CHESTER, Pennsylvania, CMC – A second-half penalty from Alvin Jones earned Trinidad and Tobago a surprise victory over Guatemala in a friendly international here Sunday night.
Playing at Subaru Park in the northeast, the 28-year-old struck the decisive blow in the 52nd minute after Real Gill was brought down.
The victory was crucial for Trinidad and Tobago, who will begin their campaign in the CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifiers on Friday against Guadeloupe in Fort Lauderdale.
“I thought it was a solid performance. [Goalkeeper] Marvin [Phillip] didn’t have any problems with shots on goal,” said head coach Angus Eve.
“I thought that [our] guys were very persistent. We played a particular way in the first half to take the crowd out of the game, and then we introduced the youngsters in the second half, and you can see what they brought.
“They brought energy, guile, a little more [bravery] in the future. They were braver than the senior players, which worked well.”
T&T will be one of 12 teams vying for the final three spots in the Gold Cup when the qualifiers get underway from June 16-20 at the DRV PNK Stadium.
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