Wednesday, December 3; National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica: The Spice Boys peppered past tournament favourites Trinidad & Tobago 2-1 with a thrilling last minute finish, to put the under strength twin islanders under early pressure in the Final Round of the Digicel Caribbean Championships.
Having secured access to the next round of World Cup qualification, a depleted Trinidad & Tobago seemed to have suffered somewhat of a qualification hangover, as they were out hustled by a Grenada team that looked the far hungrier of the two sides.
Speckled attendance at the National Stadium greeted the kickoff of the Digicel Caribbean Championships’ Finals, but those there to witness the match were not impressed by the midfield gridlock that signalled the opening quarter of an hour. But their attentions would soon be piqued by a penalty decision in minute 17 when Aurtis Whitley was caught using his hands inside the box.
The penalty would be taken by Coach and Captain Anthony Modeste, but his modest effort aimed at the midsection of the diving Marvin Phillip signalled the decline of the Portmore skipper’s influence on the remainder of the game.
The shock of conceding an early penalty seemed to inspire Trinidad, with Khaleem Hyland fizzing a volley inches above the bar. Anthony Wolfe was on the prowl in the midfield and he went close with Trinidad’s first effort on target, and followed that effort with a superb diving header that thudded against the base of the right upright.
But Trinidad couldn’t make the pressure pay, and were made to pay in a major way when Ricky Charles beguiled his way into the box from the left corner flag and slotted a cross into the grateful Kithson Bain, who made no mistake from point blank range to end Grenada’s half on a high.
The second half began with the whiff of upset as the 139th ranked Grenada continued to pile the pressure on the World Cup aspirants. Shane Rennie’s rainbow pass to first half hero Bain warranted more composure for the Tevez-esque striker who managed to evade the advancing Phillip in goal but overcooked his lob.
Trinidad would eventually show their class in minute 67 with one of the finest up-tempo team goals the stadium has seen in years. It began with Keon Daniel’s cheeky flick into the advancing Aklie Edwards on the left, Edwards relayed to Cornell Glen who then cut inside three defenders onto his right foot before curling a shot inside the north pole past Desmond Noel in goal.
With the score tied at one apiece, it was Trinidad that looked likeliest to score in the remaining moments, but in the final minute of regulation time “Tricky” Ricky Charles, Grenada’s midfield dynamo throughout their qualification, scored one of the most important goals of his career when his mistimed volley in a crowded six yard box, bounced comically off of the turf, over the head of Phillip in goal off the upright and finally in.
Grenada topples tournament favourites Trinidad & Tobago to put Group A of the Digicel Caribbean Championships up for grabs.
Trinidad & Tobago (Team List): 2. Clyde Leon, 4. Makan Hislop, 5. Keyeno Thomas, 6. Khaleem Hyland, 7. Anthony Wolfe (10. Andre Toussaint min 67), 9. Aurtis Whitley (15. Arnold Dwarika min 72), 13. Cornell Glen, 16. Seon Power, 17. Akilie Edwards, 19. Keon Daniel, 21. Marvin Phillip (GK),
Subs: 1. Jan Michael Williams (GK), 3. Avery John, 14. Julius James,
Grenada (Team list): 3. Shannon Phillip, 4. Cassim Langaigne, 6. Marc Marshall, 9. Ricky Charles, 10. Kithson Bain, 11. Anthony Modeste, 13. Dwayne Leo, 19. Fimbar Williams (17. Kwan Baptiste min 72), 23. Junior Williams (14. Marcus Julien min 79), 25. Shane Rennie, 30. Desmond Noel
Subs: 1. James Raeburn, 5. Michael Mark, 27. Marvin Fredericks
Referee: Otis James (Guyana).
