Trinidad & Tobago young Soca Warriors warmed up nicely for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup Finals later this month, with a 2-1 win over the United Arab Emirates in an international friendly on Thursday.
Midfielder Sean De Silva handed T&T the ideal start when he fired in the opening goal in the 10th minute to put the Caribbean side ahead.
Twelve minutes later, striker Qian Grosvenor who started up front with Jamal Clarence, netted the second goal for T&T to lead 2-0 at the interval.
The UAE reduced the deficit in the 58th minute but T&T squad held on for the win to avenge its previous defeats in Dubai which came in previous warm-up clashes earlier this year.
T&T will now play their next match against a local club team from Antalya on Sunday before meeting Cameroon next Tuesday and UAE again two days later.
The Caribbean side are preparing for the upcoming Under-20 World Cup which kicks off on September 24 in Egypt. They meet the hosts in the opening match.
T&T, coached by Yugoslavia-born Zoran Vranes, are coming off a two-match tour of England.
Trinidad are expected to be boosted by the arrival of three overseas-based players in midfielder Khaleem Hyland of Belgium’s Zulte Waregem, striker Jamal Gay of Germany’s Rot Weiss Oberhausen and England-born utility player Jake Thomson of Southampton.
At the end of series of matches in Turkey, T&T will travel to Cyprus for two more matches against the United States and Australia before heading Egypt.