Trinidad and Tobago's young Soca Warriors were among those that opened their Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship qualifying campaign on a winning note, as they downed St Vincent and the Grenadines 3-2 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Friday.

With the twin island republic playing host to Group D, the anticipation was high that the Brian Haynes-coached young Soca Warriors would put on a show for spectators, but they didn't have things entirely their way, and had to come from two goals down to edge St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Goals from Cody Cooper (36th), Larry Noel (64th) and a last-gasp goal from Michael Chaves (90+5), was enough to give the host victory, after Kirtney Franklyn (3rd) and Steven Pierre (28th) gave Vincy Heat a 2-0 lead.

The other Group D contest was a stroll for group favourites Canada, who hammered Dominica 8-0.

A hat-trick from Myles Morgan (8th, 36th, 47th), as well as braces from Santiago Lopez (26th, 65th) and Sergei Kozlovskiy (86th, 90+4) and one from Kevaughn Tavernier (27th), gave the North Americans the expected start, which propelled them to the top of the standings on goal difference ahead of Trinidad and Tobago.

Meanwhile in other group games:

Group A

Cuba started off Group A with a 13-0 beating of Anguilla at the Estadio Nacional in Managua, Nicaragua,

Marcos Campos (3rd, 25th, 30th) and David Perez (40th, 47th, 71st) each had hat tricks, Maikol Vega (77th, 90+6) bagged a brace, while Leandro Mena (13th), Michael Camejo (15th), Karel Perez (27th), Cristian Mendoza (41st) and Samuel Rodriguez (62nd) also had goals.

Host Nicaragua also thrilled home fans with an 8-0 victory against British Virgin Islands.

Joab Gutierrez (6th), Francis Castillo (12th, 39th), Kenler Cayasso (25th), Andres Martinez (47th, 61st), Fredy Ortiz (56th) and Izamuel Martinez (81st), got the job done.

Group B

El Salvador got things going in Group B with a 7-0 win over Turks and Caicos Islands at the ABFA Technical Centre in Piggots, Antigua and Barbuda.

Christopher Argueta (26th), Daniel Espana (37th), Walter Menjivar (41st), Wilber Diaz (67th, 80th), Darwin Lopez (90+1) and Nelson Diaz (90+3), got the job done for El Salvador.

Meanwhile, hosts Antigua and Barbuda blanked Guyana 4-0 in the feature contest.

The goals came from Javauhn Parker (2nd), Aiden Jarvis (16th), Christopher Douglas (18th) and Javaughn Jarvis (84th).

Group C

An all-important strike from Daminthly Bernardina (90+3), gifted Curacao a 1-0 win over St Martin at the Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores in Guatemala.

Guatemala also started positively with a 3-1 win over Barbados in the nightcap.

Hector Prillwitz (17th), Olger Escobar (32nd) and Justin Racancoj (80th) scored for the Chapines, while Rovaldo Massiah (28th), pulled one back for Barbados.

Group E

In Group E, Haiti secured a 4-1 win over Cayman Islands at the SKNFA Technical Center in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis.

A hat trick from Bryan Destin (56th, 80th, 90+5) and a goal from Schneilorens Lebrun (12th) was enough for Haiti to see off Cayman Islands, who got their goal from Joshwa Campbell (61st).

The action in the group wrapped up with Puerto Rico blanking St Kitts and Nevis 5-0.

Adrian Biaggi (5th), Sebastian Otero (24th), Daniel Cruz (85th), Luis Medina (88th) and a 47th-minute own goal, saw Puerto Rico to victory.

Group F

Action in Group F gets under way on Saturday, with Bermuda facing Grenada in just their second ever meeting in this tournament, while Jamaica, who were quarterfinalists in Honduras two years ago, will square off against Martinique, both at the SKNFA Technical Center in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis.

 

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