AC Port of Spain surrendered all hopes they had of making it out of Group A of the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup on Wednesday, by going down 3-2 to Martiniquan champions Golden Lions at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain.
Both teams needed to win to have a slim chance of advancing, having been winless thus far, but it was another under-par performance by the "Capital Boyz" that saw them surrender in the end.
The match was just two minutes old when a defensive blunder by the home team allowed Thierry Catherine to snatch the opener in front of a bare crowd.
Four minutes later, Jean-Paul Rochford delivered a pin-point cross from the corner onto the head of overlapping defender Robert Primus but with the goal wide open, he put his header wide of the goal post.
Having lost their first two matches in the group, AC Port of Spain settled and enjoyed an expected period of dominance which did not amount to anything, despite the chances created.
Trailing 1-0 in the 15th minute, the home team really felt they should have scored the equaliser when Rochford was put through after a neat build-up. The skilful T&T midfielder, who has been on the verge of sealing a place on national coach Angus Eve's team, did not make use of the opportunity.
On a one-on-one with the goalkeeper Gilles Meslien, Rochford's attempt hit low against the upright before the rebound was hacked to safety.
With the missed attempt, the home team was made to pay thereafter. Martinique's all-time leading striker Kevin Parsemain, found himself unmarked in the AC Port of Spain penalty area and was given the simple task of flicking the ball into an empty net when he was picked out from a left-side cross.
Coach Walt Noreiga started new signing Mark Ramdeen for out-of-form midfielder Che Benny, as well as striker Tyrone Charles to boost their attack. But with Charles coming off the bench, Ramdeen showed his worth when he picked up a loose ball and was hacked down on his way to the goal.
From the resulting free kick, Rochford lifted the ball perfectly for the towering figure of Radanfah Abu Bakr to head home in the 27th minute for the 2-1 scoreline.
However, in the fluctuating affair, Parsemain almost restored the two-goal advantage when he turned nicely on his marker, but his powerful right-footed shot just whisked past the post in the 35th minute.
Noreiga opted for Charles as one of three substitutes before the halftime interval and in an immediate impact, Charles turned past his marker in the Lions' goal area before he centred for the unmarked Rochford. Somehow, however, the midfielder, despite posing a consistent threat to the Lions' defence all night long, again hit the ball wide of the goal.
Noreiga opted for more firepower in his attack by introducing Benny, who forced a free kick on top of the Lion's area in the the 52nd minute. However, his curling attempt was way off the target.
After a night of disappointments, the home team would not be denied the equaliser in the 68th minute. Charles, running from right to centre with the ball, avoided challenges from more than two defenders before releasing for Sedale Mc Lean on the right side.
The talented AC Port of Spain midfielder then centred for the onrushing Jameel Neptune, but defender Samuel Mondesir hit the ball unluckily into his own net.
Charles then had a golden opportunity to seal the win for his team, sprinting to the ball ahead of the Lions' defender. With more than four teammates shouting for the ball on top of the area, Charles went for glory from an acute angle, but the ball hit the upright before it bounced to safety in the 80th minute.
A minute later the Lions got the victory. Bakr's lounging tackle caught the ankle of Parsemain inside the penalty area, forcing the referee to point to the spot. Parsemain then picked himself up and hit the ball powerfully past goalkeeper Marvin Phillip for the 3-2 win, though Phillip got his hands to it.
AC Port of Spain will next face Defence Force in their final match next week at the same venue.
