also 21, got too tight on opposing forward Gervane Kastaneer, which allowed his 29-year-old opponent—bigger and stronger than the Trinbagonian—to roll him and spin clear on the flank.

Still, Kastaneer’s cross should have been straightforward business for 19-year-old Trinidad and Tobago right back Rio Cardines. But Cardines, a first team player for English Premiership team Crystal Palace, did not check his shoulders for danger and, inexplicably, did not trust his left foot to clear the ball.

And flanker Kenji Gorre took full advantage of Cardines’ muffed clearance to put Curaçao ahead, with their first shot on target, in the 19^th minute.

It could easily have been 2-0, as Curaçao midfielder Livano Comenencia, given far too much room, slammed a shot off goalkeeper Denzil Smith’s upright from just inside the box.

But Trinidad and Tobago played themselves back into contention and had two good chances to level scores before the interval.

In the 36^th minute, Jackie diverted a Cardines corner kick off the Curaçao upright. And, three minutes later, defender Josiah Trimmingham’s header off another Cardines set piece was inadvertently blocked by his Trinidad and Tobago teammate, Andre Rampersad, on the opposing goal line.

Yorke withdrew winger Dante Sealy and Khan at halftime with Molino belatedly entering the field while Cardines was pushed into attack as Déron Payne took over fullback duties.

They were pragmatic changes, as Yorke opted against the electric pace of Real Gill and the bustling power of Ryan Telfer—neither of whom were called upon at all.

Garcia missed a free header, for the second time, off a Cardines corner in the 53^rd minute, and Molino forced a save from veteran Curaçao custodian Eloy Room before Spicer pulled Trinidad and Tobago level in the 58^th minute.

Almost inevitably, Cardines was involved. The young man was alert to a squared pass from opposing flanker Jearl Margaritha and galloped upfield with the ball, before delivering a deep cross to Molino.

Molino cushioned the ball expertly in the opposing area but it was Spicer who benefited, as the Orlando City winger reacted first to wallop home his second international goal in successive matches.

Garcia, who was virtually unplayable with his combination of strength, stepovers and wrestling moves, never gave the Curaçao defence a minute’s peace.

But Trinidad and Tobago could not engineer a winning item.

The Soca Warriors have not been disgraced over the last two match windows. But, with only a win over Bermuda to show, Yorke’s troops haven’t done much to ignite our World Cup hopes either.

Their next outing Jamaica, on 13 November, will likely be a final chance to do just that. Trinidad and Tobago’s qualifying campaign is into “Fergie time” now.

Teams

Trinidad and Tobago (4-3-3): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 19.Rio Cardines, 5.Josiah Trimmingham (14.Wayne Frederick II 79), 3.Kobi Henry, 6.Andre Raymond; 18.Andre Rampersad (8.Daniel Phillips 71), 4.Jerrin Jackie, 16.Molik Khan (10.Kevin Molino 46); 15.Dante Sealy (2.Déron Payne 46), 11.Levi Garcia (captain), 13.Tyrese Spicer (9.Nathaniel James 85).

Unused substitutes: 1.Jabari Brice (GK), 21.Jabari St Hillaire (GK),  7.Steffen Yeates, 12.Ryan Telfer, 17.Justin Garcia, 20.Real Gill, 23.Noah Powder.

Coach: Dwight Yorke.

Curaçao (4-1-4-1): 1.Eloy Room (GK); 2.Shurandy Sambo, 3.Jurien Gaari, 18.Armando Obispo, 5.Sherel Floranus; 10.Leandro Bacuna (captain); 11.Jeremy Antonisse (16.Jearl Margaritha 46), 8.Livano Comenencia (6.Godfried Roemeratoe 74), 7.Juninho Bacuna, 14.Kenji Gorre; 19.Gervane Kastaneer (9.Jurgen Locadia 46).

Unused substitutes: 22.Leandro Merencia (GK), 23.Trevor Doorbusch (GK), 4.Roshon Van Eijma, 12.Sontje Hansen, 15.Ar’jany Martha, 17.Tyrese Noslin, 20.Joshua Brenet, 21.Kevin Felida, 24.Riechedly Bazoer.

Coach: Dick Advocaat.

Referee: Cesar Ramos (Mexico).

2026 World Cup qualifying

Group B

(14 October 2025)

Curaçao 1 (Kenji Gorre 19), Trinidad and Tobago 1 (Tyrese Spicer 58) at Willemstad;

Jamaica 4 (Dante Leverock OG 24, Bobby De Cordova-Reid 26, Shamar Nicholson 35, Dejuan Richards 76), Bermuda 0 in Kingston.