Young Soca Warriors enjoy 5-2 romp in tour opener

The Young Soca Warriors took control after conceding a second-minute penalty, slotted home by Shane Hollis, and had the match sewn up by half-time when they led 3-1 through goals by Jamal Juma Clarence, Daniel Cyrus and Marcus Joseph.

Trent Lougheed added a fourth in the 50th minute, and although Keishan Bean pulled a goal back six minutes later, the visitors restored their three-goal advantage shortly before the final whistle through substitute Stephen Campbell.

Although the temperature reached a mild 21 Celsius, an approaching cold front brought blustery and occasionally showery conditions which initially suited the Bermuda Under-23s better.

The young Gombey Warriors started strongly and when defender Curtis Gonzales brought Hollis down in the box he dusted himself off to convert from the spot.

Bermuda goalkeeper Tahj Bell then made two-point bank saves to deny Lougheed and in the 15th minute Bean came close to doubling the hosts’ lead. Bean rounded goalkeeper Andre Marchan, only to have his shot cleared off the line.

The visitors drew level in the 22nd minute when Clarence seized on a bad pass by Angelo Simmons to rifle home a shot from the edge of the box.

Three minutes later Cyrus put the visitors ahead when he beat his marker on the edge of the area to curl a fine left-footed shot past a diving Bell.

In the 35th minute Devrae Tankard’s headed clearance only found Joseph whose right-foot volley flew past a stranded Bell in the home goal, giving the visitors a two-goal cushion at the break.

Lougheed increased the lead in the 50th minute, tapping in after Bell could only parry a Clarence shot.

Teenager Reggie Lambe, who plays for English Championship side Ipswich Town, gave the home fans something to cheer about when he slipped his marker in the 56th minute and found Bean, who rounded the advancing Marchan to pull a goal back.

Marchan then did well to keep out a Nahki Wells shot in the 73rd minute and 10 minutes later a Wells free-kick flew across the face of the Trinidad and Tobago goal.

As both sides went all out to add to the goal tally, home goalkeeper Bell denied substitutes Jerrel Britto and Jevon Morris before Britto became the provider in the 90th minute when his cross found Campbell, who netted his side’s fifth goal.