FORT Lauderdale, USA - AFTER flying high with their penalty wins in the preliminary round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, team St. Kitts-Nevis were brought back to earth by Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 at the Drive Pink Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The Sugar Boyz, who made history by qualifying for the tournament, played toe-to-toe with the Soca Warriors in the first half of the game in damp, sluggish conditions.
The reality of playing two additional games showed in the second half as the Sugar Boyz were visibly tired and not up to their known standards.
Play started 30 minutes later than scheduled owing to a thunderstorm and approximately five inches of rainfall that flooded the field.
Despite efforts of the ground staff, there were significant pools of water in certain areas, making life for the players difficult - reminiscent of domestic football in a poorly drying surface.
But, nevertheless, the game went on and the superiority of the higher ranked Trinibago team showed despite St. Kitts and Nevis creating numerous changes that went abegging.
T&T Alvin Jones broke the deadlock just before the whistle blew to end the first half. And despite efforts to regroup in the second half, the Sugar Boyz seemed to have left their mojo in the dressing room as they looked a below par team.
That allowed Trinidad and Tobago to add two more to their tally when Ajani Fortune netted in the 65th minute and Jameel Ible's 73rd goal wrote the game off for the Sugar Boyz.
The defeat left the Sugar Boyz at the bottom of Group A after the United States and Jamaica drew 1-1 on Saturday evening.
There will be a quick turnaround for the Sugar Boyz as they travel Northeast to Missouri where they will take on Jamaica in a very challenging encounter to win their first points of the Gold Cup.
