2026 World Cup Thread

[asylumseeker]

The Bahamas keeper, man, that was tough to watch.
I'm glad to see the newer guys get a run.

Ah wonder what happened to Ian Lowe (the 18 year old who had just finished HS and did well for them to our frustration).

[Fyzoman]

For the Brasil fans in the forum...and pay attention to what Endrick did at minute 2:42.

This is not a full highlight, just Endrick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vwH0sTbAo0

[Tallman]

Rampant Soca Warriors beat Bahamas 7-1 in WC qualifier
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)

Trinidad and Tobago's men's football team jumped to the top of their Fifa 2026 World Cup qualifying group after getting a resounding 7-1 win over Bahamas at the St Kitts and Nevis Technical Centre on June 8.

After drawing their opening group B match with Grenada at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on June 5, coach Angus Eve and his charges came under fire from the TT football public. Eve saw the result as a precious point gained as opposed to two points lost, and his players rebounded in emphatic fashion in their second game as they dismantled the 200th-ranked Bahamian team which utilised the St Kitts Venue as their home base.

Canada-based forward Malcom Shaw called for T&T to be more "ruthless" and "clinical" in the final third, and both he and playmaker Duane Muckette scored braces as the guests registered their largest win since a thumping 9-0 friendly triumph against Barbados in Mucurapo in 2022. It's also one of the biggest margins of victory for T&T in World Cup qualification.

In the 2018 World Cup qualification campaign, the Soca Warriors spanked St Vincent and the Grenadines by a 6-0 margin in Mucurapo, and they also recorded a 6-0 win over Panama in a 2002 World Cup qualifier at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair in 2000. Meanwhile, in 1996, a T&T team that included players such as Eve, Stern John, Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke hammered the Dominican Republic by an 8-0 margin in a 1998 World Cup qualifier in Mucurapo.

Now on the sidelines, Eve would have been pleased as punch as the Soca Warriors quickly settled in on the road to put the game well beyond the Bahamian team. The game was well and truly over as a contest by the halfway mark, as T&T stormed out to a comfortable 4-0 lead, before adding three more goals in the second half with a touch of flair as well.

The only real blemish for T&T came in the dying moments of the game, when opposing forward Peter Julmis tapped in from close range to grab a consolation goal in the 87th minute after goalkeeper Denzil Smith pulled off a remarkable save to thwart a rasping Nahum Johnson shot.

Eve made seven changes to his starting XI from the 2-2 draw against Grenada, and he gave a debut to Canadian-born central midfielder Steffen Yeates, who recently acquired his T&T passport. Defenders Triston Hodge, Alvin Jones and Josiah Trimmingham also came into the starting lineup, alongside midfielders Muckette and Andre Rampersad, who formed a good partnership in the middle of the park.

With their 3-5-2 formation, the T&T centre backs positioned themselves as high as the halfway line from the early stages with wing backs Hodge and Jones playing high in the opposition half. The pressure from the Soca Warriors was unrelenting, and it didn't take long for them to break Bahamas' resistance.

The Soca Warriors opened the scoring after just six minutes as Shaw clinically scored from close range after a through pass from Muckette. Muckette, who captained AC PoS to the 2023/24 T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) title, was arguably T&T's best player on the evening as he seamlessly controlled the game with his poise, vision and slick passing on the artificial turf.

The Bahamians weren't nearly as aggressive as the Grenada team, and the Soca Warriors took full advantage to show off their full attacking artillery.

T&T took a 2-0 lead in the 14th minute as Jones buried from the penalty spot after the marauding Hodge was chopped down in the area by Alexiou Cartwright.

Though they were dictating the pace of the game, a couple of sluggish moments in midfield led to long-range attempts from the Bahamas, and Smith was forced into a fine save from a Michael Massey effort in the 15th minute following a Rampersad giveaway. And after flanker Jordin Wilson wildly flashed over bar in the 39th minute, Muckette resumed regular programming for the Warriors just before the half with his quick double-strike.

Muckette's first goal came in the 43rd minute as he easily shot past Amard Adderley from the edge of the area after receiving a pass from attacker Reon Moore. Muckette's next goal and T&T's fourth was a thing of beauty, as the midfielder applied an emphatic finishing touch to a move which included a neat Moore back heel and an unselfish Shaw layoff.

The goals were flowing for T&T, and they added to their 4-0 advantage in the 56th minute when Moore scored from point-blank range to finish off a left side move involving Yeates and Hodge, who added a different dimension to T&T's play with his runs down the left.

Shaw got his second goal in the 66th minute as Moore got another assist, and substitute Nathaniel James rounded off the scoring for T&T in the 84th minute with a splendid solo effort down the right side.

With their thumping win, the Soca Warriors currently sit atop group B with four points from two matches. Group favourites Costa Rica are second with three points following their 4-0 win over St Kitts and Nevis in their first game.

From 5 pm on June 9, Costa Rica will face Grenada as they aim to return to the group's summit.

The Soca Warriors' World Cup campaign will resume in June 2025 when they host St Kitts and Nevis, before facing Costa Rica in a pivotal clash on the road. Until then, Eve's squad can soak up the accolades from their Bahamian rout.

SQUADS

Trinidad and Tobago (3-5-2): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 5.Josiah Trimmingham, 2.Aubrey David (captain), 17.Justin Garcia; 16.Alvin Jones, 12.Steffen Yeates (15.Dantaye Gilbert 76), 18.Andre Rampersad (10.Real Gill 76), 6.Duane Muckette (11.Michel Poon-Angeron 67), 3.Triston Hodge; 13.Reon Moore (9.Nathaniel James 67), 19.Malcolm Shaw (23.Kevon Woodley 67).

Unused substitutes: 1.Christopher Biggette (GK), 21.Aaron Enill (GK), 4.Daniel Phillips, 7.Ryan Telfer, 8.Noah Powder, 14.Shannon Gomez, 20.Ajani Fortune

Coach: Angus Eve

The Bahamas (5-2-3): 23.Amard Kesean Adderley (GK); 2.Alexiou Cartwright (15.Jordan Cheetham 77), 8.Evelt Julmis, 6.Jean Ryka Tilo (3.Duane Beneby 83), 10.Lesly St Fleur (captain), 4.Jonathan Miller; 7.Quinton Carey (11.Brandon Adderley 64), 5.Michael Massey (19.Reuben Edgecombe 77); 16.William Gardiner, 9.Wood Julmis, 12.Jordin Wilson (13.Nahum Johnson 64).

Unused substitutes: 17.Kai Perez, 18.Deron Ferguson, 20.Daylan Russell.

Coach: Nesly Jean

Referee: Marco Ortiz (Mexico)

[gawd on pitch]

@Asylum . . How you mean disparaging? All I said was forget about them leagues. Show me someone who has played in El Salvador or Honduras and was able to bring success to the team. Right now the CPL is doing that. For all the fellas that went to El Salvador or Honduras to play, I have yet to see the return or the impact on the national team.

Andre Raymond and Denzil are perfect candidates for the CPL. The season now half-way through. Hopefully they get a good agent that can get them there. Why go back to play 4th division when CPL is paying more and allows for easier travel for NT games.

[gawd on pitch]

Btw, Dantaye also looked decent in the midfield. I wasn't sure if he was playing wide. Regardless, he is a true talent.

[asylumseeker]

Btw, Dantaye also looked decent in the midfield. I wasn't sure if he was playing wide. Regardless, he is a true talent.

Dantaye's quality and fluidity was evident. So too was the benefit of his environment.

[gawd on pitch]

Yep. Quality and fluidity hit it on the head. Imagine if we had him, Yeates and Spicer for the Canada game.

[asylumseeker]

@Asylum . . How you mean disparaging? All I said was forget about them leagues. Show me someone who has played in El Salvador or Honduras and was able to bring success to the team. Right now the CPL is doing that. For all the fellas that went to El Salvador or Honduras to play, I have yet to see the return or the impact on the national team.

Andre Raymond and Denzil are perfect candidates for the CPL. The season now half-way through. Hopefully they get a good agent that can get them there. Why go back to play 4th division when CPL is paying more and allows for easier travel for NT games.

You are applying the wrong barometer. There is a widespread notion that once players are abroad they are en route to the NT. Not necessarily the case. And, what happens were we to pack 30 players onto the CPL?

The leagues in Central America are still relatively under-exploited by T&T players and therefore the question you pose is not the appropriate question.

Nonetheless, I can pretty much tell you Jomal Williams would have been capped by El Salvador were they able to cap him. You would be singing a different song then. Has AE ever pronounced on why Williams has been isolated from his NT?

Not to mention there is a CPL player who didn't shine in Central America.

[Fyzoman]

At this point is better Muckette eh even get picked to play for the national team.
He's slow.
He has no right being on the team.
He brings no tempo to the team.

Of course Bahamas offered little resistance, so whatever good he did doesn't count.

I rewatched the 1st half and found:
Muckette overcooked a cross to Moore (?) which the keeper caught.
He mis-directed a ball into Moore on the right side which Grenada kicked out for a throw.
He mis-controlled a thumping, skill-check pass from Yeates on the right side of the 6-yard box, we regained control seconds later and he assisted Shaw for his goal seconds after that. I may have missed another couple bad passes, but I don't think I did?

He gave Moore at least three passes either in the 18 or just outside that really should have been scored.
I won't mention his goals because the first was an easy shot that anybody could score, and the second was because of all the work the CPL boys did , so he deserves zero credit for them...and after all it was against Bahamas.

I am sure Rampy, Yeates, Moore and Hodge wish that Muckette could play whenever they are playing.

Muckette should stick to captaining AC POS, and  maybe playing against some of the weaker teams in Nations League games...cause, well, he's just up to this national team football..can a brotha get an amen?!?!

[gawd on pitch]

Interesting take Asylum. And I agree to a certain extent. We've been sending players to El salvador and Honduras for years. Jomal may be the exception. But I can't recall a player playing well in them leagues and coming into the national team and duplicating their performance. Right now we have about 5 examples of players doing that for their CPL team and bringing that success into the NT.

Yes, that player you talk about who went to Central America, and did not shine, is probably our best
player right now. Overall, the development that he was expecting to get in that league, was hampered. I say that because he has improved even more since being in the CPL.

The central American leagues are not giving us the same return as the CPL. I think you'd agree to that. If you can show me some examples, I'll agree with you 100%.

Good discussion asylumseeker. Too many times fellas get into these debates and it turns into a mudslinging thing. You're one of the few posters on here whose opinion I respect.

[asylumseeker]

An issue with Muckette is the passes he doesn't see or declines to make. Maybe even refuses to make.

[asylumseeker]

For the Brasil fans in the forum...and pay attention to what Endrick did at minute 2:42.

This not a full highlight with Mexico's worldie bicicleta and all the other goals, just Endrick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vwH0sTbAo0

Of all the items not to be replayed or provided in slo-mo!

[Brownsugar]

Does the quote function work without having to wait a generation before the quote loads?

I thought it was just me alone was having this problem.....

[Peong]

The CPL is new and a good destination yes, and I think our players would choose it over a central American league if given the option.

[Trini _2026]

Gawd on pitch what return has the CPL given us ? Which player has moved on to a bigger league from the CPL or even USL? CPL ain't no destination.

[gawd on pitch]

@Trini_2026 minus the CPL players, would we still be alive for the qualifications? CPL players scoring the goals. Even in Nations League. If the CPL did not exist, most of these guys would probably be playing USL 2, pro league or below that. It's the CPL that giving these players an opportunity to grow and develop. Then come back to the NT to prove their worth.

Right now the NT benefitting from the CPL. It would be hard to ignore that. The CPL is in alignment with the talent we currently have. It's a realistic option with decent competition, that can help to make us competitive in Concacaf

[gawd on pitch]

GRN 0 - 3 CR

I watch the game. Grenada had the majority of possession. But CR took their chances when it came.

[Fyzoman]

It seems like the CPL and USL salaries are similar, but I'm sure any local player might take the CPL over USL Championship or USL League One, especially if his agent gets him more money in the CPL, there is no disputing that?

My only issue (and not a huge one eh) is this, when Reon Moore scored his Golazo against USA last November he was playing for Army, and he has been this good for more than a few years now.
He played his first game in the CPL in April, so while, yes, he is a CPL player, and their training, facilities and salary may be better than Army, the CPL isn't responsible for him being the big balla he is right now.

Hart brought Rampy to the CPL in 2019 and that has probably made him a much better player.

Malcolm Shaw's is CPL for life.

Telfer's years in the CPL earned him 'promotion' to MLS II and USL Championship, and now he's back in the CPL.

Yeates of course started his career in the CPL and is still there.

So in my estimation Rampy and Telfer (mostly Telfer) are the CPL players that we have benefitted from in the past few years. Yeates is a welcome addition though.

Shaw can easily be replaced by Jamaican Pro League, USL League One, or local players.

Give Reon at least one season before CPL can claim him as theirs

So based on CR vs Grenada 3-0 result...Bahamas has to limit Grenada to less than six goals, and we can afford lose to Costa Rica by two...I'm sure we can manage that to advance!

[gawd on pitch]

Yes Fyzo. That St Kitts and Grenada game will be the one to also keep an eye on. Those two teams are on a similar level. Also, both have about 5 or so Englishmen playing on their team.

This game will take place on St Kitts turf field. That might be disastrous for the Grenadians. We had about 6 players who are accustomed to playing on turf. The Grenadians don't have any that play on turf regularly.

[Fyzoman]

I hadn’t thought of the home turf field angle, it is valid though.
Although a tie in that game would do us quite nicely too, and we should beat St Kitts at home.

[Peong]

I want to beat CR

[frico]

On a good day we can match CR and may be good enough for a win or a draw,I am not even thinking about a loss.

[madness]

@fyzoman
I 100% agree with you about Muckette. He doesn't show good quality when playing for the Trinidad NT. It seems like Coach Eve loves this player. Showtime and Poon-Angeron show better quality than him even though Poon-Angeron seems shaky, which caused the consolation goal from the Bahamas men. Sir Moore has talent, and it shows in both games. I do agree that CPL is showing the quality of our local players.


We must also get more international players from the CPL, USL, MLS, and European leagues. Coach Eve is very lucky that he has young talent. Once Eve continues to bring good quality players such as Steffen Yeates, we have a great chance of killing out low-level teams again. We can have a strong team against the next opponents, St Kitts and CR. Keep an eye on Trinidad during this qualification round—they could be the team to watch. I hope our local players improve playing at their clubs so that it will be good when it is time to play for TNT!

I am watching Coach Eve, so please do not mess up... 

[Fyzoman]

@madness...sorry but I was being sarcastic bredda.

I like Muckette, and he almost never gets a chance to play.
Even though Bahamas was very weak, he could have easily have FIVE assists in that game rather than just the one.

Ok let's look at recent games:

Not selected for the Gold Cup at all!

Nations League games:

Came on in 2nd half, we scored in 2nd half to beat Curaçao 1-0 after he came on.

Came on in 2nd half, we scored the winner in 2nd half when we beat Guatemala 3-2.

Came on at half time against El Salvador, played ball for Shaw to get kick down for a penalty, we scored two in 2nd half to win 3-2.

Never saw the field against Curaçao, we lost 5-3.

Not in squad we lost 3-0 against USA.

Came on as sub when we beat USA 2-1.

Not in squad, lost 2-0 to Canada.

So, in our last 5 victories, Muckette has been on the field for all of them.
The argument might be made that he just walked around, but he was still on the field when we won.

Conversely, he wasn't in the Gold Cup squad.
Didn't play or wasn't in the squad the last three times lost or drew.

Look bruh, I get it, sometimes yuh blood just mightn't take ah player, but I like fairness.
Not that I use to seek peeps out, but I can't remember seeing you comment on fat Hackshaw for all the years he -- inexplicably -- played/started for our national team, even in that crucial Canada game, Hackshaw started. Now if you had talked about Hackshaw, we coulda be riding pardnas

I'm not asking you to change your mind about him, mm mm, dais not ah trying to do, just be fair to him nah man.

I agree, Eve has to keep an eye for more international talent...this is our strongest squad since Eve has been coach and I may not voice it, but I feel we could even beat Costa Rica next year too!
I come in peace and love eh

[asylumseeker]

Muckette is the least of our problems. He is neither detrimental to success nor instrumental to failure. Search for the answer there.

[gawd on pitch]

Muckette has the potential, no doubt. But I don't see him as a huge contributor at the moment. BUT, get him into the CPL, he will grow and develop there. He's plateaued in the TTPFL, if he can get a good agent and get into the CPL, he will be a better player.

[gawd on pitch]

CR is not as mighty as they were. They are beatable. They did not look too impressive yesterday. Theyre not as physical as us. They also lack speed. But their passing is good as always.

We always lose to them on that shitty turf they have in San Jose. I believe they don't use that turf anymore. We can beat them. We won't leave San Jose empty handed.

[Tallman]

Eve pleased with Warriors’ performance...rout of Bahamas a big improvement on showing vs Grenada
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)

Senior men’s football team head coach Angus Eve is pleased with both the result and performance as Trinidad and Tobago recorded the biggest winning margin in CONCACAF Zone 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying to date, after they thrashed Bahamas 7-1 on Saturday in Basseterre, St Kitts.

“The result was the most important thing for us,” noted Eve. “We wanted to win the game. We wanted to get three points.” He felt the showing was a big improvement by T&T compared to its 2-2 draw against Grenada last Wednesday, when the Soca Warriors rallied after trailing by two early goals.

“I thought we were a little bit flat in the first game (against Grenada) and we never got going until the second half. We wanted to right that wrong, and I think we did it,” said Eve. “The passing was much better...the fluency of the team.”

Eve does not think it mattered than they played Bahamas, a team less aggressive and probably of lower quality than Grenada. Last World Cup cycle, the Bahamians grabbed a crucial 0-0 draw against T&T-- then coached by Englishman Terry Fenwick-- thus ending the Soca Warriors’ run during 2022 World Cup qualifying.

“It doesn’t matter who we played. This team (Bahamas) threw us out of the World Cup last time around. I don’t think we could have scored on them (in June 2021),” assesed Eve. “It shows improvement, for us beating them by seven.”

He was also pleased the Soca Warriors did not rest on their laurels after establishing an early advantage, having gone two-nil up in the first quarter-hour. “As the game went along, we believed we could have gotten more (goals),” intimated Eve. “We pushed for more, and it has taken us up to four points, which is most important.”

The coach made seven changes to his starting team that played Grenada, bringing in Malcolm Shaw and Duane Muckette, both scoring a double, as well as Andre Rampersad, Alvin Jones, Steffen Yeates, Triston Hodge and Josiah Trimmingham.

Yeates was making his national team debut, along with Dantaye Gilbert, the Holland-based teenager, while striker Kevon “Showtime” Woodley, 37, was playing his first World Cup qualifier, coming on as a second-half substitute.

“I just wanted to freshen up the team,” Eve explained. “I have confidence in all of the guys that we brought here,” adding, “We believe that we could kind of change up the squad somewhat and get the desired result.”

Yeates, 24, who was born in Canada and plays for Pacific FC, made a favourable impression in the midfield.

“I thought they did very well,” Eve assessed. “Yeates, as I said, since last October, we were looking at him. He is an intelligent footballer. He plays the ball well.”

Having come into the camp with a minor injury, Eve thought it best to restrict Gilbert’s playing time. “We kind of saved him a little bit from the first match and gave him the opportunity to play in this match. It’s always good to give a young player debut, and tonight we give two players debuts, and I think they did well.”

Eve mentioned that playmaker Muckette also delivered, netting a brace and setting up another. Striker Shaw also scored a double. “Duane has been doing good in the local League; Malcolm is playing more consistently in the Canada league,” noted Eve. “We believe in all the players that we bring here, and we have no fear to change up the team.”

T&T continue their 2026 World Cup Qualifying series next June, when hosting St Kitts/Nevis, before ending the series away to Costa Rica. The top two teams in each of six groups will advance to the final stage of CONCACAF qualifying.

[maxg]

“Ah want allyuh go out and score plenty goals, cause dem beat we last time. All the men who play on the turf hands up.” I might bet was the extent of tactical instructions.

No sir, the score not shineing in meh eye, as to what is required going forward.

[Fyzoman]

My defense of Muckette is tied to the small fight down he gets, all the while peeps eh saying peep about Hackshaw and other men.

I know he's no Modric, but at the same, he's no scrub...I'm fine if he's used as a 2nd half sub to bring something different for teams to deal with, or, just start him to make Rampy, Yeates, Shaw, Reon and  Hodge them happy.

And may I sacrilegiously point out...he's just like Rodri for The Man. City, we doh lorse or draw whenever he plays, at least that's what our irrefutable recent record reflects.

The moral of the story is, just play him for ten minutes every game and we guaranteed to qualify for WC 2026

Allright, ah fire de wuk, enough about Duaney.