BIG GOAL
The Trinidad and Tobago national under-20 team, on Wednesday evening at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, became the second local squad to qualify for a FIFA competition in that age group and the fourth to earn a World Cup berth-not counting Trinidad and Tobago's participation in the 2001 Under-17 World Youth Championships as host nation.
"Now we are going to win the tournament," said Vranes, at Wednesday night's post-game press conference after a 2-2 draw with Mexico. "It will be tough. But we will see."
The national under-20 squad's route to Egypt 2009 was quick and smooth. A 1-0 opening win over Canada on Saturday and a goalless draw with Costa Rica on Monday did the trick and Costa Rica made sure of the hosts' progress with a 2-1 win over Canada, which ensured that Trinidad and Tobago's four points could not be matched by their other group rivals.
Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago now join Honduras and the United States in the FIFA youth competition. The four teams square up today in Macoya for bragging rights.
Costa Rica face Honduras from 5 p.m. in the first semi-final fixture, while Trinidad and Tobago and the United States meet at 7 p.m.
Almost certainly, when Vranes begins to call out his starting team today, there would be more heads up than usual.
On Wednesday, the young "Soca Warriors" were without the suspended pair of defenders Curtis Gonzales and Robert Primus while, once Costa Rica eliminated Costa Rica, Vranes opted to give a night off to team captain Leston Paul-who was celebrating his 19th birthday-midfielder Sean de Silva and left wing back Akeem Adams.
If Mexico thought the late alterations in the line-up meant for an easy night, they were mistaken. And, in the process, Vranes was given the sort of selection headache that coaches tend to enjoy.
The lanky Daneil Cyrus, who had an average start to the competition in central midfield, looked more composed as the free defender in a 3-5-2 system-he was often too square to be considered a genuine sweeper-while Jean-Luc Rochford took his chance well as the midfield bolt and Kevin Molino, although sometimes wasteful, was generally lively and ambitious in the playmaking role.
Uncertainty remains as to whether Cyrus and midfielder Molino will be available for selection tonight, though, after they both picked up their second cautions of the tournament against Mexico. Trinidad and Tobago amassed ten cautions in their three outings thus far.
But the guys who are, arguably, most likely to seek eye contact with Vranes when he announces his squad tonight are Wednesday night's scorers, defender Uriah Bentick and striker Juma Jamal Clarence.
Bentick, a muscular teenager with a decent touch, produced the moment of the night as he belted a left footed free kick past Mexican goalkeeper Liborio Sanchez to level scores at the hour mark after "El Tricolor" initially stormed ahead through a clinical double from striker Axel Velasquez in the eighth and 45th minutes.
"I always like to kick free kicks and penalties," said Bentick, "because I play defence and I don't get many chances to score."
On Wednesday, he showed that he is fully capable of seizing the opportunity. Vranes used Sheldon Bateau and Primus in midfield before and Bentick's emergence gives the option for another shuffle of his personnel if the Montenegrin-born coach feels it necessary.
Clarence provided an even more intriguing case of opportunism. Two years ago, the tall striker announced his presence at T&T Pro League level with a hat-trick for Police at North East Stars' notoriously difficult Sangre Grande Recreation Ground.
But his stock dipped since and he was a late call-up to the present squad after an injury to star striker Jamal Gay. Clarence spent the first two games as a standby before Wednesday's suspensions presented a chance to sit on the bench.
Vranes starting strikers, Trent Lougheed and Qian Grosvenor, failed to trouble the scorers for their third successive fixture against Mexico-it is seven straight blanks for the pair if you count four pre-tournament friendlies against Honduras and El Salvador.
Clarence got his first outing in the 50th minute and his first touch, two minutes later, dispatched the ball into the roof of an unguarded net after fellow substitute Daniel Joseph picked him out.
Clarence celebrated with a sprint to the technical area where he waved two thumbs up at Vranes.
At the press conference, Vranes seemed torn as he tried to congratulate the striker without suggesting a lack of faith in his industrious, first choice front pairing of Lougheed and Grosvenor.
"It doesn't matter only that you score," said Vranes, "you must also perform well because a goal comes after hard work and good play.
"(Clarence) was a little bit lucky But then I was lucky with him too. It doesn't mean he will start (tonight) but it doesn't mean that he won't (either)."
Trinidad and Tobago fans would hope the ambition and enthusiasm that has now clearly spread through the team's reserves stands the hosts in good stead tonight and on Sunday evening as they attempt to conquer CONCACAF.