The reasonable prediction that favored Trinidad and Tobago to win over Guatemala was confirmed in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C opener. The match ended in a 3-1 victory for Trinidad and Tobago which took place on Thursday, July 9th at Soldier Field in Chicago.
The match started off with fairly even possession with both teams demonstrating a sense of urgency. The match quickly shifted in the 11th minute when Trinidad and Tobago’s Khaleem Hyland shot a corner kick and Sheldon Bateau was able redirect the ball dead center into the net.
A short four minutes later Cordell Cato went for a header before regaining possession and beating out the Guatemalan goalkeeper Ricardo Jerez to score into an empty net from a cramped angle.
“I knew I had to chase after the ball again for a second opportunity after the failed first shot,” says Cato, “when I saw the open net I had no other instinct but to shoot no matter how tight I was situated.”
The second goal for Trinidad and Tobago encouraged them to continue to fight for possession. On the other hand, Guatemala played nervously with several over kicks and empty shots.
Chicago Fire’s Joevin Jones was able to obtain possession after the ball deflected off of the goalie and kick it straight into the net making the score 3-0 in the 26th minute.
Guatemala returned after halftime looking more alive, regaining control and possession, putting Trinidad and Tobago under noticeable pressure. The Caribbean side was able to hold out until the 62nd minute when Guatemala’s striker and top scorer Carlos Ruiz was able to latch onto a pass, take it to the box and without hesitation, slam it directly into the net.
Trinidad and Tobago snapped back into the game after Guatemala’s first goal and possession leveled out looking more like it did at the beginning of the game. The second half became much more physical and five yellow cards were handed out by referee John Pitti.
Ruiz had another close shot to the goal in the 77th minute with a cross pass from Jose Contreras, though he was unable to fasten his possession and could not complete the play. Though several more scoring opportunities were presented for Guatemala, their over kicking was their fatal flaw throughout this match.
The game ended in a 3-1 victory for the Caribbean team Trinidad and Tobago. There are predictions that this team can make it far and that their speed will bring them there.
The two teams will each play separate matches next on Sunday, July 12 in Phoenix, Arizona. The first match is Trinidad and Tobago versus Cuba at 6:30 pm ET. Immediately following is the second match, which will be Guatemala against neighbors Mexico at 9:00 pm.
