T&T footballers learnt a serious lesson yesterday: never take underdogs for granted. Up against a less favoured Bermuda team that would find it difficult to beat any one of the country’s top professional sides, the “Soca Warriors” found itself in a must-win situation if it is to survive a first round exit from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
There was absoutely no excuse for the shock defeat, as senior players Stern John and Jason Scotland muffed several scoring opportunities.
Veteran goalkeper Clayton Ince, who normally shows a clean pair of hands, could also take blame for the go-ahead goal by the Bermudians, as he failed to hold the ball cleanly.
John and Scotland, both based in the United Kingdom, threw away the easiest of chances in the dying stages — chances that players of their calibre just don’t miss.
Colombian coach Fransisco Maturana now has one week to come up with a magical formula to get past the Bermudians away from home by two clear goals — one that isn’t impossible judging from the standard of football played by the visitors.
Maturana’s plan of starting with a 3-5-2 formation backfired as early as the eighth minute when left winger Khano Smith was allowed room to run down the flank and accurately square for John-Barry Nusum to slam a roofer past a helpless Ince.
After missing a sitter in the 11th minute, John gave the “Soca Warriors” some hope in the 22nd minute by scoring the equaliser.
Receiving a gem of a pass from skipper Aurtis Whitley, the most-capped player on the field (102) neatly chest-trapped the ball, put it on the floor, and fired past ’keeper Timmy Figuerido.
The goal was John’s 68th in the international game and it tied him in seventh place in the world with Germany Gerd Muller. Seven minutes later John failed to complete a quick double, as he belted a low shot from inside the six-yard box wide of the upright.
T&T paid the price for the two missed opportunities by John when, in the 38th minute, Ince came off his line to save a high ball above the head of forward Keishan Bean. Unable to hold cleanly, Ince only managed to push the ball into the path of Nusum, who rifled a bullet into an unguarded net.
Teams
T&T: Clayton Ince, Kareem Smith, Dennis Lawrence, Makan Hislop, Osei Telesford (Stephan David 74th), Carlos Edwards, Keon Daniel, Aurtis Whitley, Khaleem Hyland (Ancil Farrier 46th), Stern John, Jason Scotland
BERMUDA: Timmy Figureido, Kofi Dill, Omar Shakir, Kevin Richards, Antonio Lowe, Damon Ming (Reginald Thompson-Ambe 81st), Meshach Wade, Khano Smith, Domico Coddington, Keishen Bean (Kristofer Frick 81st), Kwame Steede, John Nusum (Ralph Bean Jr 81st)