Senior Multimedia Reporter
Trinidad and Tobago conceded two goals in the final seven minutes to fall to a heartbreaking 2-3 loss to Haiti in their 2026/2027 Concacaf Nations League A Group A opener at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica, on Thursday night.
With five minutes left in the match, the Levi Garcia-captained Soca Warriors looked set for their first win in seven matches for 2026 and their first over Haiti in five matches when the Greece-based Garcia latched onto a through ball from USA-based Wayne Frederick II to lob the advancing Alexandre Pierre in goal for Haiti for a 2-1 lead in the 58th.
This was after the Haitians made their early dominance of the ball count and went 1-0 ahead in the 23rd through veteran Fafa Picault, 35, a former USA international who found space from T&T defender Rio Cardines to plant a downward header to the left of goalkeeper Denzil Smith and in off the post from a flighted cross by Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor.
Six minutes later Isidor almost doubled the Haitians’ leads when he latched onto a ball behind the T&T defence on the left side of the 18-yard box; however, his left-footed shot on the turn from an acute angle was well held by Smith.
Two minutes later, Cardines would make amends for not getting much closer to Picault on Haiti’s opener when he whipped in a right-sided free-kick from a foul by Garven-Michee Metusala, which was met low on the full by USA-based Wayne Frederick II, with a sweeping right-footed volley to beat goalkeeper Alexandre Pierre of France’s FC Sochaux on his near post to level the match at 1-1.
The assist by Cardines added his run of good form for English Championship side Bristol City, where he is on loan from Premier League outfit Crystal Palace, while the goal for 22-year-old Frederick II, the second pick in the 2024 US Major League Soccer Super Draft by Colorado Rapids, behind national teammate Tyrese Spicer, was his first in five senior team appearances.
On the resumption, T&T started much brighter than in the first, with Garcia forcing a low save down to his left from Pierre in the 50th minute, while at the other end of the field, Haiti squandered a chance to retake the lead when Dany Jean dragged a left-footed effort wide of the advancing Smith on a counterattack in the 53rd.
The game was now much more open. At the 54th minute, Garcia had another effort on goal from a surging run down the left, but his shot was wide of the far post, while the lively Isidor’s control and shot on the spin from a free kick were also wide of the T&T upright.
Four minutes later, Garcia finally got his goal when he ran onto Frederick’s pass over the top for a 2-1 lead, while he came close to making it 3-1 in the 60th, only to be denied by Pierre with a low save on his left post.
In the 65th minute, King was forced into a goalkeeping change when Smith picked up a muscle injury with Jabari Brice taking his place in goal, and within eight minutes, Brice was called into action, diving low down to his right to keep out a downward header from Carl Sainte.
The Haitians were growing into the contest, after a period of dominance by T&T, and in the 77th, Isidor came close again when he wrong-footed debutant defender Jaheim Joseph, who replaced the injured Josiah Trimmingha, at the half, and beat Brice on his near post.
Fortunately for the T&T goalkeeper and his teammates, the ball ricocheted off the post and then onto the far post before coming back into play and being cleared by the T&T defenders.
As the minutes passed, King attempted to maintain his 2-1 lead by substituting his 2-1 lead and replaced Garcia and Frederick II with Dantaye Gilbert and debutant Andrew De Gannes in the 76th and 84th minutes, respectively.
But the Haitians continued to press, and in the 90th minute, they drew level at 2-2 when Isidor’s downward header from a right-sided cross was slotted home from close range by Metusala.
Six minutes into time added-on, Isidor finally got his goal on the night when he was on spot at the far post to bundle the ball over the line after a right-sided cross deflected off De Gannes to secure the first win in League A and spark off wild celebrations amongst his teammates, handing T&T a heartbreaking last-gasp defeat, which extended their winless run to seven matches.
T&T will now return home to host the Dominican Republic on Sunday, September 27, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port-of-Spain, from 9 pm while Haiti faces Costa Rica.
Also in Group A, FC Porto’s Pablo Rosario snatched a dramatic late winner for the Dominican Republic in their 3-2 triumph over Nicaragua to the delight of their home fans at the Estadio Cibao FC, Santiago, Dominican Republic.
Nicaragua will also play away to Curacao on Sunday at Stadion Ergilio Hato, Willemstad, Curacao, from 8 pm.
Thursday’s results
Haiti 3 (Fafa Picault 23rd, Garven-Michee Metusala 90+1, Wilson Isidor 90+7) vs T&T 2 (Wayne Frederick II 32nd, Levi Garcia 59th)
Dominican Republic 3 (Heinz Morschel 5th, Mariano Diaz 15th, Pablo Rosario 90+7) vs Nicaragua 2 (Juan Luis Perez 40th, Byron Bonilla 84th)
T&T team
22. Denzil Smith (GK) (1. Jabari Brice (GK) 66th), 5. Josiah Trimmingham (4. Jaheim Joseph 46th), 7. Ryan Telfer, 8. Daniel Phillips, 11. Levi Garcia (capt) (12. Dantaye Gilbert 76th), 14. Wayne Frederick II (6. Andrew De Gannes 84th), 16. Tyrese Spicer, 17. Justin Garcia, 18. Andre Rampersad, 19. Rio Cardines (2. Deron Payne 66th), 23. Noah Powder.
Subs not used: 21. Jaheim Wickham (GK), 9. Daniel David, 10. Luke Phillip, 13. Reon Moore, 20. Real Gill.
Coach: Derek King
Haiti team: 1. Alexandre Pierre (GK), 2. Carlesn Arcus (capt), 4. Garven-Michee Metusala, 5. Hannes Del Croix, 6. Carl Sainte (10. Jean Bellegarde 58th), 7. Fabrice Picault (19. Yassin Enzo Fortune 58th), 8. Martin Experience, 11. Louicius Don Deedson (15. Ruben Providence 69th), 17. Danley Jean-Jacques (20. Frantzdy Pierrot 84th), 18. Wilson Isidorm 21. Dany Jean (9. Kenny Emmanuel Quetant 58th).
Subs not used: 12. 12. Jonah Mednard (GK), 23. Josue Duverger (GK), 3. Francois Dulysse, 13. Markhus La Croix, 14. Dominique Celidor Simon, 22. Jean-Kevin Duverne.
Coach: David Badia.
