Trinidad advances with 2-0 in over Honduras
Kenwyne Jones had a goal and an assist, helping Trinidad and Tobago to a 2-0 victory over 10-man Honduras to advance to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Jones, who plays for Stoke City of the English Premier League, converted a penalty kick with a deft touch to the left of Honduras goalkeeper Jose Mendoza in the 47th minute. The score came after referee Marco Rodriguez whistled Orlin Peralta for a foul in the penalty area on Cornell Glenn.
Nearly 20 minutes later, Jones served Kevin Molino with a precise ball into the box off a pass by Khaleem Hyland. Molino deposited it into the back of net.
Despite the loss, Honduras (2-1, 6 points) finished atop Group B after wins over Haiti and El Salvador. Honduras played a man down since the 37th minute, when Jose Velasquez was red-carded.
''It wasn't a good game,'' Honduras coach Luis Fernando Suarez said. ''The ejection complicated our attempts to arm the team properly.
''Fortunately, if we could lose one game, it was this one,'' added Suarez, who described Trinidad and Tobago as potent and strong.
With the win, Trinidad and Tobago (1-1-1, 4 points) dropped Haiti (1-2, 3 points) out of the competition.
''We knew we had to play for the result, but more important for me was the positive approach the team took,'' Trinidad and Tobago coach Stephen Hart said. ''We tried to not only keep possession of the ball but to attack and create some opportunities.''
Trinidad and Tobago reached the knockout stages for the first time since losing 1-0 to Canada in the semifinals of the 2000 Gold Cup.
Gold Cup group-stage play concludes Tuesday in East Hartford, Conn., with Costa Rica facing the United States and Belize playing Cuba, the latter two teams having no points through two matches.