Two second-half goals by Devon Mitchell fired Trinidad and Tobagos Under-23 players to a 3-1 win over the Bahamas yesterday afternoon and a commanding aggregate win in their first round Olympic qualifying two-match series.
Devon Mitchell got his goals late after Devon Caseman had given Trinidad and Tobago a 54th minute lead in the game at the Bahamas FA National Stadium.
Nesley Jean netted an 87th minute goal from the penalty spot for the Bahamas, but the visitors, who had won the first leg match 3-0 on Friday, coasted to a 6-1 aggregate win.
Approximately 1,000 fans watched a scoreless first half in which the Bahamas used their emphasis on defence to fend off the more accomplished T&T side.
But Caseman struck nine minutes into the second half, collecting a cross from the left and blasting in a right footer that the Bahamas goalkeeper Duane Whylly managed to touch with his diving effort.
Mitchell made it 2-0 when he received a pass at the top of the box from the right and shot past Whylly with a low right-footer.
Jean converted from the penalty spot for the home side three minutes from the end after Cameron Hepple was tripped as he dribbled through a cluster of T&T defenders.
T&T then regained their two-goal advantage in the game when Mitchell, at the far post, headed into the goal from a left sided cross in the 90th minute.
On Friday, goals by Michael Lee Celestine, Kendal Davis, and Andre Toussaint had given Trinidad and Tobago their 3-0 win in the first leg. T&T are now the first team to qualify for the second round of the CONCACAF Olympic series that will be played in November, for which El Salvador, Honduras, St Lucia and the USA have earned byes.
Trinidad and Tobago:
Jan-Michael Williams, Corey Rivers, Lyndon Diaz, Ronald Primus, Silvio Spann (capt - Denzil Theobald 66th), Devon Caseman, Nigel Daniel, Michael Celestine, Andre Toussaint (Julius James 84th), Josh Johnson (Devon Mitchell 66th), Kendell Davis.
Bahamas:
Dwyane Whylly, Daron Beneby, Mark Daniels, Ethan Thompson (Shermod Thompson 88th), Mackinson Altidor, Gavin Christie, Cameron Hepple, Sean Neville, Ryan Moseley (Dalles Nassie 59th), Nestle Jean, Happy Hall (Ramon James 76th).