Soca Warriors stop Panama 2-1.
By Inshan Mohammed.The Soca Warriors stole the show yesterday at the Estadio Romel Fernandez Stadium when they edged host Panama 2-1 in a tight, gritty affair.
It was Trinidad and Tobago’s first away win to Panama since 2005 and also their first in the last 3 meetings with the Central Americans.
Captain Kenwyne Jones led by example and celebrated his birthday in fine-style when he put the Warriors ahead in the 35th minute with an unusual thunderbolt from 20-yards out. The skipper, who turned 31 on October 5th could have had a double minutes later but his header grazed off the top of the cross-bar in the 39th minute.
Radanfah Abu Bakr, who had not scored for his country since 2009, registered his second for T&T when the HB Koge central defender rose the highest to head home a Keron Cummings corner-kick in minute 52 to give T&T a comfortable 2 goal cushion.
The lead lasted just 7 minutes before Panama replied through midfielder Valentin Pimentel in the 59th minute with an easy tap-in pass goalkeeper Marvin Phillip's outstretched hands after some sloppy marking by T&T defence to make it 2-1 and gave the host a life-line.
After the goal, Panama raided the T&T backline and were given room to attack as T&T defence were all over the place but could not find the back off the net. In the end however, the goal ended up being a mere consolation as the Panmen' held on to secure a well deserved 2-1 victory.
T&T will rush back to Port of Spain to face Nicaragua in 5-days time at the Hasley Crawford Stadium from 7pm. Panama will head to Mexico to face that country on the same day.
T&T 2 v Panama 1Jones 35 Pimentel 59
Abu Bakr 52
TeamsTrinidad & Tobago - 1.Marvin Phillip; 16.Gavin Hoyte (2.Aubrey David 79th), 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 4.Sheldon Bateau (23.Daneil Cyrus 55th), 17.Mekeil Williams; 20.Keron Cummings, 8.Khaleem Hyland, 14.Andre Boucaud (19.Kevan George 64th), 3.Joevin Jones (15.Neveal Hackshaw 77th); 7.Jonathan Glenn (11.Trevin Caesar 46th), 9.Kenwyne Jones (capt) (10.Willis Plaza 81st).
Unused substitutes: - 21.Jan-Michael Williams (GK), 13.Aikim Andrews, 18.Yohance Marshall.
Coach: - Stephen Hart.
Panama: - 1.Jaime Penedo (12.Luis Mejia 46th); 6.Gabriel Gomez, 13.Adolfo Machado, 23.Felipe Baloy (capt), 15.Erick Davis (17.Luis Henriquez 62nd); 14.Valentin Pimentel (8.Gabriel Torres 79th), 11.Armando Cooper (2.Leonel Parris 46th), 20.Anibal Godoy (7.Renan Addles 62nd), 19.Alberto Quintero; 9.Roberto Nurse, 10.Luis Tejada (16.Rolando Blackburn 62nd).
Unused substitutes: - 22.Jose Calderon (GK), 3.Roderick Miller, 4.Abdiel Macea, 18.Darwin Pinzon, 21.Ricardo Buitrago.
Coach: - Hernan Gomez.
Videos: -
T&T vs Panama Highlights.
Post Match reactions from Hart and Jones after 2-1 victory over Panama.
Venue: - Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama.