by Eric Collymore
In their first of two friendly internationals against Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana’s senior men’s football team, the Golden Jaguars, faced a tough defeat, falling 2-1 to their rivals in the twin-island republic.
Trinidad and Tobago took the lead in the 28th minute with a well-executed goal from Ezekiel Kezar, putting the Soca Warriors ahead.
Their advantage was further solidified in the 39th minute when Kevon Woodley found the back of the net, giving the hosts a comfortable two-nil lead heading into halftime.
However, the Golden Jaguars mounted a comeback early in the second half, with forward Kelsey Benjamin scoring in the 47th minute to narrow the deficit to one goal.
Despite both teams’ continued efforts to find the back of the net, neither side managed to score again before the final whistle, resulting in a 2-1 victory for Trinidad and Tobago.
In a post-match briefing, head coach Jamaal Shabazz analyzed his team’s performance, expressing a desire to see continued development as they prepare for upcoming competitions, including the World Cup Qualifiers in June and the Concacaf Nations League in September.
Shabazz emphasized the importance of possession with purpose and maintaining a threat to opponents as key aspects of their strategy moving forward.
When questioned about the potential selection of players for the World Cup qualifiers squad, Shabazz noted that it was still too early to make definitive decisions, indicating that the coaching staff would continue to evaluate and assess the squad’s performance.
The Golden Jaguars will have another opportunity to showcase their abilities in their final friendly matchup against Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday evening, with kickoff scheduled for 19:00 hours.