Trinidad and Tobago will remain in League A of the Concacaf Nations League after beating Cuba 3-1 in a must-win encounter at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago, on October 14.
Defeat would have seen the Soca Warriors relegated to League B, and they came out like a team fighting for survival.
Police midfielder Joevin Jones, 33, repaid caretaker coach Derek King for his surprise call-up with an inspired first-half performance that helped put TT in control 2-0 at the half.
Conservatively, the game could have been at least 5-0 by then with midfielder Andre Rampersad and forward Nathaniel James guilty of squandering golden opportunities.
It was a particularly sloppy display by the Cubans who showed none of the poise and incisive passing they displayed four days ago in a 2-2 draw in Santiago.
PSV midfielder Dantaye Gilbert put the hosts ahead, latching onto a through pass before chipping the onrushing goalie in the 13th minute.
Joevin made it 2-0 in the 28th, collecting the ball on top the box before quickly shifting to his weaker right foot and striking low past the Cuban custodian who seemed surprised by the shot as the ball squirmed under his dive.
James and Rampersad both had chances to get their names on the scoresheet but were errant in front goal.
Joevin brought the crowd to its feet just before the half with a fine run after the play was switched from left to right. The nippy left footer froze the Cuban left back with a "spanner" before blazing overbar from a tight angle as he went for glory.
The second half started disastrously for TT as Joevin looked to have picked up a muscle injury in the 48th and was substituted for Real Gill.
The change seemed to have ruined TT's rhythm as Cuba gradually began asserting themselves.
It was no surprise when they halved the deficit in the 62nd courtesy of Yasnier Matos who had it laid on a platter for him after TT were dispossessed in the defensive third.
However, Gill restored TT's advantage three minutes later, racing on to a defence-splitting pass and rounding the keeper before slotting it into the net.
The task for Cuba got harder as they lost defender Karel Perez Mendoza to a second yellow.
They did not give up, though and had other quality chances to score against a porous TT backline which would have been grateful for the final whistle.
The result saw the visitors demoted to League B while King got his first and possibly last win of the tournament.
All eyes will be on the TTFA now as they continue their search for a permanent head coach.
Team
Trinidad and Tobago (3-4-2-1): 21.Adrian Foncette (GK); 16.Alvin Jones, 2.Aubrey David (captain), 17.Justin Garcia (4.Sheldon Bateau 88); 14.Shannon Gomez, 6.Andre Rampersad, 19.Noah Powder, 5.Ross Russell Jr (18.Triston Hodge 70); 3.Joevin Jones (11.Real Gill 50), 15.Dantaye Gilbert (8.Isaiah Lee 70); 9.Nathaniel James (13.Michel Poon-Angeron 70).
Unused substitutes: 1.Christopher Biggette (GK), 22.Denzil Smith (GK), 7.Ryan Telfer, 10.Kevin Molino, 12.Adriel George, 20.John-Paul Rochford, 23.Kevon Woodley.
Coach: Derek King.