Match Report
| Mexico | Trinidad & Tobago | |
|---|---|---|
 |
   |
 |
| Clint Marcelle (59') Jerren Nixon (75') | ||
Concacaf Gold Cup
| Date | Venue | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-02-04 | Oakland Coliseum | Oakland, CA, United States | 17256 |
Mexico breezes in Gold Cup opener
| Luis Hernandez and Francisco Palencia scored goals within a two-minute span of the second half as Mexico defeated Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 in a first-round game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament Wednesday night at the Oakland Coliseum. Hernandez scored two goals and Ramon Ramirez also scored for Mexico. Jerren Nixon scored for Trinidad and Tobago, which also got a score on an own goal. While Trinidad and Tobago had a couple of scoring chances, Mexico dominated most of the first half, keeping the ball in Trinidad and Tobago's zone for more than 30 minutes. After several near misses, Mexico scored its first goal in the 37th minute when Ramirez took a crossing pass from Francisco Palencia in front of the net and kicked the ball to the right of Trinidad and Tobago goalie Clayton Ince. Trinidad and Tobago received a gift goal in the 59th minute when Mexico defender Dulio Davino, who was trying to play the ball back to goalie Oscar Perez, kicked it past him and into the net instead. Hernandez's goal in the 63rd minute snapped the 1-1 tie. After taking a crossing pass from Ramirez, Hernandez kicked the ball into the back of the net from eight yards out. Less than two minutes later, Mexico found the Trinidad and Tobago defense out of place, and Palencia converted a one-on-one situation, beating Ince from 10 yards out. Nixon scored for Trinidad and Tobago in the 75th minute when he picked up a loose ball after a mad scramble in front of the net and kicked it past Perez to the left. Hernandez closed the scoring for Mexico with his second goal in the82nd minute. |
| LINEUP | |
| 20. | Clayton Ince |
| 4. | Marvin Andrews |
| 6. |  Shurland David |
 74' Stokely Mason | |
| 13. | Ansil Elcock |
| 16. | Colvin Hutchinson |
| 3. | Sherwyn Julien  4 ' |
| 12. | David Nakhid (capt.) |
| 5. | Anthony Rougier |
| 14. | Stern John |
| 7. | Clint Marcelle |
| 87' Gary Glasgow | |
| 11. | Jerren Nixon |
| 80' Peter Prosper | |
| SUBSTITUTES | |
| 8. | Stokely Mason |
| 15. | Gary Glasgow |
| 9. | Peter Prosper |
| COACH | |
| Bertille St. Clair | |
| SUBSTITUTIONS | |
| 74' | Stokely Mason for Shurland David |
| 80' | Peter Prosper for Jerren Nixon |
| 87' | Gary Glasgow for Clint Marcelle |
| YELLOW CARDS | |
| 4' | Sherwyn Julien |