CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, CMC – Keron Cummings scored twice while Yohance Marshall produced a dramatic injury-time goal, as Trinidad and Tobago came from behind to snatch a share of the points in an eight-goal thriller against Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup here Wednesday night.
Playing at the Bank of America in their final Group C contest, T&T fell behind 0-2 through goals on either side of half-time from Paul Aguilar in the 32nd minute and Carlos Vela in the 51st.
However, the Caribbean side hit back with three goals in the space of 13 minutes. Cummings struck in the 55th minute, captain Kenwyne Jones followed up three minutes later before Cummins completed his double in the 67th.
More drama followed, however, when Andres Guardado levelled two minutes from time and Jones’s own-goal just moments looked to have lost it for the Soca Warriors.
But Marshall’s header with mere seconds left in the game saw the encounter end 4-4.
The result left T&T on top Group C with seven points, with Mexico finishing second on five.
In the preceding game, Cuba beat Guatemala 1-0 through Maikel Reyes’s 73rd minute goal, to also sneak into the quarter-finals as one of the two-best third placed teams.
T&T will now face Panama in New Jersey on Sunday while Mexico take on Costa Rica in the second game at the East Rutherford venue.
In a game that never lacked for passion and excitement, Aguilar struck first just after the first half-hour, squeezing in from close range after Vela had headed on Yasser Corona’s cross.
The scoreline remained at half-time but Mexico doubled their lead six minutes afterward, with Vela driving into the box, beating one defender before powering a right-footed volley off the post and past goalkeeper Marvin Phillip.
T&T then transformed the game in an extraordinary period of play. First, Cummings pulled one back from close range, converting clinically after brilliant work by Jones who dribbled into the area before laying off the ball.
Minutes later, the Cardiff City frontman got free from his marker and stole in at the far post to tuck in Cordell Cato’s precise pass.
Cummings then got his second and T&T’s third in the 67th, slotting home after being teed up by Jones.
T&T appeared to be heading to a 3-2 victory when Mexico levelled through Guardado’s powerful volley in the 88th minute.
Jones then deflected a pass into his own net to send Mexico ahead but Marshall made no mistake in the third minute of added time, following Joevin’s Jones accurate corner.
