Action from the first leg of the CONCACAF Futsal Championship qualifying playoff between Honduras (white jersey) and Trinidad & Tobago on May 4, 2016, in San Jose, Costa Rica. (Photo: Mexsport)
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – A second-half goal by Kerry Joseph gave Trinidad & Tobago a 1-1 draw with Honduras in the opener of a qualifying playoff series for the 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship on Wednesday at BN Arena.
The sides will meet in the second leg Thursday at the same venue, with the winner earning a berth in the finals, joining Guatemala, Mexico and Panama in Group A.
Jameel Neptune set-up the equalizer in the 24th minute, holding off a pair of challenges while transitioning diagonally from the right side of the defensive end across the midfield line. He found Joseph on the left and the 31-year-old beat goalkeeper Norman Vega at the near post.
Honduras took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute, when a neat interchange between Oscar Lopez and Juan Hernandez following a fastbreak off T&T corner kick resulted in Lopez finding the back of the net. The goal came shortly after a left-sided effort by Joseph crashed off the right post.
T&T nearly struck for the game-winner at the end, but Kareem Perry saw his attempt cleared off the line and a follow-up by Jerwyn Balthazar – the top scorer in Caribbean qualifying with eight goals – was saved by Vega.
