Toussaint nets winner as TT edge Mexico

The only notable action in the first quarter came when Tariq Marcano lobbed a ball to captain Akim Toussaint who did well to trap and win a penalty corner due to an infringement.

From the resulting penalty corner, in the 14th minute, Kristien Emmanuel slapped home the rebound from the initial flick shot to give the “Calypso Stickmen” a 1-nil lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Mexicans had the clearer chances in the second period having several penalty corners but TT`s goalkeeper Andrey Rocke made a double save to deny them, while a reverse shot from Guillermo Pedraza came off the post on the stroke of halftime.

Five minutes into the third period, the Mexicans were rewarded for their persistence as Irvin Chavez levelled the scoreline with a calmly-finished goal against the run of play.

Three minutes later (38th) the Caribbean side reclaimed their one-goal advantage when Lyndell Byer smartly deflected a shot into the goal after the initial shot from the penalty corner was blocked.

Mexico made the match even more interesting when they tied the game at 2-2 from a penalty corner which was scored by Pedraza in the 52nd minute.

But Toussaint sealed the victory in the 57th when he received a neat pass from Emmanuel and cleverly chipped the ball over the onrushing Mexican goalkeeper.

A win in their final Group B game against Brazil tomorrow will assure TT a spot in the semi-final round.

At the end of the round-robin phase in the two groups, the top two teams in each pool will advance to the main draw semi-final play-off and the two teams to emerge from this stage of the tournament will earn a berth at the 2018 World Cup.

The top six teams will also qualify for the 2021 Pan American Cup, and the teams placed seventh and eighth must play the 2019 Pan American Challenge.