Trinidad and Tobago Under-20 footballers crush SVG in practice match

TT romped to a 6-0 victory over St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in a friendly at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on January 19, led by a brace each from captain Derrel Garcia and Phillip Nelson.

The practice match was held in preparation for the Concacaf Under-20 qualifiers, which kicks off next month. TT have been placed in a group alongside Costa Rica, Bermuda, Barbados and St Maarten. The first-placed team in each of the six groups will qualify for the 2026 Concacaf Under-20 Championships, a qualifier for the 2027 Fifa Under-20 World Cup.

Garcia, who has already made his mark playing senior professional football, opened the scoring in the 22nd minute to give TT the lead.

Nelson, a student at Fatima College, doubled TT's advantage in the 32nd minute as the home team took a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.

TT started the second half on the front foot with two goals in the space of two minutes.

Again, it was Garcia and Nelson showing their quality in front of goal.

Garcia found the back of the net in the 51st minute, before Nelson completed a brace of his own in the 53rd minute.

St Vincent kept TT at bay for more than 20 minutes, but could not stop Giovanni Hospedales from scoring TT's fifth in the 77th.

Caden Trestrail rounded off the scoring in the 85th minute.

"I think I am holding this group to a high standard," TT coach Marvin Gordon told TTFA media. "I was pleased with the ball movement today at times and then at times I was not pleased."

Gordon said he was only 60 per cent satisfied, as he felt the passing could have been quicker.

The TT coach said the win is a step in the right direction, but the real test will be against Central American opponents.

"We don't want to peak too early. We want to peak at the right time."

In another friendly played at the same venue between the Grenada Under-20s and Defence Force, the latter came away with a 3-2 win.

It was 1-1 at halftime with goals from Grenada's Nathan Mc Intosh in the 18th minute and Defence Force's Nicholas Bobcombe in the 37th minute.

Mc Intosh scored again in the 60th minute to give Grenada the lead for the second time in the match.

Grenada could not hold on for the win as Jonathan Mason (74th) and Josiah Superville (89th) gave Army the victory.

Fixtures for practice tournament:

January 21 (Hasely Crawford Stadium)

Grenada U-20 vs St Vincent and the Grenadines U-20, 6 pm.

TT U-20 vs AC Port of Spain, 8 pm.

January 23 (Ato Boldon Stadium)

TT U-20 vs Grenada U-20, 6 pm.

St Vincent U-20 vs AC Port of Spain, 8 pm.