Nicaragua held T&T to a 1-1 tie that sent them through as the Group A winner in the CONCACAF region and an automatic qualification to the 2024 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Monday night at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.
It was a dagger into the heart of the T&T fans who went there expecting T&T to exact revenge on the team that defeated them in their opening match of the CONCACAF Nations League in Managua in June, last year.
With just the top team advancing, both teams took a cautious approach in the opening moments, until Kaile Auvray sprung a surprise by splitting the Nicaraguan defense with a through-ball to Keston Julien. However, Julien’s centre was turned wide by Rundell Winchester in the 13th minute.
But Nicaragua who went into the game with a one-point advantage on 13 points to the Soca Warriors’ 12, drew first blood after a period of cautiousness. Arianger Smith rose unchallenged to head home a perfectly lifted cross for a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute.
Auvray’s trickery pose a tremendous danger for the Nicaraguan defense but the equaliser came in the 40th minute after Ryan Telfer was hacked down in the area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Captain Joevin Jones then calmly hit the ball powerfully past the Nicaraguan goalie for a 1-1 score that they took to the half-time interval.
Following the resumption, it was an open battle by both teams. Nicaragua almost forced the ball in from an acrobatic attempt from Kevin Serapio as the ball struck the T&T upright with Frenderup seemingly unconcerned in the 49th minute.
Two minutes later, Auvray turned past two defenders on the left side but his centre could not reach the waiting legs of substitute Reon Moore.
Again the Nicaraguans could have scored in the 59th minute, as Jaime Moreno galloped on to a through ball that put him on a one-on-one with Frenderup, but his attempt to lift the ball over the advancing goalie was fisted wide. T&T appeared to have lost control of the midfield which the Nicaraguans exploited.
And they might have gotten the winner in the 71st when Moreno was fed with a through ball by Matias Moldskred, but with only Frenderup, Belli hit it wide of the target.
T&T got a goal in time added on time from substitute Marcus Joseph but then the referee said it was a handball.
Result
T&T 1 (Joevin Jones 42nd pen) vs Nicaragua 1 (Ariagner Smith 27th).
Group C Final Table
Pl*P*W*D*L*Pts
1*Nicaragua*6*4*2*0*14
2*T&T*6*4*1*1*13
3*Bahamas*6*1*1*4*4
4*St Vincent/G*6*0*2*4*2
Squads
T&T
Starting eleven: 21.Nicklas Frenderup (GK),2. Aubrey David, 3.Joevin Jones (captain), 5.Andre Rampersad, 7.Ryan Telfer, 9.Michel Poon-Angeron,12. Kareem Moses, 14.Shannon Gomez, 15.Kaile Auvray, 19.Rundell Winchester, 19. Keston Julien.
Subs: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 22.Denzil Smith (GK), 17.Justin Garcia, 20.Molik Khan, 16. Alvin Jones, 4. Leland Archer, 18. Triston Hodge; 8.Daniel Phillips, Jomal Williams, 6.Noah Powder, 10.Marcus Joseph, 11.John-Paul Rochford, 13.Reon Moore,
Coach: Angus Eve
Nicaragua
12. Miguel Rodriguez (GK), 2. Josue Quijano, 3. Oscar Acevedo, 4. Erick Tellez, 5. Marvin Fletes, 6. Luis Feranndo Copote, 7. Ariagner Smith, 9. Jaime Moreno, 11. Juan Barrera (captain), 17. Matias Moldskred, 20. Kevin Serapio.
Subs: 10. Byron Bonilla, 1. Alyer Lopez (GK),15. Melvin Hernandez, 21. Francisco Flores, 8. Jonathan Moncada, 16. Harold Medina, 24. Abner Acuna, 13. Henry Garcia, 18. Luis Coronel, 22. Brayan Lopez. 14. Jason Coronel.
Coach: Marco Figueroa Montero.