Jamaica edge TT 2-1 in Digicel opener

TRINIDAD AND Tobago footballers suffered a 2-1 defeat to Jamaica last night as the Digicel Caribbean Cup opened at the National Stadium, Waterford, Barbados. After both teams struggled to settle on the dry, bumpy surface, the Jamaicans went ahead in the 14th minute when playmaker Jermaine Hue, on the left, sent a diagonal pass into the 18-yard box, which was missed by Roland Dean but striker Luton Shelton rifled home the loose ball.

TT’s goalkeeper Duarance Williams was again let down by his defence in the 16th, as Hue’s header from a Fabian Davis’ cross rebounded off the cross-bar. The Jamaicans stamped their authority on the game, and doubled their lead in the 36th, when Andy Williams headed a Hue right-side corner into the back of the net. A minute later, TT reduced the deficit when striker Nigel ‘Croc’ Pierre collected a long ball from left-back Marlon Rojas and delicately placed his lob over the advancing goalie Shawn Sawyers.

TT’s assistant coach and ex-captain David Nakhid suffered a blow to his forehead in the 38th and was replaced by enterprising midfielder Densil Theobald at halftime. Hue failed to widen the gap for the Jamaicans when his left-footed blast was saved by Williams in the 55th minute but Trinidad and Tobago fought valiantly for the equaliser.

A 61st minute freekick by captain Angus Eve was muffed by defenders Keyeno Thomas and Derek King, Theobald’s deflected 25-metre bullet went wide in the 67th and Cornell Glen’s header off an Eve free was held by a diving Sawyers in the 74th. The Jamaicans weathered the storm and pressured the TT defence in the final 10 minutes, with a series of counter-attacks. Shelton, substitute Teofore Bennett and Andy Williams all failed to find the mark for Jamaica but the result was never in doubt. Trinidad and Tobago would face Cuba in their next match tomorrow from 6 pm.