A largely local-based Trinidad and Tobago senior men's football team got a 2-1 win over their TT under-20 counterparts in a practice game at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar on Thursday, as both teams continue preparations for important engagements in the coming weeks.

Led by coach Angus Eve, TT's senior team will play Canada in a critical CONMEBOL 2024 Copa America qualifier on March 23. Meanwhile, coach Brain Haynes' TT under-20 team will contest the Concacaf under-20 championship qualifiers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, with the campaign starting on February 23.

Following a 3-2 win over Jamaica's under-20s in a friendly last month, Haynes' team have now tasted back-to-back defeats as they continue to fine-tune their squad ahead of the qualifiers. On February 1, TT were punished for a slack display of defending in the opening stages of the game as the young "Reggae Boyz" stormed to a 3-1 win at the Malabar venue.

Goals from Defence Force striker Brent Sam and AC PoS playmaker Duane Muckette inflicted defeat on the young Warriors on Thursday, as the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) players look to make a push for selection for the Canada play-in game. Halfway into the 2023/24 TTPFL season, Sam is the joint-leading scorer in the league with seven goals, with Muckette's AC PoS holding a four-point lead over Police FC at the league's summit.

The US-born Tyrell Moore, who turned 18 this week, scored the lone goal for Haynes' under-20 team. Moore, who featured for TT at last year's Concacaf under-17 championship, will hope to make the final squad for the under-20s when the qualifiers begin in two weeks.

TT are grouped with Canada, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines for the qualifiers. Only the group winners will advance to the Concacaf under-20 championship.

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