Yorke: Far from over
Yorke: Far from over
Head coach Dwight Yorke said his team were bitterly unlucky to come away without a point against rivals Jamaica in their Fifa 2026 World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica on September 9.
T&T attacker Levi Garcia found the back of the net three times, but was ruled out for offside on each occasion as T&T were left cursing their luck with the Reggae Boyz walking away with a 2-0 victory.
Curacao, who played to a goalless draw with TT on September 5 before getting a 3-2 win over Bermuda on September 9, are now second on four points. TT (one point) and Bermuda (zero points) are third and fourth, respectively with Jamaica leading on 6 points.
“We came in here with every intention of getting something from the game and yet we’ve left with nothing to show despite the performance from the players and dominating Jamaica on their home turf,” Yorke said at the post-match conference.
“We outplayed them. We had more shots on target. Scoring three goals and not getting one. There are a lot of things in there that are really good, but it doesn’t change the scoreline for us and that’s the huge disappointment. Jamaica will feel like they got away with one tonight.”
T&T outshot their opponents 13-10, although only two of the visitors’ efforts were on target. T&T also had 56 per cent possession compared to Jamaica’s 44 per cent, while the Yorke’s team completed 366 passes to Jamaica’s 293. In the end, though, for the second game of this final round, T&T were unable to find the back of the net legally and paid the cake for a pair of defensive lapses at the other end.
“We all know goals change the momentum in the game and we felt we scored a genuine goal (in the) first half. We also thought we should have had a penalty which wasn’t given.
“They (Jamaica) were given two chances and certainly from our side, they took those two chances. From that perspective, we’re hugely disappointed. But, we’re scratching our heads how Jamaica have taken three points from us,” Yorke said.
“We’re just making these little blunders and letting teams in. It’s really causing us these problems. Teams aren’t really creating chances to beat us. We’re actually gifting these teams chances. It’s an area we have to better in. At times, we’ve shown we can really be resilient, but when you give teams a head start like we have given Jamaica, it’s a bit of a blow.”
After a bright start by Jamaica, Garcia, who stood in as captain for the suspended Kevin Molino, thought he had given TT the lead with a slick finish in the 29th minute after cutting inside defender Richard King in the penalty box. With Garcia’s goal being ruled out by video assistant referee (VAR) Diego Ojer, Jamaica took the lead just seven minutes later when forward Bailey Cadamarteri pounced on miscommunication at the back between central defenders Kobi Henry and Josiah Trimmingham to fire past goalie Denzil Smith.
T&T started the second half on the front foot, but were pegged back when Jonathan Russell scored from close range in the 57th minute after Henry inadvertently headed the ball into the Jamaican midfielder’s path. Smith and company pleaded for an offside call, but VAR upheld the original decision as the goal stood.
In the 64th minute, T&T thought they had a way back in the contest when Garcia slotted past Jahmali Waite at the end of a Steffen Yeates pass. However, Garcia’s effort was chalked off by VAR once again while he was ruled offside for a third time just eight minutes later when he pounced on a rebound from a Nathaniel James shot.
“Clearly, I’m not happy about certain things but it is what it is and we can’t change the result at the moment. Performance-wise, I’m very pleased with my players,” Yorke said.
“I’m sure everyone who has looked at both games (know that) T&T shouldn’t be in the position we’re in. But we are…we need to dust ourselves down and we need to regroup again and look forward to the Bermuda game away next time.”
‘It ain’t over until it’s over’
With two crucial away qualifiers against Bermuda (October 10) and Curacao (October 14) to come in the next window, Yorke said his team should not be written off just yet.
“One thing for sure, there are 12 points to play for…we’ve got to make sure that when we come together again and take care of the games in front of us. That’s all we can concentrate on,” he said.
“We play Bermuda next. They’re coming off two defeats. Looking at it from our point of view, that’s a must-win game to get back in the thick of things.
“We’re playing catch-up at the moment, but I’ve been in football long enough to know that it’s never over until it’s really over. I’ve got to make sure and keep the boys positive.”
Apart from cleaning up defensive lapses and fighting against a reactive tendency, Yorke said it’s no secret that his team needs to improve in front of goal.
“As much as we think we’ve dominated Jamaica and dominated the game at home, we just haven’t converted. In that final third, we seem to be lacking a little bit, and we need to be a bit more clinical in those areas, especially when we’re dominating teams like we have.”
He said T&T stuck their game plan and didn’t allow the hosts to play through them. Of course, the final piece to T&T’s attacking puzzle was missing, and their two efforts on target were Garcia’s first-half stoppage-time shot, which was well-saved by Waite, and the James effort, which led to the team’s third offside goal.
“In every aspect, you look at the stats and it shows. The one stat that has gone against us is the goals. They certainly beat us in that department. At the end of the day…it’s all about the result and Jamaica got the result and we didn’t.”
Trinidad and Tobago : 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 19.Rio Cardines, 3.Kobi Henry, 5.Josiah Trimmingham, 23.Noah Powder; 14.Wayne Frederick II (6.Jerrin Jackie 73), 18.Andre Rampersad (vice-captain); 7.Steffen Yeates (9.Nathaniel James 64), 15.Dante Sealy (12.Ryan Telfer 64), 11.Levi Garcia (captain) (16.Justin Obikwu 73), 13.Tyrese Spicer (20.Kaïlé Auvray 74).
Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 21.Jabari St Hillaire (GK), 2.Darnell Hospedales, 4.Isaiah Garcia, 8.Andre Raymond, 10.Real Gill, 17.Justin Garcia.
Head Coach: Dwight Yorke.
Jamaica : 23.Jahmali Waite (GK); 2.Dexter Lembikisa, 6.Richard King, 17.Damion Lowe (captain), 22.Gregory Leigh; 14.Isaac Hayden; 18.Jonathan Russell (19.Jahshaun Anglin 76), 8.Kasey Palmer (15.Karoy Anderson 52); 7.Tyreece Campbell (10.Kaheim Dixon 52), 12.Bailey Cadamarteri (11.Shamar Nicholson 76), 20.Renaldo Cephas (4.Mason Holgate 79).
Unused substitutes: 1.Tafari Chambers (GK), 13.Shaquan Davis (GK), 3.Kevon Lambert, 5.Jamoi Topey, 9.Michail Antonio, 16.Kyle Duncan, 21.Ronaldo Webster.
Head Coach: Steve McClaren.
Referee: Mario Escobar (Guatemala)
