Sports

21 Hrs Ago

A SOBERING afternoon at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium in London saw TT’s senior men’s football team slump to a one-sided 4-0 defeat against Ghana on May 31, closing their inaugural 2025 Unity Cup account without a win.

For head coach Dwight Yorke and his rebuilding squad, it was a harsh, if instructive, examination against superior opposition, one that exposed familiar defensive frailties and a worrying lack of punch in attack — but also delivered valuable lessons ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers next month.

Both teams were understrength as the cup fell outside of the FIFA international match window.

The Black Stars, captained by Leicester City striker Jordan Ayew, wasted little time stamping their authority on the match.

Just five minutes in, Ayew received a pass from Abu Francis, drifted into space on the edge of the box and unleashed a left-footed strike that curled beyond the reach of Jabari St Hillaire and into the far corner. It was a concerningly soft concession from the Soca Warriors, with Ayew afforded far too much time and room.

And things deteriorated quickly. Six minutes later, Ayew turned provider, floating in a corner that Razak Simpson rose to meet, thumping a header in off the post for his maiden international goal.

TT’s marking was static, their defensive line disorganised, and Ghana went 2-0 ahead before the match had properly settled.

The Warriors did have moments of promise, though they were few and fleeting. The best of them came midway through the first half when Duane Muckette, one of the few bright spots in an otherwise muted midfield, struck the upright with a fierce drive.

The AC Port of Spain playmaker pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the area and unleashed a shot that had goalkeeper Lawrence Zigi beaten, but not the woodwork.

It proved a false dawn. Ghana, brimming with pace and invention down the flanks, continued to press, with teenager Christopher Bonsu Baah tormenting TT’s backline. The inevitable third arrived in the 41st.

A sharp move from right to left saw Ayew cleverly flick the ball into the path of Mohammed Fuseini, who finished with confidence to make it 3-0 before the break.

Yorke made a raft of changes for the fixture – ten in total after the 3-2 loss to Jamaica, with only captain Joevin Jones starting both matches, giving debuts and valuable minutes to several players.

He also made some key changes at halftime against Ghana, but despite some early second-half possession, the Warriors struggled to mount a meaningful response.

Any lingering hope of damage limitation was snuffed out in the 58th minute.

Gideon Mensah’s low cross seemed innocuous, but St Hillaire allowed the ball to slip through his legs at the near post, with Lawrence Agyekum claiming the goal. It was a disheartening moment in a difficult afternoon for the 25-year-old goalkeeper, who endured a testing outing behind a stretched and exposed defence.

EXPOSURE FOR YOUNG WARRIORS

Post-match, Yorke acknowledged the gulf in class but appreciated the experience gained.

“We thought, coming into this tournament, it was always going to be a big ask, especially for the local lads who haven’t been outside of TT,” Yorke said.

“Having an opportunity to play here at the Gtech Stadium in London, in front of a huge supporting crowd for Jamaica, Nigeria, and Ghana – it’s a new experience for the team.

“It wasn’t the result we wanted, but it tested the squad and gave some exposure to these young players who are the future of TT football.”

Yorke, who has been at the helm for seven months, added that the Unity Cup, although not falling within the full FIFA window, served its purpose in highlighting both potential and problem areas.

“It gives me an indication of how strong the squad is and where we need to improve. It also gives us a clear picture of what we have ahead of World Cup qualifying.”

On the topic of player availability, Yorke hinted at reinforcements for the upcoming fixtures. “You’ll see a new selection of players coming. The international window wasn’t fully open to my players here, so we’ll have a lot of them back in the equation once the window is open on June 1.”

NIGERIA LIFT THIRD UNITY CUP

In the subsequent Unity Cup final, Nigeria edged Jamaica 5-4 via kicks from the penalty spot after a tense, tactical and nearly equal effort from both teams, with the match ending 2-2 at full time. Nantes winger Moses Simon and AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze scored early on either side of the half for Nigeria.

Charlton Athletic forward Kaheim Dixon and Barnsley midfielder Jon Russell scored equalising goals for Jamaica in the 12th and 63rd minutes, respectively.

The result followed Nigeria’s 2-1 win over Ghana in Wednesday’s semi-final, while Jamaica reached the final courtesy of a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Warriors, sealed by a last-gasp penalty from Richard King.

Nigeria won the previous two Unity Cups, held in 2002 and 2004. The cup features countries with large diasporas in London.

Nigeria defeated Jamaica 1-0 in the first tournament. This was TT’s first invitation.

For the Soca Warriors, the focus now shifts to far more consequential fixtures. TT will host St Kitts and Nevis at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on June 6 in their opening 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match before heading to Costa Rica for a tough assignment four days later. Yorke’s men then embark on their Concacaf Gold Cup campaign, opening against the United States on June 15.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s senior men’s footballers suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Ghana in their Unity Cup third-place playoff match at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, London, on May 31.

Goals from Jordan Ayew (6th), Razak Simpson (12th), Mohammed Gadafi Fuseini (42nd) and Lawrence Agyekum (58th) sealed a dominant win for the Black Stars. AC Port of Spain’s Duane Muckette, a rare spark in TT’s otherwise flat-footed midfield, came closest to scoring for the Warriors, rattling the upright with a powerful effort in the 25th.

Jamaica and Nigeria, the respective victors over TT (3-2) and Ghana (2-1) two days prior, played in the inaugural cup final after the third-place match.

Coach Dwight Yorke’s Soca Warriors now turn their attention to crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying assignments.

TT host St Kitts and Nevis on June 6 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, before visiting Costa Rica on June 10.

The Warriors begin their Concacaf Gold Cup campaign against the United States on June 15.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Lilian Turban and Tara Wyllie each turned in strong efforts in their respective events, but came up short in advancing bringing the Hawai’i track and field team’s season to an end Saturday at the NCAA First Round.
 
Turban narrowly missed out on getting to her second career NCAA Championships outdoors in the high jump, clearing 1.81m (5-11.25) to match the qualifying mark. The senior, however, did not place in the top 12 needed to advance to Eugene, Ore. based on the fact that she missed clearing that mark on her first attempt before doing so on her second try at that height.
 
Wyllie came in 32nd in the triple jump in her second consecutive appearance at the NCAA First Round. The junior from Australia jumped 12.62m (41-5) on her second attempt but fouled on her other two tries, missing out on securing top-12 spot needed to move on to the NCAA Championships.
 

The Rainbow Wahine end their 2025 track & field season having sent four athletes to the NCAA First Round – the most since 2016. UH also finished fourth as a team at the Big West Championships, the program’s fourth consecutive top-four finish in the conference.
 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the final day of the NCAA East First Rounds, High Point University women’s track and field team had two athletes compete in the quarterfinals in their respective events. Brianna Malone raced in the women’s 1500m, and Alyssa Hendrix ran in the women’s 3000m steeplechase.
 
Malone qualified for the quarterfinals after placing top 20 in the first rounds on Thursday afternoon. She went out in the second heat of the 1500m and stayed on pace with the top runners, helping her shatter the program and Big South records with a 4:11.37 time. Her new record time placed her in 14th overall to close out her first NCAA East First Round appearance.
 
Hendrix competed in the 3000m steeplechase immediately following Malone’s 1500m in the first heat. She recorded a 10:21.20 time and placed 26th out of 48 competitors to close out her final season of college.  
 
UP NEXT:
The three NCAA Championship qualifiers – Sydney Horn, Ricardo Montes de Oca and Cole Wilson – will train over the next week to prepare for their trip to Eugene, Oregon. Nationals will begin on June 11 at Hayward Field.
 

#GoHPU x #DefendTheTeam

TEMPE – The Collegiate Water Polo Association has announced the 2025 ACWPC All-American teams and Sun Devils’ junior Millie Quin made the third team and freshman Itziar Almeda earned an honorable mention nod.

The pair of attackers are the second duo in Sun Devil history to each record 100+ points in a season after leading Sun Devil Water Polo to a 19-9 record. This marks back-to-back years for a Sun Devil pair to each record 100+ points in a season.

The selections were picked by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) and are selected based on nominations and voted on by the head coaches of each varsity program.

CLOVIS, Calif. — A transgender athlete bested the competition Saturday at the California high school track and field championship to take home gold in the girls high jump and the triple jump at a meet that has stirred controversy and drawn national attention.

AB Hernandez competed under a new rule change that may be the first of its kind nationally by a high school sports governing body.

Hernandez finished the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 7 inches, with no failed attempts. Co-winners Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle also cleared that height after each logged a failed attempt. The three shared the first-place win, smiling as they stepped together onto the podium.

Hernandez wrapped up the night with a first place finish in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher who trailed by just over a half-meter. Earlier in the afternoon, Hernandez placed second in the long jump.

Olympians Marion Jones and Tara Davis-Woodhall previously set state championship records in the long jump in 1993 and 2017, respectively, both surpassing 22 feet. This year’s winner, Loren Webster, topped 21 feet, with Hernandez trailing by a few inches.

The California Interscholastic Federation announced the new policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez’s success heading into the championships. Under the policy, the federation allowed an additional student to compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified.

The two-day championship kicked off Friday in sweltering heat at a high school near Fresno. Temperatures reached the triple digits during Saturday’s finals.

SEE ALSO: Protesters gather as California transgender student-athlete competes in CIF finals amid controversy

The atmosphere was relatively quiet despite critics – including parents, conservative activists and President Donald Trump – calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing. Some critics wore pink bracelets and T-shirts that read, “Save Girls’ Sports.”

During Friday’s qualifying events, an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour with a banner: “No Boys in Girls’ Sports!” Two groups that oppose transgender athletes participating in women’s sports – the Independent Council on Women’s Sports and Women Are Real – took credit for flying the banner.

California at center of national debate

The federation’s rule change reflected efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls’ participation in youth sports.

“The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law,” the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change.

A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women’s sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats.

The federation announced the change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then.

READ MORE: Threatening to withhold funding for California, Trump cites case of transgender athlete at IE school

The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez’s high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law.

California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

The federation said the rule opens the field to more “biological female” athletes. One expert said the change may itself be discriminatory because it creates an extra spot for “biological female” athletes but not for other trans athletes.

The federation did not specify how it defines “biological female” or how it would verify whether a competitor meets that definition.

Sophia Lorey, outreach director with California Family Council, was among those at the stadium Saturday. She said the federation’s policy is not a fix for the issue and only ends up causing more confusion.

“At the end of the day,” Lorey said, “it shows the girls that we know this is wrong and we’re still letting it happen to you.”

Hernandez told the publication Capital & Main this month that she cannot worry about critics.

“I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person,” she said.

Other students break records

California’s championship stands out from that of other states because of the sheer number of competitors. The state had the second-largest number of students participating in outdoor track and field in the nation during the 2023-2024 school year, behind Texas, according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

The boys 100-meter heats also were a highlight, with junior Jaden Jefferson of De La Salle High School in Concord finishing in 10.01 seconds Friday, 0.19 seconds faster than a meet record set in 2023. But he fell just shy of making it count as a meet record with a final time of 10.27 seconds in Saturday’s final.

Athletes set new meet records in several events, including boys and girls relay races, hurdle competitions and the boys pole vault.

RELATED:
Central Valley lawmakers call for removal of transgender athlete from upcoming CIF girls finals
DOJ investigating whether CA violated federal law by allowing transgender athletes in girls’ sports

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Tia Oliver concluded Sacramento State’s time at the NCAA West First Round by placing 40^th in the women’s steeplechase at Texas A&M.
 
Oliver, who was making her first appearance at the NCAA postseason outdoor meet, ran the race in 10:41.70. The senior will depart Sacramento State as the school record holder in the steeplechase (10:24.82). She is also ninth in the indoor mile (4:58.07) and second in the indoor 3K (9:45.23).
 
The Hornets had six student-athletes compete at the NCAA West First Round, its highest total since 2019. Senior Miles Grant was able to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the high jump. He will compete on June 13 in Eugene, Ore.