Colombia oust TT from Gold Cup

Two late goals from Abel Aguilar and Hector Hurtado within three minutes of each other did the trick for the Colombians.

After repeated attempts went wide or high, Aguilar gave Colombia the lead in the 75th minute, scoring on a ten-yard shot from the right wing on Jaime Castrillon’s header.

And Hurtado secured the victory with a goal in the 78th minute.

Martin Arzuaga crossed to an open Hurtado, who raced into the left of the penalty area and beat Trinidad keeper Kelvin Jack just inside the far post.

With two losses in their first two tournament games, Colombia needed a victory for a possible quarter-final berth as a third-place finisher in Group A, while Trinidad and Tobago needed just a draw to have a chance.

Colombia’s berth in the quarter-final will not be determined until the outcome of the Canada-Cuba match in Group B late yesterday.

Trinidad and Tobago finished last in the four-team group with a pair of draws in their three games.

Jack thwarted Colombia repeatedly. He raced off his line to deflect Arzuaga’s open shot near the six-yard box in the 58th minute.

Aldo Leao Ramirez also missed an open net with an errant shot in the 49th minute.

Needing the victory, Colombia pressured throughout, dominating the first half and continuously testing Jack.

Jack blocked shots from Aldo Leao Ramirez in the 20th and 36th minutes and Arzuaga in the 38th minute.

Jaime Castrillon twice missed the net on open shots in the 17th and 44th minutes.

Trinidad and Tobago’s only scoring threat of the match occurred in the 60th minute when Stern John missed an open net from the six-yard area.