Sports
Roneil Walcott
Trinidad and Tobago’s men’s football team couldn’t deliver a consolation win in their final Fifa 2026 World Cup qualifier as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Bermuda at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on November 18 on a rainy night.
With TT placed in group B for Concacaf’s final qualifying round alongside Curacao, favorites Jamaica and the cellar-placed Bermuda, the campaign promised a lot, but in the end, coach Dwight Yorke and his eager charges only had third place in the group to show for their efforts. TT finished the group on seven points, with Curacao and Jamaica finishing on 12 and 11 points respectively, as the former booked their World Cup spot after a goalless draw in Kingston, Jamaica, also on November 18.
In Trinidad, a Bermuda team which conceded seven goals in their previous match against Curacao didn’t lie down and play dead for the hosts, as they put together a solid performance to deny the hosts a farewell win to stalwarts Marvin Phillip and captain Kevin Molino.
After a bright start for the visitors, TT took the lead in the ninth minute when defender Kobi Henry rose high to meet a lofted left-side free kick from Noah Powder.
TT created many more chances in the first half, with flanker Real Gill getting the bulk of the opportunities as he was often isolated down the left. However, Bermuda goalie Milai Perott was in fine form and denied TT with a number of fine saves.
Similar to their first half start, Bermuda again started smartly in the second and were rewarded on the hour mark when Tucker finished off a left-side move with a close-range finish. Just four minutes later, Bermuda were in dreamland when their towering skipper and centre back Dante Leverock headed in a right-side corner to give his team a surprise lead on the road.
That goal supposedly spurred TT on, as forward Nathaniel James, who started in the number nine role in place of Levi Garcia, clinically slapped in a left-footed shot after a quick exchange in the final third in the 66th minute.
With TT desperately trying to give their adoring fans a late winner, substitute Wayne Frederick II was left cursing his luck when Perott pulled off a fantastic save after the former drilled a right-footer which looked destined to settle in the far corner.
At the final blow of referee Jose Torres’ whistle, TT’s qualifying campaign for the Fifa 2026 World Cup officially came to an end and it wasn’t the fairytale ending fans would have dreamed of whe the draw was made.
In the final round, TT were only beaten once. However, home draws against Curacao (0-0), the Reggae Boyz (1-1) and now Bermuda (2-2), to go along with a 1-1 draw away ro the group winners Curacao, saw Yorke’s charges drawing four of their six matches in this phase.
And although TT finished their home leg of qualifying matches unbeaten, four draws in their five home matches overall paint a picture of what could have been for the boys from the land of steelpan and calypso.
And with six months left on Yorke’s contract, it remains to be seen if the TT Football Association will give him the backing to continue the national team journey he would have started in November 2024.
Group B, Final round of Concacaf qualifying
Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
Curacao*6*3*3*0*13*3*10*12
Jamaica*6*3*2*1*11*3*8*11
TT*6*1*4*1*7*6*1*7
Bermuda*6*0*1*5*4*23*-19*1