Trinidad and Tobago gave a mediocre performance in their 2-0 defeat to hosts Antigua/Barbuda and put themselves in an all too familiar position of having to depend on final day results to stay alive in a competition.
The "Soca Warriors" will have to defeat Dominican Republic today and hope for a Haiti win over the hosts in the second game of the double header for a clear-cut passage to the semifinals and the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Finals.
The defeat broke T&T's seven-match unbeaten run in the competition dating back to their opening 4-1 win over French Guiana in the qualifying first round in St Kitts/Nevis.
Sunday's match started slowly as Antigua played deep, allowing T&T time and space to settle and their 2,000 odd fans were not liking it. They were a far cry from the physical and fast team that was expected.
When the chances fell to Antigua, they showed how it should be done. Quinton Griffith sent a rocket into the net after the initial free kick was saved. The goal was reminiscent similar to the one scored by Ricky Shakes for Guyana last November and Grenada's Kitson Bain in the 2010 Caribbean Cup Finals against T&T, the type of special goal that came unexpectedly.
Soon after that, T&T lost shape at the back and Randolph Burton missed from point blank range, hitting against the underside off the crossbar following a quick break by the Antiguans.
T&T had a good shout for a penalty ignored by Cuban referee David Betancourt when Molino went down inside the box. Hector also had a great opportunity on the right of the six-yard in the 27th minute after being sent through by Molino but his effort was an awful one, going over bar. Guerra too had a good look at goal but his feeble attempt failed to trouble goalkeeper Molvin James after he made a good run skipping past two challenges. He would later have two similar attempts from decent positions around the box.
With T&T pressing for an equaliser, Peter Byers, who played alongside and against most of the T&T line up in the T&T Pro League, sealed the win with a left footed finish in the 73rd minute.
The goal came after T&T gave up possession on their right side and the ball came back over the top of the box with Stefan Smith picking out Byers before Aubrey David could put in a proper challenge.The ex-San Juan Jabloteh player drilled a right footer past Williams.
T&T still had 15 minutes to find a goal or two but it did not come. Jorsling's left footed shot crashed against the crossbar moments before Byers fired home.
It all comes down to today. A win or nothing against Dominican Republic from 5pm. Even then, T&T's fate lies with Haiti as a win over Antigua/Barbuda will secure T&T's first Gold Cup qualification since 2007. (CMC)
T&T line up
1. Jan-Michael Williams (capt); 17. Daneil Cyrus, 20. Seon Power, 5. Carlyle Mitchell, 2. Aubrey David; 18. Densill Theobald; 7. Hughtun Hector (13. Richard Roy, 79'), 10. Kevin Molino (11. Kevon Carter ,68'), 8. Ataullah Guerra, 3. Joevin Jones; 15. Jamal Gay, (9. Devorn Jorsling, 65').
Subs that did not play: Marvin Phillip, Kareem Moses, Willis Plaza and Curtis Gonzales.
Results
Group A
Dom Republic 1 (Kerbi Rodriguez 12th) Haiti 2 (Leonel St. Preux 10th, Jean-Philippe Peguero 39th)
Antigua and Barbuda 2 (Quinton Griffith 51st, Peter Byers 73rd) T&T 0