Dillon nets hattrick as TT hammer St Lucia

Following Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Cuba, TT needed to come away with a positive result and delivered the goods in dominant style with Central FC forward Nicholas Dillon leading the way with a hattrick and New York Red Bulls defender Noah Powder notching the other item to secure the three points for TT .

Haiti edged Cuba 2-1 in the second match to move to six points, setting up a crucial Group finale between TT and Haiti today in Willemstad. The top two teams will advance to the tournament semi-finals as well as the CONCACAF Final Round in Costa Rica next year towards the 2017 Under 20 World Cup in South Korea.

TT went ahead as early as the fifth minute when Kareem Riley played a ball over the top for W Connection’s Kori Cupid who played one in on the first post and Dillon ran in to sidefoot it into the net.

Dillon would double the lead in the 28th minute when he flicked the ball into the goal from an Isaiah Hudson corner.

TT led 2-0 at the half-time break and as St Lucia tried to get themselves back into the game, TT were patient and Powder punished the opposition in the 65th minute.

Dillon got his hattrick in the 71st minute when Keston Julien delivered into the box and he made no mistake with a header past St Lucian goalkeeper Vinnie George.

Coach Williams later expressed his satisfaction with the team and the way the players handled the responsibility of securing the result.

“I was pleased with respect to how the boys settled early and took control of the game.

They went out there knowing that it would be up to them to make the game their own and the early goal from Dillon helped,” Williams said.