T&T senior men defeated by Bolivia
T&T senior men defeated by Bolivia
The Trinidad and Tobago Senior Men’s National Team were defeated 3-0 by Bolivia in an international friendly at the Estadio Ramón Tahuichi Aguilera in Santa Cruz de la Sierra on Sunday, as Warriors continued preparations and evaluation of players ahead of upcoming international assignments.
The match, played outside of the FIFA international window, offered interim head coach Derek King an opportunity to assess several players while giving a number of new faces their first taste of senior international football.
Five players made their senior international debuts during the encounter, highlighting the developmental focus of the trip as the coaching staff continues to broaden the player pool and evaluate options for the national programme.
Goalkeeper Jabari Brice, one of the debutants on the day, delivered a confident performance between the posts in the early stages of the contest. Brice produced a number of sharp saves in the opening half, including a strong close-range stop to deny Bolivian captain Luis Haquin, helping Trinidad and Tobago remain competitive during a period of sustained pressure from the hosts.
Bolivia, preparing for an upcoming inter-confederation playoff later this month, eventually opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Haquin headed home from close range following a set-piece situation.
The home side extended their lead shortly before the halftime interval through forward Juan Godoy, who finished after a quick attacking move, before adding a third early in the second half when winger Fernando Nava converted from inside the area.
Despite the scoreline,T&T had their moments and showed glimpses of attacking promise. Forward Ryan Telfer produced one of Trinidad and Tobago’s best attacking opportunities of the first half when he drove forward on the counterattack and forced an important defensive challenge from the Bolivian back line.
The visitors also came close from a set-piece situation, with defender Ross Russell Jr narrowly missing the target following a corner kick.
King utilised the second half to introduce several young players and emerging prospects, continuing the process of giving international exposure to the next generation of national team talent. Among those seeing action were Adam Pierre, Lindell Sween, Jaheim Faustin, and Elijah Cordner, all of whom gained valuable minutes at the senior international level.
Captain Andre Rampersad and midfielder Shervohnez Hamilton worked hard in midfield throughout the contest, while experienced players such as Joevin Jones and Alvin Jones provided leadership for the younger members of the squad.
Speaking after the match, King emphasised the importance of the experience for the group and the opportunities it provided to evaluate players within the national team set-up.
“You always want to win games, but this was also a valuable opportunity to expose a number of younger players to the demands of international football,” King said. “We were able to look at some new players and there were positives we can take as we continue building.”
The outing forms part of Trinidad and Tobago’s continued preparations ahead of the upcoming FIFA Series, where the Warriors will face Venezuela on 27 March and Gabon on 30 March in Tashkent.
Those matches will provide further opportunities for the coaching staff to refine the squad and continue building cohesion as the team looks ahead to upcoming international matches in 2026 including the Concacaf Nations League in September.
Trinidad and Tobago : 1.Jabari Brice (GK); 14.Isaiah Garcia, 4.Jesse Williams, 16.Alvin Jones (6.Adam Pierre 45), 2.Darnell Hospedales (5.Elijah Cordner 75), 17.Ross Russell Jr; 19.Shervohnez Hamilton (10.Daniel David 62), 18.Andre Rampersad (captain); 3.Joevin Jones (15.Lindell Sween 62); 9.Addae Paponette (11.Kathon St Hillaire 46), 7.Ryan Telfer (23.Jaheim Faustin 75).
Unused substitutes: 21.Teshorne Ragoo (GK), 8.Kaieem Lewis, 12.Jaydon Caprietta, 13.James Lester, 20.Derrel Garcia.
Injured: 22.Jabari St Hillaire (GK).
Coach: Derek King.
Bolivia : 23.Guillermo Viscarra (GK) (12.Geronimo Govea GK 74); 17.Lucas Macazaga (5.Richet Gomez 76), 4.Luis Haquin (captain), 2.Marcelo Torrez, 16.Ervin Vaca (7.Victor Abrego 61); 6.Hector Cuellar, 8.Moises Villaroel; 20.Carlos Melgar, 14.Robson Matheus, 11.Fernando Nava (10.Jesus Maraude 74); 18.Juan Godoy (13.Guilmar Centella 76).
Unused substitutes: 1.Carlos Lampe (GK), 3.Ian Rodriguez, 19.Nabil Nacif, 21.Carlos Collazo.
Coach: Oscar Villegas.
