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Soca Warriors blank Guyana 2-0 in 2nd friendly.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
THE Soca Warriors won the second of two friendlies against Guyana 2-0 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on May 15.
Second-half goals by Michel Poon-Angeron and substitute Kevon 'Showtime' Woodley were enough for Trinidad and Tobago on the night.
Soca Warriors used the matches as preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers which start on June 5 against Grenada at Hasely Crawford Stadium at 7.30 pm.
T&T head coach Angus Eve changed the entire starting XI which defeated Guyana 2-1 on Monday, except for defensive midfielder Kevon Goddard.
In the sixth minute, T&T's Shervohnez Hamilton evaded a defender and hit a low cross. The ball eventually fell to Poon-Angeron, but the midfielder lost his footing and never got the shot off.
T&T controlled possession in the opening ten minutes of play but did not test Guyana goalkeeper Jamine Cumberbatch.
Captain Justin Garcia and Josiah Trimmingham looked composed at the back, shutting down any attacks from Guyana before they developed.
In the 18th minute, a low cross by TT's Jabari Mitchell could not find a sliding Brent Sam. Two minutes later an identical play between the two should have made it 1-0, but with just the goalie to beat Sam shot wide from eight yards out.
Andre Raymond, playing as a left wing back, created multiple chances with his crosses.
After a Garcia header struck the post, T&T midfielder Duane Muckette almost gifted Guyana a goal.
Muckette gave away the ball deep in the T&T half, but Guyana failed to make him pay.
In the 27th minute, Guyana could have taken the lead against the run of play. The ball fell to Darron Niles near the penalty spot, but TT goalie Aaron Enill made himself big and made the save.
In the 39th, Raymond found Mitchell with a neat through ball but the latter's cross from the byline was cleared by Guyana.
At halftime, it was still goalless.
Two minutes into the second half, Muckette had a golden opportunity to give TT the lead but his header at the far post following a corner went wide.
T&T took the lead in the 53rd minute. Substitute Woodley found Mitchell with a through ball. Mitchell's shot from a tight angle was only cleared to Poon-Angeron and the central midfielder's left-footed shot was perfectly placed into the corner.
After conceding, Guyana started to keep possession more as they went in search of an equaliser.
Despite their possession, Guyana did not test Denzil Smith in the T&T goal who came on for Enill at halftime.
In the 77th minute, T&T's goalscorers from Monday teamed up to double the advantage for Soca Warriors.
Ezekiel Kesar picked the pocket of a Guyana defender and unselfishly found Woodley.
Woodley's shot deflected into the net.
Guyana forced Smith into a tough save as time started to run out.
The T&T subs brought energy to the contest with their fresh legs, but Guyana avoided any further damage.
(Squads)
Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 21.Aaron Enill (GK) (22.Denzil Smith [GK] 46); 2.Isaiah Garcia, 5.Josiah Trimmingham, 17.Justin Garcia (captain), 6.Andre Raymond; 18.Kevon Goddard (15.Simeon Bailey 86), 8.Michel Poon-Angeron (16.Matthew Woo Ling 74); 14.Jabari Mitchell (9.Ezekiel Kesar 74), 10.Duane Muckette (13.Daniel David 74), 4.Shervohnez Hamilton (7.Isaiah Lee 46 [20.Lindell Sween 80]); 19.Brent Sam (23.Kevon Woodley 46).
Unused substitutes: 3.Ross Russell Jr, 11.Adriel George, 12.Robert Primus.
Coach: Angus Eve
Guyana (3-5-2): 1.Jamine Cumberbatch (GK) (22.Amari Thompson [GK] 80); 14.Curtez Kellman, 3.Kevin Layne (21.Cedric Osborne 82), 19.Quincy Adams; 16.Nicholai Andrews, 6.Darron Niles (8.Chris Macey 61), 17.Daniel Wilson (captain), 2.Leo-Orion Lovell (15.Ryan Hackett 61), 4.Terique Mohammed (20.Amos Ramsay 80); 11.Kelsey Benjamin (7.Marcus Tudor 61), 9.Anthony Smith (23.Simeon Moore).
Unused substitutes: 18.Simon Emanuel (GK), 10.Stephen McDonald, 12.Solomon Austin, 13.Bevan Baker.
Coach: Jamaal Shabazz
Referee: Timothy Derry.
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