Despite a brace by Spartak Moscow’s Levi Garcia and two saves from goalkeeper Jabari Brice, the T&T senior football team went down 3-2 to Gabon in a penalty shoot-out that followed a 2-2 result at the end of regulation time in the FIFA Series on Monday at the Pakhtakor Central Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The result confined the T&T team to the bottom of the four-team standings with a point in two matches, courtesy of the penalty loss, while Gabon ended the campaign with two points from the penalty shoot-out victory.
T&T looked comfortable at the start as Gabon, ranked 81st on the FIFA rankings, opted for caution against a team they were playing against for the first time.
But as the confidence grew in the teams, T&T coach Derek King may feel his charges should have gone ahead in the 21st minute. Real Gill, given playing time ahead of Dantaye Gilbert, who plays in the Czech First Division, was picked out with a telling through ball that put him on a one-on-one with goalkeeper Francois Bekale; however, his attempt was eventually fended wide by defender Mick Omfia.
Gabon, though, were the one to draw first blood during the run of play in the 32nd minute. Captain Guelor Kanga picked up a loose ball on top of the T&T penalty area and struck it nicely past an outstretched Brice for the opener.
A minute from the halftime break, they could have had another. This time, after substitute David Sambissa used his speed to get into the T&T box, his centre was hit wide of the target by Teddy Averlant.
At halftime, King’s decision to replace Roald Mitchell with Reon Moore, the scorer of the lone T&T goal against Venezuela, again placed more spark in the T&T attack.
Four minutes after the restart, Rio Cardines stormed down the left flank and into the Gabon goal area; however, his low drive went agonisingly wide of the Gabon goal in the 49th minute.
Two minutes later, Cardines turned provider to the T&T equalising goal in the 52nd minute. Cartdines, the Crystal Palace defender, delivered a pinpoint cross for Levi Garcia to climb high and head home the equaliser.
However, their celebration was cut short by an immediate response from Gabon in the 53rd minute. This time, Edin Matouti from some 30 yards out released a thunderous left-footed drive that beat Brice in goal to restore their one-goal advantage at 2-1.
Two minutes later, Gabon was reduced to ten men when Samake Bagnama was given marching orders for his second bookable offence in the 55th minute.
Despite the goal, the T&T team was undaunted by the scoreline and increased their attack. Moore, known for his pace on the ball, would provide another goal-scoring chance in the 60th minute. As the Gabon defenders struggled to contain him, Moore, for yet another time, took the ball down the right flank, before his centre was met with a weak clearance that landed at the feet of the unmarked Payne. However, the T&T defender hit the ball high over the crossbar.
Five minutes later, Moore put through the Gabon defence, used his speed to get past the onrushing Bekale in the Gabon goal, but he hit a weak attempt at goal that was blocked from entering.
With the score at 2-1 and seemingly heading in Gabon’s favour, Cardines cross from a free kick on the right was met with a diving header at the far post by Dantaye Gilbert that put it in the path of Garcia (Levi) to get his brace and the T&T equaliser 2-2 that sent the game into a penalty shootout.
Brice made two saves to deny Noah Lemina and Johan Obiang in the shoot-out, but it was Garcia (Levi), the TT hero turned villain, who missed the final spotkick that saw Gabon clinch the win 3-2.
GABON TEAM
3 Oumar Bagnama, 4 Urie-Michel Mboula, 6 Johan Obiang, 7 David Sambissa, 8 Noah Lemina, 9 Teddy Averlant, 10 Shavy Babicka, 11 Moshack Babanzila, 12 Guelor Kanga (cpt), 13 Mick Omfia, 14 Eric Bocoum, 15 Samake Nze Bagnama, 16 Francois Bekale (gk), 17 Yannis Mbemba, 18 Farehi Owanga, 19 Ben Jorcy Kabinambele, 20 Edlin Matouti, 21 Jeremy Oyono, 22 Dedier Ndong, 23 Loyce Mbaba (gk)
T&T TEAM
1 Jabari Brice, 2 Deron Payne, 3 Lindell Sween, 4 Jerrin Jackie, 5 Jaylen Yearwood, 6 Adam Pierre, 7 Ryan Telfer, 8 Rio Cardines, 9 Nathaniel James, 10 Duane Muckette, 11 Levi Garcia, 12 John-Paul Rochford, 13 Reon Moore, 14 Daniel David, 15 Dantaye Gilbert, 16 Shervohnez Hamilton, 17 Justin Garcia, 18 Andre Rampersad, 19 Roald Mitchell, 20 Real Gill, 21 Teshorne Ragoo (gk), 22 Denzil Smith (gk), 23 Noah Powder, 24 Jahiem Faustin
