For Dwight Yorke, tonight’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Jamaica is far more than just another fixture. It is the biggest game of his coaching career, and he believes it should also be the defining moment for his players.
T&T face Group B leaders Jamaica at the Hasely Crawford Stadium with kick-off at 8 p.m. in a pivotal CONCACAF Final Round World Cup encounter that could determine the national team’s chances of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
“This is the biggest game of my career for sure, certainly, bearing in mind what is at stake. As I said, we are fighting for our lives,” Yorke declared during yesterday’s pre-match press conference.
The stakes could hardly be higher. T&T sit third in Group B on five points, while Jamaica top the table with nine. With the first leg in Kingston having ended 2-0 to Jamaica, the home side knows victory is essential to keep its World Cup hopes alive. T&T also face Bermuda on Tuesday, but all eyes are on tonight’s showdown.
“We are at home. It’s a must-win scenario for us to keep our lives, certainly in the campaign. It’s a game where we are fighting for our lives. To keep our dreams alive, certainly in trying to get to the World Cup,” Yorke emphasised.
Yorke, who captained Trinidad and Tobago to their only World Cup appearance in 2006, sees this as a career-defining test—not just for him but for his squad.
“It’s a massive game, probably the biggest game of most of my players’ career here. We have to win the game and we have to be aggressive in many aspects, both in and out of possession. The players are aware of what we are requesting them to do,” Yorke said.
The Tobago-born coach has left nothing to chance, spending days on meticulous tactical preparations.
“There are no excuses, there is no hiding place. Everyone is alert to the scenario and now is the time to go and execute,” he explained. “With high stakes, high expectations come high value. As a manager, you have to be prepared tactically as well as mentally. My players and I have been preparing for this. We knew it would come down to the final two games, and we have given ourselves that chance.”
While Jamaica has held the upper hand in recent encounters, Yorke believes the gap has closed.
“It’s all about who wants it the most in the game tomorrow,” he said. “Looking back from where I started to where we are, I would like to think that, although Jamaica has come out on top, we have closed the gap.”
Home advantage, Yorke insists, will be crucial.
“The people here in Trinidad and Tobago will no doubt come out in their numbers to support the team like they have in every game I have played at home. I expect nothing less,” he said.
Among those eager to make an impact is Roald Mitchell, a United States-based striker earning his first senior national call-up. The 22-year-old, now in his second season with New York Red Bulls, overcame a season-ending knee injury in 2024 and recently helped New York Red Bulls II capture the MLS NEXT Pro Cup, scoring five goals in the playoffs—a record for a single postseason.
“Coming back from this injury, I wasn’t expecting a lot this year. I thought I was going to have a slower start,” Mitchell admitted. “But I think the staff here really believes in me.”
Yorke is equally confident in Mitchell’s potential to make a difference tonight.
“An exciting young prospect, we are delighted to have him on board,” Yorke said. “He is someone a little bit different to what we have.”
GROUP B STANDINGS:
Jamaica 4…..3…..0……1…….10…..2…..+8…….9
Curacao 4…..2…..2……0……6…….3…….+3……8
T&T 4…..1……2……1…….4……..3……+1…….5
Bermuda 4…..0…..0……4……2……..14…..-12…….0
