T&T fall 4-1 to Venezuela
T&T lose FIFA Series opener to Venezuela
Trinidad and Tobago suffered a 4-1 defeat to Venezuela in their opening match of the FIFA Series 2026 in Tashkent on Friday.
At the Pakhtakor Central Stadium, in humid conditions at a 3pm kick off, T&T started on the front foot and were handed a golden opportunity inside the opening minute. A foul on Duane Muckette resulted in a penalty, but Levi Garcia struck his effort against the post, allowing Venezuela an early escape.
Despite that setback, T&T, under interim head coach Derek King, remained composed and disciplined throughout the first half, restricting Venezuela’s attacking threat and showing confidence in possession as the teams went into the break locked at 0-0.
The breakthrough came in the 52nd minute when Vietnam based forward Reon Moore finished clinically for his eleventh international goal to give Trinidad and Tobago a 1-0 lead. The goal came after enterprising play on the right by Garcia.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically soon after.Venezuela responded through Delvin Alfonzo, who equalized in the 60th minute before adding his second just seven minutes later to turn the game on its head.
With T&T find it hard to regain their structure, Venezuela pressed their advantage. Veteran striker Salomón Rondón came off the bench to help the South Americams take control of the closing stages, scoring twice in quick succession in the 81st and 85th minutes to seal a 4-1 victory.
The late flurry of goals punished a lapse in concentration from T&T , who had looked competitive and organized for large portions of the contest.
Post-Match Reaction – Head Coach Derek King
King pointed to the team’s strong start but acknowledged the costly lapses:
“First of all, I thought we gave a very good account of ourselves for the first 60 minutes of the game. We were organized, disciplined, and we showed courage both with and without the ball. We were able to take the lead early in the second half, which was a positive reflection of our work.”
“Unfortunately, at this level, moments decide games. We conceded a soft goal, and after that we lost a bit of our structure and concentration, and that’s something we have to address quickly.”
He identified the equalizer as the key turning point:“I think the turning point was the first goal we conceded. It came from a situation we should manage better. At this level, those moments shift momentum. After that, we lost a bit of composure and structure, and Venezuela capitalized.”
Reflecting on the overall performance, King added: “This is a young group with some experienced players, and these types of games are part of the learning process. There are clear positives, but also clear lessons. We have to be more consistent over 90 minutes.
“I am disappointed with the outcome. We lost focus in key moments. We have to learn how to manage games better. The first 60 minutes are a big positive… That shows the players can compete at this level. We have to improve, defensively not just as a back line, but as a team.”
According to King, defending ‘”is collective structure, communication, and concentration across the pitch.”
T&T will face Gabon in its second game on Monday in Tashkent.
