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The Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team suffered a humbling defeat in Louisville, Kentucky tonight, as the Soca Warriors fell 1-0 to United States second tier club Louisville City FC at the Lynn Family Stadium.
If that was not bad enough—it gets worse.
Louisville City dominated the match despite kicking off with just four regular starters, while they ended with three academy players on the pitch who are yet to make their competitive debut for the adult side.
(via TTFA Media.)
The result is unlikely to boost Warriors coach Derek King’s stature, although he could argue that he lacked the tools to do much better.
Trinidad and Tobago started with 10 players who are in their off-season, plus full back Samory Power, who is largely a substitute for US third division team, Westchester SC, this season.
And only three of King’s players in Louisville—goalkeeper Jabari Brice, defender Justin Garcia and attacker Reon Moore—would consider themselves to be likely picks for Trinidad and Tobago’s match day squad for their opening Concacaf Nations League A contest against Haiti on 24 September.
(via TTFA Media.)
Brice was the Warriors’ stand-out player tonight with at least a half-dozen close range saves, as Louisville City routinely created chances against their visitors.
The burly goalkeeper had no answer for City wingback Cameron Duke in the 42nd minute, though, as the American converted from inside the area after attacker Ray Serrano teed him up from an Emanuel Perez right side cross.
Duke, mind you, has not played a single minute of competitive football for Louisville City this year—although the club, fourth in the East division, played 16 times this season.
Earlier in the first half, Trinidad and Tobago did get two sniffs at goal from Reon Moore, who was denied by the legs of goalkeeper Hugo Faroux in the eighth minute and then shot wide in the 36th minute.
(via TTFA Media.)
The Warriors did have some periods on the ball in the first half, with attacking midfielder Judah Garcia invariably involved. But it was not nearly enough to get something out of the game.
And, after the interval, it was all Louisville City—despite coach Simon Byrd turning to fringe players from the bench, including three teenaged academy members.
King gave a runout to the teenaged trio of midfielder Josiah Ochoa, left back Jaydon Caprietta and 15-year-old Adasa Richardson in the second half. None made any impact on the game.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Trinidad and Tobago are yet to win a football match in 2026, with their last triumph coming away to Bermuda on 10 October 2025, in a World Cup qualifier under then head coach Dwight Yorke.
And it is not since 6 June 2025 that the Soca Warriors won on home soil, with a 6-2 thumping of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Their last three games at the Hasely Crawford Stadium were all draws, against Curaçao, Jamaica and Bermuda respectively.
King must set those runs right when it matters, in September.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 1.Jabari Brice (GK); 5.Samory Powder (2.Jesse Williams 69), 3.Jamali Garcia, 17.Justin Garcia (captain), 19.Shervohnez Hamilton (6.Jaydon Caprietta 69); 8.Adriel George (14.Caleb Borneo 58), 9.Daniel David (12.Josiah Ochoa 69); 23.Kathon St Hillaire (20.Adasa Richardson 81), 11.Judah Garcia, 13.Reon Moore (18.Jariel Arthur 81); 16.Isaiah Lee (15.Jaheim Faustin 69).
Unused substitutes: 21.Teshorne Ragoo (GK), 4.Diego Nanton.
Coach: Derek King.
Louisville City FC (3-4-3): 1.Hugo Faroux (GK) (30.Ryan Troutman GK 70); 16.Carlos Moguel Jr (98.Martin Wicinski 70), 4.Sean Totsch (captain) (31.Kevon Lambert 46), 13.Amadou Dia (3.Jake Morris 63); 15.Emanuel Perez (23.Samuel Gleadle 63), 6.Zachary Duncan, 27.Evan Davila (97.Thomas Weinrich 87), 28.Cameron Duke; 21.Quentin Huerman (99.Cooper Conley 79), 14.Abiola Showunmi (47.Mukwelle Akale 63), 25.Jansen Wilson (7.Ray Serrano 33).
Unused substitutes: 12.Daniel Faundez (GK), 8.Taylor Davila, 9.Christopher Donovan.
Coach: Simon Bird.
Photo: TTFA Media.
Exhibition match
(25 July 2026)
Louisville City FC 1 (Cameron Duke 42), Trinidad and Tobago 0 at the Lynn Family Stadium.
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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.
More like a makeshift football association. There is no makeshift national team. If you put out a team to represent the country then it’s a national team. This was embarrassing.
I am running out of patience!!
End of a era for King!!! He will not continue his role as head coach to lead trinidad in the concacaf nations league 2026-27 Tier 1!! It’s over for him!!!