A combination of excellent acrobatics inside the goal by T&T's Danish goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup and a goal from speedy T&T over-lapping defender Joevin Jones earned the Soca Warriors a hard-fought 1-1 tie with Puerto Rico in their second match of the 2022 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers on Sunday at the Estadio Jose Antonio Figueroa in Mayaquez, Puerto Rico.
However, Jones, who teased the Puerto Ricans for most of his stay on the pitch, could have sealed the winner two minutes after his opening goal, when striker Ryan Telfer took the ball down the byline and pulled it back for him in the 57th minute.
Jones with the goal at his mercy fired his effort high and wide of the post.
The game was billed the Warriors' first real test by analysts, firstly because of the perceived lack of quality by the Guyanese team in their opening match, and secondly, because the home team needed a win to stay alive in the qualifiers. The Puerto Ricans expectedly settled in quickly and could have had the opener in the 17th minute, from a right-side cross which found the head of Sidney Rivera, but goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup pushed it wide.
Later Frenderup again spoiled the home team's attempt to score in the 26th minute. This time from a free-kick on top of the T&T area after Wilfredo Rivera was bundled off the ball by Neveal Hackshaw, to the dislike of the referee. But again Frenderup shuffled quickly to his right side to push wide a well-driven shot through the wall by Isaac Angking.
Eight minutes later the home team was gifted another chance from a defensive blunder by Robert Primus. Still, with the goal at his mercy, Devin Vega who intercepted a sloppy Primus back-pass, shot straight to Frenderup in the T&T goal.
The Soca Warriors opted for possession-play in the early stages but it was the Puerto Ricans who lost their opening game to St Kitts/Nevis 0-1 and faced an early exit from the qualifiers that looked the more likely team to score.
Yet they squandered their best opportunity to score in the 40th minute. Another build-up down the left-side ended in a cross by Juan O'Neill for Angking, who quickly released to the open Vega. The latter however drove his shot against an opposing player with two unmarked players better positioned.
T&T's lone chance of the half came from a snap-shot by midfielder Daniel Phillips midway in the first half, which went straight to goalkeeper Cody Laurendi.
Both teams went to the interval with the score locked at 0-0 and when they resumed the Warriors broke the deadlock. Telfer with a dangerous run down the left-side delivered a cross to Levi Garcia who headed down for Jones to meet sweetly on the volley, past Laurendi in the 55th minute.
Two minutes later Jones did everything right from Telfer's right-side centre but put the ball high over the crossbar.
Fenwick brought on central midfielder Duane Muckette to set the T&T pace in the match, but it did not prevent the surge expected from the Puerto Ricans who got the equaliser in the 72nd minute. Substitute Ricardo Rivera swooped into the box to head home a left-side cross by Alec Diaz.
Meanwhile, substitute Willis Plaza who came on for Telfer in the 69th minute almost snatched the winner for T&T late in the game, with a thunderous attempt from the right boot that just whisked past the Puerto Rican goal.
T&T starting team
Nicklas Frenderup, Robert Primus, Sheldon Bateau, Aubrey David, Michel Poon-Angeron, Neveal Hackshaw, Levi Garcia, Khaleem Hyland, Joevin Jones, Ryan Telfer, Daniel Phillips.
Subs used: Duane Muckette, Jabari Mitchell, Willis Plaza, Andre Boucaud.
Subs not used: Marvin Phillip, Adrian Foncette, Justin Garcia, Judah Garcia, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Marcus Joseph, Brent Sam, Leland Archer.
Saturday's Concacaf Qualifying Scores
GROUP A
At Bethlehem Soccer Complex, ST THOMAS
US Virgin Islands lost to Antigua and Barbuda 3-0
GROUP B
IMG Academy, BRADENTON
Aruba lost to Suriname 6-0
GROUP C
Ergilio Hato,WILLEMSTAD
British Virgin Islands lost to Guatemala 3-0
GROUP D
Lockhart, FORT LAUDERDALE
Anguilla lost to Dominican Republic 6-0
GROUP E
Estadio Panamericano, SAN CRISTÓBAL
Turks and Caicos Islands lost to Nicaragua 7-0
GROUP F
Thomas A. Robinson, NASSAU
The Bahamas lost to St Kitts and Nevis 4-0
