A late afternoon thunderstorm and TTFA's continued ineptitude combine to have the stadium half empty for the 8:00pm kickoff against Costa Rica.
By 8:15, the game already started, multiple entries are finally opened and the stadium fills to capacity. (and Gary Griffith beats his chest)
It is a cool evening and the field is slick from the late afternoon shower. This benefits CRs slick quick passing and they settle first. T&T is on the back foot for the first 20 mins and are lucky not to be behind with Phillips making a couple of sharp reflex saves from Campbell after a couple of quick one twos between him and Brian Ruiz catch Mitchell and Bateau Square and Campbell through on goal.
The break through for Costa Rica comes in the 35thmin when Ruiz, instead of playing the through ball, takes a shot at the top right of the 18 which Phillips can only parry into the path of the on rushing Bolanos. 1-0 CR.
The goal silences the crowd and CR proceed to pressure T&T with a high press for the remainder of the half. The pressure pays off 5mins after the first goal when Campbell scores a scrappy item off a short corner to give the CR a two goal lead.
CR continues the high press but in the 45th min T&T finally play the ball out through Bateau who finds Boucaud in the middle. A quick pass to to the speedy Cato on the wing sees him through on goal but he is tackled from behind by Gonzales in the box. Gonzales is given his marching orders and K. Jones slots the PK past the dive of Pemberton in Goal. 1-2 Half time score CR down to 10 men.
The second half sees Hart revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation instead of the 4-4-2 he started with. Now playing down a man CR begin to hold a deeper line and T&T finally are able to get more possession in the middle. Garcia is brought on for Cato in the 65min and immediately he and J Jones begin pressing both wings with pace. The final ball to the middle us lacking however. It isn't until the 78th min when Garcia collects the ball at midfield and runs at Gamboa cutting inside and feeding a delightful through ball to Molino. Molino calmly dinks the ball over the on rushing Pemberton to send the HCS into an uproar. 2-2.
The last 10 mins see T&T going to the direct routes sending long diagonal balls into K Jones. In the 87th He is able to get above the tiring defense to head down to JJones at the top right of the 18 yard box. The younger Jones hits a sweet one time shot into the top right corner past a despairing Pemberton. 3-2 T&T.
CR push forward in the final 3mins of extra time and almost get an equalizer with their first real threat of the second half when Ruiz hits the cross bar with a long range shot after being given way to much space by Hyland. T&T hold on for a much needed victory in the first game of the Hex.
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