Draw sends T&T to Gold Cup Prelims
Draw sends T&T to Gold Cup Prelims
Trinidad and Tobago and Nicaragua played to a 1-1 draw to decide the top spots in Group C of League B in the 2022–23 Concacaf Nations League at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Trinidad and Tobago.
Nicaragua needed only a tie to secure the top spot and did just that, booking promotion to League A and direct qualification to the 2023 Gold Cup.
Trinidad and Tobago will participate in the Gold Cup Prelims to decide their fate in this summer’s tournament.
The home side had the first opportunity of the match in the 13’ after making use of an indirect free kick to strike inside the box, but Rundell Winchester’s hit was just left of the post.
Shannon Gomez used his speed and quickness to find the open space and deliver a knifing pass into the box for Kaile Auvray in the 20’ but defender Erick Tellez was there to deny the effort with a timely tackle.
Against the run of play, the visitors took the lead in the 27’ with a smashing header from Ariagner Smith. The first shot for Nicaragua proved good for Smith’s sixth international goal and third of this CNL campaign.
The hosts transformed a throw-in into a penalty in their favor due to Ryan Telfer being brought down by Oscar Acevedo in the 41’. Captain Joevin Jones stepped up to convert the spot kick and tie the encounter 1-1.
After the halftime break, Nicaragua nearly regained the lead on a magnificent scorpion kick attempt by Kevin Serapio in the 48’, only to be denied by the woodwork.
Auvray displayed some nifty footwork to work his way into the box in the 50’ but his attempt was safely recovered by goalkeeper Miguel Rodriguez.
Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup had an important save on the other end in the 60’ to deny Juan Moreno a clean look at goal.
Despite various attempts by the home side to leave with a victory, Nicaragua was able to hang on and earn the draw. The home fans went into a frenzy when it appeared that substitute Marcus Joseph got the ball into the back of the net late in added on time but the assistant referee assistant referee Cory Richardson, position on the far side behind the play, waved his flag and American referee Armando Villareal ruled out the goal for a hand offence by Joseph ball inside the box. The game also saw the Nicaraguans using several delaying tactics in the late stages which included members of their technical area taking balls from out of play and throwing it onto the pitch while the match was in progress, forcing stoppages.
T&T will now have to win two Gold Cup prelim matches in June.The 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification tournament will determine the final three teams to qualify for the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The teams confirmed so far to compete in the playoffs are T&T, Curacao, Martinique, St Lucia, St Kitts/Nevis, Grenada, Puerto Rico, French Guiana, Guyana Guadeloupe and Suriname.
The draw is scheduled to be held on 14 April 2023, 12:00 PDT (UTC−7), at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.Twelve teams will participate in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup Qualifiers based on the results of the 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League. These teams are the four group third-placed teams of 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A, the four second-place finishers from League B and the four group winners from League C.
TEAMS
Trinidad and Tobago: 21.Nicklas Frenderup (GK); 14.Shannon Gomez, 12.Kareem Moses, 2.Aubrey David, 19.Keston Julien (18.Triston Hodge 73); 5.Andre Rampersad, 15.Kaile Auvray (11.John-Paul Rochford 68);9.Michel Poon-Angeron (6.Noah Powder 68); 17.Rundell Winchester (13.Reon Moore 46).7.Ryan Telfer, 3.Joevin Jones (captain) (10.Marcus Joseph 78), 1
Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 22.Denzil Smith (GK), 4.Leland Archer, 16.Alvin Jones, 20.Molik Khan, 23.Jomal Williams.
Head Coach: Angus Eve
Nicaragua 12.Miguel Rodriguez (GK); 5.Marvin Fletes, 6.Luis Fernando Copete (14.Jason Coronel 46), 4.Erick Tellez; 20.Kevin Serapio (15.Melvin Hernandez 72); 2.Josue Quijano, 17.Matias Moldskred, 11.Juan Barrera (captain) (10.Byron Bonilla 46), 3.Oscar Acevedo (21.Francisco Flores 67); 7.Ariagner Smith, 9.Jaime Moreno,
Unused substitutes: 1.Alyer Lopez (GK), 8.Jonathan Moncada, 13.Henry Garcia, 16.Harold Medina, 18.Luis Coronel, 19.Abner Acuña, 22.Brayan Lopez.
Head Coach: Marco Figueroa
