Playing before an enthusiastic crowd of 8,000, T&T settled early and were knocking the ball around very well.

The Cubans in contrast never really got into any kind of rhythm for most of the first 1/2. The first T&T goal came after a series of REALLY nice knocks just outside the penalty area, with Jabloteh’s Otis Seaton (AKA Aurtis Whitley) poking it past the Cuban goal-keeper. The second goal was an OWN GOAL scored when a dangerous cross from Cornell Glenn on the right flanks found Cuban defender Yeniel Harquez trying to prevent Nigel Pierre from sending a header into goal, and inadvertently doing the job himself! 2-0, T&T. There was little to see after that goal, coming just before the end of the first half.

In the second half, the game was turned on its head, as Cuba began to assert themselves and even managed to grab an goal early in the second half, substitute Mikael Galindo scored for Cuba! It came when a cross from their left was headed past Kelvin Jack after some slack defending in the box by the T&T defenders. Trinidad and Tobago should have increased their lead in the 51st, but skipper Keyeno Thomas headed a Glenn corner wide. After that the Cubans controlled much of the game in terms of possession but created few noteworthy chances. With time running out, T&T introduced Starworld striker Bevon Lewis for Nigel Pierre, North East Stars Jerron Nixon for Cornell Glenn and Kevin Jeffrey for Aurtis Whitley, these subs however made little to impact on the game! All in all, a much better performance than I had expected from what was essentially a Jabloteh + 3 squad :-) They did themselves and T&T proud! Someone in the crowd wondered if we had fielded these locals in the Gold Cup Qualifiers against Cuba perhaps they would have qualified, who knows ?

Probable T&T Line-up.
Kelvin Jack, Ian Gray, Keyeno Thomas (capt), Atiba Charles, Cyd Gray, Kerwyn Jemmott, Trent Noel, Romauld Aguillera, Otis Seaton (Kevin Jeffrey), Cornell Glenn (Jerron Nixon), Nigel Pierre (Bevon Lewis).

Subs:
Peter Ramon Fortune, Larry Joseph, Kester Cornwall, Maurice Jackson, Andre Charles.

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