PORT-OF-SPAIN – Dwight Yorke’s dream of leading Trinidad and Tobago to the 2026 FIFA World Cup were crushed on Thursday night when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in their crucial CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier.
Needing a win to give themselves a chance of finishing as one of the top two sides in the group, the draw left T&T on six points from their five games, behind Jamaica on 10 points, while Curacao, who thumped Bermuda 7-0, leads with 11 points.
With just one game remaining against Bermuda, T&T can only finish on a maximum nine points.
It means Jamaica and Curacao will clash in their last round match on November the 18, with Jamaica needing a win to secure an automatic spot to the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Playing at the Hasely Crawford Stadium and buoyed by their home support, T&T started brightly and were unlucky not to have taken the lead in the 25th minute, but Levi Garcia sent his shot just wide of the post after dancing into the 18-yard box.
Jamaica’s goalkeeper Andre Blakes was then called into action in the 37th minute to deny Tyrese Spencer’s powerful shot.
Two minutes later against the run of play, Jonathan Russell thought he had given the visitors the lead with a header, but the goal was disallowed by VAR for offside.
Following a goalless first half, Renaldo Cephas gave Jamaica the lead in the 53rd minute, capping off a fast break down the left flank by cutting in and slotting the ball into the bottom right corner.
With T&T desperate for an equaliser, Garcia headed inches wide of the post in the 71st minute.
Substitute Kevin Molino gave the hosts hope when he equalized in the 85th minute with a right-footed finish from close range.
However, despite pushing forward T&T could not find that all-important winner.
Meanwhile, Curacao put themselves in a strong position to finish top of the group by hammering Bermuda.
Playing at the Dame Flora Duffy National Sports Centre in Devonshire, Bermuda, Curacao were led to victory by Jordi Paulinha, who netted a brace in a one-sided contest.
Leandro Bacuna opened the scoring with a penalty in the sixth minute, before Juninho Bacuna doubled the lead in the 32nd with a blast from distance.
Paulina made his international debut in spectacular fashion, forcing a penalty kick as the goalkeeper took him down in the penalty area, and then burying the conversion from the spot in the 48th minute to make it 3-0.
Sonja Hansen added to the scoring in the 58th minute with a tap-in from the middle of the box, and Paulina recorded his brace five minutes later when he pounced on a rebound from the keeper and slotted Curaçao’s fifth of the night.
Ar’Jany Martha smashed a free kick in the back of the nets in the 82nd minute and Roshon van Eijma caught the keeper by surprise in the second minute of added time with a screamer from distance. (CMC)
