Molino’s late goal fails to save T&T’s WCQ dreams; Warriors KO’d by Jamaica draw

In second half stoppage time, a path to the Jamaican goal suddenly opened up for debutante Trinidad and Tobago forward Roald Mitchell at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain last night.

The 22-year-old Mitchell hit the accelerator—and then his hamstring gave way. And, just like that, Trinidad and Tobago’s 2026 Fifa World Cup aspirations were over.

A 1-1 tie meant that coach Dwight Yorke remains unbeaten in competitive action on his home turf. But, more to the point, it leaves the Soca Warriors four points short of the second-placed Reggae Boyz with one game remaining against Bermuda.

Trinidad and Tobago, in a decidedly mediocre qualifying group, were unable to take their World Cup bid into the last qualifying day.

Jamaica host Curaçao next, and a win will assure them of a second Fifa World Cup appearance. Yet, last night, coach Steve McClaren’s Boyz were second to the Soca Warriors by almost every yardstick, barring the final score.

Trinidad and Tobago had 62 percent possession, 17 shots to six, and 411 passes to 257.

The Soca Warriors were better than their hosts, but, and this might seem paradoxical, they were simultaneously not good enough to get a result.

In the 34^th minute, a Jamaica turnover offered a sliver of space for Trinidad and Tobago right back Déron Payne in an advanced position, and his cross was met by a firm side-footed volley from attacker Tyrese Spicer.

Jamaica goalkeeper and captain Andre Blake had to be alert to fend the effort away.

Outside of Kevin Molino’s late goal, it’s hard to remember Blake being extended again—despite the fact that Trinidad and Tobago repeatedly got the ball into the offensive third of the field.

The Warriors routinely lacked a cutting edge in 2025 and, ultimately, it proved to be the team’s undoing.

It surely is not uncharitable to point out how unimpressive Jamaica were. From almost the kickoff, McClaren’s troops relied almost solely on long balls out of the back with minimal success.

Without the ball, Jamaica never really forced Trinidad and Tobago into areas of the field that they did not want to play in. Instead, the Boyz were often reactive—praying for bad passes and offering little beyond enthusiastic pressure and repeated time-wasting to unsettle the hosts.

By the time the match hit the half-hour mark, Trinidad and Tobago were dominant. But did Yorke have the right players on the field to press home this advantage?

The front three of Levi Garcia, Tyrese Spicer and Dante Sealy virtually pick themselves these days—albeit due to the lack of viable options, as four goals from the team’s last four fixtures is hardly an inspiring tally.

Behind them, though, Yorke opted for a midfield of three blue-collar workers in Andre Rampersad, Jerrin Jackie and Daniel Phillips while Molino and Steffen Yeates sat on the sidelines.

Often, you hear coaches lament that their players showed the opposition too much respect, but was Yorke too cautious in a home contest that Trinidad and Tobago needed to win?

Goalless at the half, neither coach made a change at the interval. (Jamaica did have an injury-forced substitution in the 30^th minute, with Damion Lowe replacing central defender Richard King).

Seconds after the restart, Garcia got behind the Jamaica defence to gather a Spicer long ball but failed to trouble Blake as he blasted over. In the 55^th minute, Reggae Boyz flanker Renaldo Cephas, who represents Pari Nizhny Novgorod in the Russian Premier League, showed the more illustrious Spartak Moscow attacker how it’s done.

From a Trinidad and Tobago corner, Sealy lost possession near the opposing area, and a clearance found its way to Cephas with only opposing full back Andre Raymond in attendance.

Raymond tried to slow down his man but was sidestepped too easily, while defender Justin Garcia—selected ahead of Jamaica-based centre back Josiah Trimmingham—never got close enough to off his defensive teammate proper cover.

And Cephas coolly placed his shot beyond Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Denzil Smith and into the far corner.

The keyword is placed. Trinidad and Tobago attackers, in contrast, kept hitting the ball rather than picking a corner.

Yorke turned to substitutes Molino and Mitchell, who replaced Phillips and Sealy, respectively.

The 35-year-old Molino had 26 international goals, before tonight, from 73 caps (55 starts +18 substitute appearances). Trinidad and Tobago’s next highest available goal scorer is Garcia (L) with 10 items from 52 appearances (44 starts + 8 appearances).

It is a pity that the veteran marksman was introduced to try and save the game, rather than being in a position to help Trinidad and Tobago win it—notwithstanding whatever concerns that Yorke might have regarding his player’s fitness.

Within five minutes of his introduction, Molino nearly had an assist with a dangerous cross that Garcia (J) headed into the side netting.

Garcia (L), shifted from centre forward to his more natural position on the right flank after Mitchell’s entry, cut inside and dribbled past two opponents, only for his delayed shot to hit a teammate.

Jamaica were rocking, and McClaren moved from 4-3-2 to 5-3-2, as Brentford left back Rico Henry replaced Burton Albion forward Rumarn Burrell.

(Incidentally, only three of McClaren’s starting team, Blake, King and Cephas, were actually born on the island of Jamaica.)

But McClaren could not see out the game either.

In the 84^th minute, Rampersad chipped the ball to Garcia (J) who flicked the ball off his chest to Mitchell in the box. Mitchell held up the ball for Molino, and Molino paused to wrongfoot an opposing defender before expertly placing the ball into the corner to level scores 1-1.

Jamaica did threaten on the break with gifted home-grown attacker Dejuan “Whisper” Richards, causing concerns on the ball. But he was isolated. This was hardly a masterclass in game management from the visitors.

McClaren might as well have been clutching a rosary.

Then, in stoppage time, Mitchell got an invitation to run at the opposing goal—the sort of opening he might have dreamed of last night, when he thought of his debut. He sprinted after it. And then he pulled up, clutching his hamstring.

If Mitchell had run clear of the Jamaica defence; and if he had taken the chance—Trinidad and Tobago would be on eight points right now, behind Jamaica (9) and Curaçao (11).

And another win next Tuesday against Bermuda, as expected, should have been good enough for the Inter-confederation Play-Offs.

But it was not to be.

Trinidad and Tobago fought gallantly, and there was appreciable applause for the efforts from the 15,000+ patrons at the Hasely Crawford—some distance from the sell-out crowd of the earlier match.

But it was not enough to take the Soca Warriors to the 2026 World Cup.

(Teams)

Trinidad and Tobago (4-3-3): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 2.Déron Payne, 3.Kobi Henry, 17.Justin Garcia, 6.Andre Raymond (23.Noah Powder 90); 18.Andre Rampersad, 4.Jerrin Jackie, 8.Daniel Phillips (19.Roald Mitchell 67); 15.Dante Sealy (10.Kevin Molino 67), 11.Levi Garcia (captain), 13.Tyrese Spicer (9.Nathaniel James 74).

Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 21.Jabari Brice (GK), 5.Josiah Trimmingham, 7.Steffen Yeates, 12.Ryan Telfer, 14.Wayne Frederick II, 16.Isaiah Garcia, 20.Real Gill.

Coach: Dwight Yorke.

Jamaica (4-3-3): 1.Andre Blake (GK) (captain); 4.Mason Holgate, 6.Richard King (17.Damion Lowe 30), 5.Ethan Pinnock, 22.Gregory Leigh; 18.Jonathan Russell (16.Karoy Anderson 81), 14.Isaac Hayden, 10.Bobby De Cordova-Reid; 7.Demarai Gray (8.Tyreece Campbell 67), 15.Rumarn Burrell (3.Rico Henry 81), 20.Renaldo Cephas (19.Dujuan Richards 67).

Unused substitutes: 13.Tafari Chambers (GK), 23.Jahmali Waite (GK), 2.Dexter Lembikisa, 9.Kaheim Dixon, 11.Shamar Nicholson, 12.Bailey Cadamarteri, 21.Ian Fray,

Coach: Steve McClaren.

Referee: Walter Lopez (Guatemala).

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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.