Brave T&T go down in Austin
Brave T&T go down in Austin
Ten-man Trinidad and Tobago did well to stave off defending Concacaf Nations League champions USA for 81 minutes in their opening Nations League quarter-final in Austin, Texas on Friday night, but the visitors ran out of gas in the final moments and conceded three late goals, to lose 3-0 at the Q2 Stadium.
Noah Powder’s two first-half yellow cards piled more pressure on T&T from early on and despite holding the hosts scoreless for the majority, the Americans finally broke the deadlock in the 82nd through substitute Ricardo Pepi.
Antonee Robinson (86’) and Giovanni Reyna (89’) affirmed victory for the US and also sank T&T’s hopes of a possible debut at the prestigious Copa America 2024.
From the get-go, the Tim Ream-captained US squad saw more of the ball against the visitors.
The American frontline of Folarin Balogun, Malik Tillman and Reyna threatened early on as wingers Kevin Paredes and Sergino Dest played main providers. Dest had an early attempt pushed overbar by an alert Smith as T&T still tried to find their footing.
Eighteen minutes in, Powder received his first yellow card for a foul on Weston Mckennie, and was then given marching orders for another reckless challenge on the same player, 20 minutes later.
T&T would have to troop it out with ten men against the reigning champions but Andre Raymond and Shannon Gomez were up for it along with skipper Aubrey David.
With their numerical advantage, the US pressed further for the opener and were forced to adopt quick, tight passing to penetrate T&T in the final third. The visitors, however, crowded out the hosts despite Ream’s men still generating ample chances to go up.
Although winger Ryan Telfer had an active first period, he was replaced by Neveal Hackshaw for the final 45 minutes. There was little change for T&T, though, as USA upped the ante in search of the first goal. But T&T never backed down.
Yunus Musah had a strong shot from outside the box pushed away by Smith and Ream headed just wide off the eventual corner, seconds later.
In the 65th minute, T&T’s Daniel Phillips tackled Mckennie in the penalty box and USA was initially awarded a spot kick. However, a VAR check by Jamaican referee Oshane Nation overturned his original decision.
Soon after, T&T brought on Greece-based striker Levi Garcia for Malcolm Shaw and Jesse Williams for Andre Rampersad while the US also bolstered their front line with Brenden Aaronson on for Paredes and Pepi replacing Tillman.
The US pestered the TT defence and swarmed for a goal. Dest regularly searched for a receiver from multiple right-side crosses. David and Raymond looked better at the back for TT as the game went on.
But with ten minutes of regulation time to go, Robinson put a cross in from the left which Pepi used the speed of the ball to lightly nudge it goalwards, and into the net, off Smith’s searching hands.
The Q2 Stadium erupted in celebration while the T&T team, who battled valiantly to hold out 80 minutes, were broken.
Five minutes later, Robinson sent them 2-0 up with a lovely left-footed strike which also grazed Jones’ head past Smith.
Reyna then ended all hopes by outwitting the defence with a “dummy” to Balogun, who played it back to him to score at the near post.
The seven minutes added on were mere protocol as the US grabbed a significant three-goal advantage heading into Monday’s tie.
Robinson was adjudged man of the match.
