AP
Nineteen years later, Russell Latapy and Dwight Yorke exacted some revenge against the United States.
Veterans of Trinidad and Tobago’s crushing defeat to the Americans in 1989, the pair scored second-half goals Wednesday night to give the Soca Warriors a 2-1 victory over the U.S. team in a World Cup qualifier.
Latapy, a 40-year-old midfielder, scored in the 61st minute but Charlie Davies tied it in the 75th with his first international goal.
Yorke, a 36-year-old forward who once starred for Manchester United, beat American goalkeeper Brad Guzan with a penalty kick in the 79th after Jozy Altidore pulled the shirt of Makan Hislop, who used to play at the University of South Carolina.
Latapy and Yorke started for the Soca Warriors against the United States in Port-of-Spain on Nov. 19, 1989. T&T needed only a tie to qualify for the 1990 World Cup, but Paul Caligiuri’s 30th-minute goal led the United States to a 1-0 victory and its first World Cup appearance in 40 years.
The Americans have appeared in five straight World Cups, becoming a regional power. Four days after a clinching a berth in next year’s six-nation finals in the North and Central American and Caribbean region, the United States (4-1) fielded a young lineup that included just three starters from Saturday’s 6-1 win over Cuba in Washington.
T&T (2-1-2) ended the Americans’ six-game winning streak and got a key victory its quest to qualify for its second straight World Cup appearance. The Soca Warriors are second in the semifinal group with eight points, three ahead of Guatemala (1-2-2), which lost 2-1 at Cuba (1-4).
On the final night of the round, Nov. 19, Trinidad hosts Cuba, and the United States plays Guatemala at Commerce City, Colo.
The United States had been 14-1-3 against T&T, including 9-0-2. When the teams met last month in suburban Chicago, the Americans won 3-0.