Costa Rica poison T&T U-20s 3-0 in decisive affair; Gordon’s troops finish below Bermuda

For the second successive year, Trinidad and Tobago were eliminated by Costa Rica in Concacaf competition on foreign soil, after the Men’s National Under-20 Team lost 3-0 to Los Ticos this evening at Alajuela.

Last year, the two-island republic fell 2-0 in the Concacaf Under-17 Qualifiers—just 90 minutes away from a place at the Fifa U-17 World Cup. This time, the loss was a double blow which ensured the young Soca Warriors cannot qualify for either the 2027 Fifa U-20 World Cup, or the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

There were moments today when coach Marvin Gordon’s team looked the equal of Costa Rica and were certainly in the game. But there is a suspicion that fact says more about the state of Costa Rican football than the Trinidad and Tobago team.

At the final whistle, Trinidad and Tobago won two from their four matches—against Barbados and Sint Maarten, ranked 29th and 34^th from 41 Concacaf nations in this age group—and finished third in Group E behind Bermuda.

Regardless, those are not the returns that should allow either the head coach or Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards to say: decent job.

Yesterday, word from the camp was that four players (Dominic Joseph, Jaden Chan Tack, Sheridan McNish and Talan McMillan) as well as coach Marvin Gordon suffered from suspected food poisoning.

Team manager Shane Beteaudier did not confirm the incident at the time, and there was no mention of it from the TTFA.

Only one from that quartet, Joseph, was expected to start the contest; and he did—although he was the first player replaced after 61 minutes. By then Costa Rica already led 1-0.

The host team got the opening goal in the 21^st minute off a cleverly disguised free kick.

Incidentally, Joseph conceded the spotkick after a clumsy tackle on Costa Rica attacking midfielder Dax Palmer.

And, after Guatemalan referee Diego Ojer’s whistle, Palmer passed to Yamil Leal and moved away—only to receive a precise reverse back into his path by Leal.

With space to line up his shot from 20 yards, Palmer gave Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Bryan Gafiuk no chance with an accurate, low drive into the near corner.

It was, arguably, the one quality moment of the match.

Earlier, Costa Rica might have gone ahead in the 12^th minute, when their six foot seven captain Matias Cordero—Los Ticos’ answer to Dennis Lawrence—fluffed a free header from six yards, off a Leal corner kick.

Costa Rica created little to remember from open play. Their second goal came off another Leal corner in the 72^nd minute, when forward David Garro volleyed home from inside the area after losing his marker, Lyshaun Morris.

And, in the 80^th minute, right back Yerlan Sosa scored from the penalty spot after Adam “Toka” Pierre fouled Costa Rica substitute Gabriel Sibaja.

Sosa was one of four survivors from Costa Rica’s Under-17 team that defeated Trinidad and Tobago in February 2025, along with goalkeeper Ian O’Rourke, attacker Isaac Badilla and substitute Adriel Perez.

Pierre was one of six Trinidad and Tobago players who also featured in that contest, along with Joseph, left back Jaydon Caprietta, forward Phillip Nelson and substitutes Chaz Williams, Caden Trestrail and Josiah Kallicharan.

Last year, Costa Rica got their two goals after Trinidad and Tobago—then led by now controversially suspended coach Shawn Cooper—went down to 10 players, after a flung elbow by Pierre in his own penalty area.

Today’s game was a niggly affair again and, outside of set pieces, there was little to separate the two teams.

But, at the same time, Trinidad and Tobago rarely worried the hosts.

Captain Derrel Garcia returns home with just a fortuitous free kick against Sint Maarten and two assists in that same match to show for his tournament.

Whether the team was ever as fluid and cohesive as necessary to create the stage for Garcia to shine is another matter.

Costa Rica generally kept Garcia and Nelson quiet while the speedy Malachi Webb could not make the most of his infrequent openings. And there was not enough guile around them in red, black and white to compensate.

Off the ball, though, Pierre was immense, assertive, and domineering. Always scowling and cursed with itchy elbows, “Toka” plays on the edge. But he is a hell of an asset when the fury does not tip over.

Credit too to his central defensive partner, Jeremy Meloney, whose calm distribution and physical presence also served Trinidad and Tobago well.

Caprietta gave a solid shift again in defence, without offering the usual impact at the other end. And Morris was well suited to the physicality of this evening’s affair—and did not back down an inch.

Attacker Giovanni Hospedales again brought some cunning from the bench and there was no lack of effort anywhere in Trinidad and Tobago’s white shirts.

But it was not enough.

The standings do not lie: Trinidad and Tobago finished below Barbados at Under-17 level and are now behind Bermuda at Under-20 level.

Edwards, the chair of the TTFA technical committee, has to take some responsibility for that.

It was the TTFA president who unilaterally whittled down the shortlist of coaches for the National Under-20 squad when Randolph Boyce was given the job. He then allowed Boyce to switch to the Under-17 team and hired Gordon, also a rookie head coach at this level, without due process or anything like a transparent recruitment policy.

Gordon and Boyce joined Dwight Yorke (Men’s National Senior Team head coach), Damian Briggs (Women’s National Senior Team head coach), Dernelle Mascall (Women’s National Under-20 Team head coach) and Ayana Russell (Women’s National Under-17 Team head coach) at the helm of the current TTFA executive’s international teams.

Each lacks the credentials to suggest that they offer safe hands at this level.

Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda head to the Concacaf U-20 Championship as Group C winners, along with fellow Caribbean teams Jamaica and Haiti.

Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica will be at the 2026 Fifa U-17 World Cup. Curaçao and Haiti are at the 2026 Fifa World Cup too, while Jamaica and Suriname can still sneak in via inter-confederation playoffs.

And in Trinidad and Tobago?

Well, the National U-20s did their best today. But, in the end, it was not good enough—unless finishing below Bermuda is good enough these days.

(Teams)

Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-1-3): 1.Bryan Gafiuk (GK); 13.Lyshaun Morris (6.Caden Trestrail 77), 4.Adam Pierre, 2.Jeremy Meloney, 5.Jaydon Caprietta; 15.Jadon McShine, 8.Josiah Ochoa; 17.Dominic Joseph (11.Chaz Williams 61); 7.Malachi Webb (20.Giovanni Hospedales 77), 9.Phillip Nelson (19.Josiah Kallicharan 69), 10.Derrel Garcia (captain).

Unused substitutes: 18.Jadon Paul-Alexander (GK), 21.Sylvon Theophilus (GK), 3.Sheridan McNish, 12.Colin Joseph, 14.Talan McMillan, 16.Jaden Chan Tack.

Coach: Marvin Gordon.

Costa Rica (4-2-3-1): 1.Ian O’Rourke (GK); 2.Yerlan Sosa, 3.Matias Cordero (captain), 5.Andres Morera, 12.Dan Granados; 14.Oscar Leal, 6.Jeremi Hernandez (8.Adriel Perez 64); 7.Yamil Leal (11.Kionell Estrada 64), 10.Dax Palmer (17.Gabriel Sibaja 77), 16.Isaac Badilla; 9.David Garro (19.Luis Rodriguez 77).

Unused substitutes: 13.Ramsses Cubero (GK), 18.Fabian Nunez (GK), 4.Andrid Rojas, 15.Nick Bennette, 20.Dylan Oviedo, 21.Keyner Hernandez.

Coach: Randall Row.

Referee: Diego Ojer (Guatemala).

More from Wired868

‘Rules must be applied with fairness and common sense!’ Crown Trace FC protest TTFA NYL disqualification

“[…] I fully understand and respect the rules concerning team sheets. However, rules must also be applied with fairness, common Read more

Unacceptable! Nakhid slams TTFA over unpaid match fees; urges members to intervene

Senator David Nakhid, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, described the non-payment of match fees for Read more

Levi, Kobi, Spicer and Cardines among more than a dozen absentees from King’s squad for Russia friendly

Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Derek King will travel to Russia without squad captain Levi Garcia Read more

Central FC players still owed $308k from glory years; is Sancho partly responsible for T&T football’s slide?

“[…] This matter stems from the period during which Mr Brent Sancho served as owner/chairman of the Central FC club, Read more

“Fed up of the disrespect!” T&T Men’s and Women’s players hit out at TTFA president

On 17 April 2026, the day of their must-win Brazil 2027 World Cup qualifier against El Salvador at the Hasely Read more

Latapy: The problem with T&T football—accountability is not just for players and coaches, it’s for administrators too!

“[…] At the heart of my concern are two critical areas that I believe continue to affect the progress of Read more

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.