NIGEL SIMON
Senior Multimedia Reporter
nigel.simon@guardian.co.tt
T&T Soca Warriors suffered a 4-1 loss against neighbours Venezuela in their FIFA Series opener at Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan this morning.
For the 50th world ranked Venezuelans debutant striker Delvin Alfonzo and veteran striker Solomon Rondon both scored twice to cancel out a go-ahead item for T&T by Vietnam-based striker Reon Moore in a clash of two nations who failed to qualify for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA/Canada/Mexico from their respective Concacaf and South American qualifiers.
The outcome for the 97th world ranked Soca Warriors could have been much different against the South Americans had T&T captain, Levi Garcia of Russian club Spartak Moscow converted from the penalty-spot inside the first minute.
The 45-year-old T&T interim coach Derek King and his squad was presented with a dream start when Oman-based midfielder Duane Muckette was bundled over by goalkeeper Cristopher Varela within 45 seconds of the start.
However, from the resulting spot-kick, Varela redeemed himself when he dived to his left and parried a left footed strike from Garcia onto the post and back into play.
At the other end of the field, the T&T defence managed to keep things tight with Venezuela only have one real chance at goal, which was skied over the bar.
Seven minutes into the second-half, Garcia redeemed himself by turning provider for T&T's opener when he eluded Jorge Yriarte on the right side of the 18-yard box and whipped in a right-footed cross which was parried away by Varela, but only into the path of an unmarked Moore, 29, whose one-time left footed volley into the turf, beat three defenders on the line and into the net for the 1-0 lead and his 11th goal in 33 appearances
T&T's lead lasted only eight minutes though as a turn-over by Canada-based Andre Rampersad in midfield led to Gleiker Mendoza picking out an unmarked debutant Delvin Alfonzo, who took two touches before blasting past T&T goalkeeper Denzil Smith on his near post to level the score at 1-1.
Seven minutes later, Alfonzo benefitted from some more sloppy defensive work by T&T when a left sided centre from Jorge Yriarte was allowed to run across the T&T six-yard line by defender Justin Garcia, where an on-rushing Alfonzo hammered home from close range for a 2-1 lead.
King then made a quartet of changes with the hope of getting back into the contest with Moore, Dantaye Gilbert, Muckette and Ryan Telfer making way for Roal Mitchell, Daniel David, Nathaniel James and Real Gill.
However, it was the Venezuelan substitute and stalwart Rondon, who replaced Alejandro Marques in the 62nd minute who made an immediate impact for his team, beating the T&T off-side trap and running onto a ball over the top from fellow substitute Luis Gonzales to fire a right footed effort low past Smith for a 3-1 cushion in the 81st minute.
And four minutes later Rondon, 36, completed his double, when he latched onto a clever ball from another second-half introduction Carlos Sosa, to tuck the ball under Smith, with his 50th goal in 122 appearances to hand debutant coach Oswaldo Vizcarrondo the win.
The Soca Warriors, who were beaten 3-0 in their lone friendly on March 15 away to Bolivia prior to Friday's match will now turn their attention to their meeting with Gabon on Monday, March 30 while Venezuela takes on Uzbekistan.
In Friday's other match, Uzbekistan faces Gabon.
Yesterday's FIFA Series result:
Venezuela 4 (Delvin Alfonzo 60th, 67th, Solomon Rondon 81st, 85th) vs T&T 1 (Reon Moore 52nd)
