Trinidad and Tobago labored to a 1-0 victory over Guyana in a warm-up encounter at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Centre of Excellence on Tuesday evening.
But the victory was marred by a first minute injury to promising T&T defender Corey Rivers who suffered a broken left ankle. Rivers, who made an impressive debut in T&T’s recent 1-1 draw with a Brazil All Stars team, was on the receiving end of a crunching tackle by Randolph Jerome near the half-line and went down in grimace, resulting in his teammates immediately signally for attention and a change in player.
He stayed for at least five minutes on the pitch before before escorted off with his ankle carefully bandaged and taken to the St Augustine hospital Complex where he is expected to undergo surgery on Wednesday.
The affair was more of a dull one as the Guyanese, coming off a 5-0 loss to Grenada in their World Cup qualifier on the weekend, never really threatened to come away winners this time around. T&T meantime, were able to hold on to their 32nd minute item and St Clair had the chance to see a few other players in action in front of around 700 fans.
Striker Nigel Pierre had the first chance of the match when his header flew over bar in the 10th minute and then Kerwyn Jemmot created the chance of the match seven minutes later. He smartly scooped the ball over the defensive wall from a free kick and found an onrushing Nigel Daniel, but his effort was cleared off the line by Howard Lowe with goalkeeper Andrew Durant in no man’s land.
Jemmot was at the centre of creativity again, this time, setting up the only goal of the match. His through ball found Nigel Pierre in space on the right and after his shot cannoned off the cross bar, the ball was whipped back in by Trent Noel and Celestine rammed home from close range.
Guyana did manage to create chances on goal and Gregory Richardson went close in the 35th minute when he hit a low effort inches wide of the left post from the edge of the box.
Celestine almost doubled the lead early in the second half but his one time volley went wide from the centre of the box.
There was little goalmouth action in the second half until substitute Kevin Graham took on three defenders on route to goal but pushed a wee bit too much, allowing the advancing ‘keeper to claim in the dying stages.
T&T line up: Daurance Williams, Corey Rivers (Atiba Charles, 2nd , Larry McDonald, 80th)), Keyeno Thomas (Derek King, 69th) Anton Pierre, Kerry Baptiste, Devon Mitchell, Kerwyn Jemmot (Kevon Carter, 72nd) , Trent Noel (Clyde Leon, 57th) , Nigel Pierre, Nigel Daniel, Michael Celestine (Kenwyne Jones, 53rd).