Caption: Soca Warriors celebrate 6-2 victory over St Kitts and Nevis
By Prior Beharry
BROOKLYN-born winger Dante Sealy announced himself to Caribbean football – and perhaps reminded US Soccer of what slipped away – with a two-goal senior debut as Trinidad and Tobago hammered St Kitts and Nevis 6-2 in 2026 World Cup qualifying on Friday night.
The 22-year-old CF Montréal attacker, who played for the United States at every youth level but is the son of former Soca Warriors forward Scott Sealy, formally committed his international future to the Soca Warriors only this week. By full-time at Hasely Crawford Stadium, 20,000 fans were singing his name and coach Dwight Yorke was beaming about a recruit he believes “improves our team instantly.”
Yorke said, “I’m sure the Americans will be wondering how we managed to get him,” At the post-match press conference, he said. “He’s a special talent and you saw a glimpse tonight.”
The victory keeps Trinidad and Tobago top of Group B and virtually guarantees passage to Concacaf’s final qualifying round. Only a heavy defeat to Costa Rica in San José on Tuesday – combined with a huge Grenada win in Basseterre – can deny the Warriors.
How it happened
• 9’ Levi Garcia opened the scoring, poking home from close range.
• 18’ Sealy marked his first cap by finishing a slick counter-attack for 2-1 after G’Vaune Amory had levelled.
• 45’ St. Kitts equalised again through Tiquanny Williams, punishing Trinidad for a missed Garcia penalty moments earlier.
• 46’ Captain Kevin Molino restored order, winning and converting a spot-kick seconds after the restart.
• 62’ Sealy rifled his second, a left-foot drive from the edge of the box.
• 74’ Substitute Ajani Fortune made it 5-2 with a curling effort.
• 88’ Another sub, Nathaniel James, completed the rout.
Yorke’s halftime tweaks – left-back Andre Raymond and midfielder Fortune replaced Darnell Hospedales and Andre Rampersad – steadied a shaky defence and unleashed Trinidad’s attack. “We weren’t at the races in the first half,” Yorke admitted. “The changes gave us balance and ruthlessness.”
Crowd revival
Friday’s turnout was the largest for a national-team match in a decade, a fact not lost on the 2006 World Cup captain-turned-coach. Yorke said, “Football has been on the downturn.
He said, “Seeing a full stadium again tells the players that the country believes.”
Sealy’s verdict
“It’s a great feeling, playing in front of my family in Port of Spain,” the winger said after collecting the Man-of-the-Match award. Asked why he chose T&T over the United States, Sealy replied: “Home is where the heart is. I want to help take the Warriors back to the World Cup.”
What’s next
Trinidad and Tobago travel to Costa Rica on Tuesday knowing even a narrow loss should still be enough to top the group. St Kitts and Nevis host Grenada with both sides mathematically alive but needing a minor miracle.
Should Yorke’s men finish the job, the Caribbean side will advance to the eight-team final round that decides Concacaf’s direct berths for the expanded 48-team World Cup in 2026 – a tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
See more photos by AZP Photo Editor Azlan Mohmmed below:
