Trinidad and Tobago topples U.S. soccer team

Oct 16, 2008 - 4:50 AM PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago (Ticker) -- With little on the line for the United States men's national team, former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke converted a penalty kick in the 79th minute to lift Trinidad and Tobago to a 2-1 triumph on Wednesday in a 2010 FIFA World Cup semifinal qualifying match.

Forty-year-old midfielder Russell Latapy also tallied in the 60th minute for the Soca Warriors (2-1-2), who moved into second place in the Group 1 standings. Previously winless Cuba (1-4-0) recorded a 2-1 victory over Guatemela (1-2-2) on Wednesday.

Charlie Davies scored his first international goal in the 75th minute for the Americans (4-1-0), who already had qualified for the final round after they throttled Cuba, 6-1, on Saturday.

After former New York Red Bull and current Villarreal striker Jozy Altidore was called for pulling Makan Hislop's jersey in the penalty box, Yorke stepped up to beat goalkeeper Brad Guzan for the game-winning tally.

"It was a hard-fought match. I thought both teams went after each other in a way that made it hard," United States coach Bob Bradley said. "In the second half, I thought we had a good response when we went down 1-0, and unfortunately, when the game is 1-1 and everything is to play for, we have a foul.

"Certainly we have a lot of respect for Trinidad and Tobago. They have a lot of talented players, and we knew it was going to be a physical game. It was hard match and a physical match, with intensity on both sides."

The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Americans, who had been 14-1-3 against Trinidad and Tobago - including a 3-0 victory in September's match in Bridgeview, Illinois.

With his team's advancement assured, Bradley fielded a youthful lineup - which included just three starters from Saturday's triumph - against Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobago opened the scoring when Carlos Edwards chipped a soft pass back to Latapy, who blasted a shot that caromed off the left goalpost and a prone Guzan before crossing the goal line.

Davies leveled the contest just six minutes after entering the contest by tapping in a cross from Altidore.