Martinique shock TT 3-2 in Gold Cup

FORT DE FRANCE: Martinique grabbed the early advantage in the three-team CONCACAF Caribbean Zone Gold Cup qualifying series when they rallied to stun Trinidad and Tobago 3-2 at Stade Dillon on Wednesday night.

Martinique struck three unanswered goals in the second half to leave the reigning Caribbean champions in a must-win situation for their next game today against Honduras. The top two teams from the series will advance to the July 12-27 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States and Mexico. Trinidad and Tobago dominated the first half and went ahead in the 15th minute when playmaker Arnold Dwarika converted a penalty.

Prolific goal-scorer Jason Scotland sent TT further ahead with a well taken volley on the stroke of half time. But Martinique, who squeezed into the play-offs with a dramatic come-from-behind 5-4 win over St Lucia in the Group A series last month, drew level with quick second-half goals — three minutes apart — from Jose Goron (66th) and Yann Girier-Dufournier (69th). Dominique Real then sealed the win in the 80th minute for Martinique, the 1993 Caribbean Cup champions. After TT play Honduras today, Martinique and Honduras will face each other in the series finale on Sunday.

The top two teams in the round-robin will advance to this summer’s Gold Cup finals, rounding out the field of 12 countries. Already qualified are defending champion USA, Canada and Mexico from the North Zone; Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador from the Central Zone; Jamaica and Cuba from the Caribbean; and invited teams Brazil and Colombia.

Teams:
MARTINIQUE: Eddy Heurlie, Jude Etienne Vaton, Patrick Percin, Paul Henry Clorus, Yann Girier-Dufournier, Jean Luc Desprol (Sully Billon 73rd), Jose Gordon (Dominique Reyal 78th), Miguel Duragrin, Ludovic Mirande, Daniel Borval (Will Padoly 46th), Laurent Lagrand.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Mikhel Peters,  Keyeno Thomas, Reynold Carrington, Marvin Andrews, Brent Sancho, Cyd Gray, Arnold Dwarika, Jason Scotland (Nigel Pierre 72nd), Connell Glenn (Brent Rahim 78th), Ansil Elcock, Silvio Spann (Travis Mulraine 72nd).