Panama’s senior footballers are scheduled to arrive in the country at 8:20pm tonight promising to quietly overturn Trinidad and Tobago’s ‘Warriors” at the Hasely Crawford Stadium with their “Red Tide” on Saturday.
The Panamanians, 6-0 losers to T&T in their semifinal round clash during the 2002 campaign, have come a long way with a 2-1 win away to Jamaica and 1-1 draws at home to United States and Mexico.
Their coach Jose Hernandez is confident that his team which usually plays in a red strip will not bow to the “Warriors”. Several Panamanian fans have also forwarded emails to the TTFF and Soca Warriors Message Board stating that their “Red Tide” will splash over Port of Spain on Saturday evening.
“Can you imagine how good it will feel when we beat your country on Saturday at your Stadium. You say you beat us last time but now is our turn,” wrote one avid Panama fan who claimed that he already has his ticket in hand for Saturday’s affair.
Playing at home, Dwight Yorke and his teammates will have the choice of colour and will be likely to go with their red strip and Yorke and Beenhakker are urging Fans to turn the Hasely Crawford Stadium into a T&T Warriors “Red Den”.
“It’s important that the fans come out in their numbers. We all want to do well and I’m sure some fans may have gone away disappointed with the result (against Alianza Lima) but at the same time, the team has grown and hopefully we can turn that into positive results starting with the next game against Panama. We need everyone to get behind the team whether you’re a man in the street or a mother or a little kid. Just wear red on Saturday and join the effort,” Yorke told TTFF Media.
Peter Goldstein wrote the following about T&T’s opponent on planetworldcup.com “The story of stories this year is Panama. Panama, the red tide, the team of the dream. If ever a team came out of nowhere, it's Panama.”
And Hernandez added “There has been a lot of cause for celebration back home because the team has been doing well. People now know that they have a sound national team and that they can put their faith in them. There's also a lot more excitement about our prospects.
He added that his team had no fears over what Leo Beenhakker may have been able to transform the T&T side into over the past month.
“We're well aware of his record as a coach and there's no doubting that he's got what it takes to lead a national side. But it's something which doesn't concern me or my team. I can't say any more than that really.”
“I always try to instill the idea in my players that no team is more important than any other.. It's like our approach to friendlies: we take them as seriously as a competitive match. It's undeniable that players will be more fired up against some teams,” Hernandez said.
Beenhakker conducted a morning session today at the Ato Boldon Stadium and a second one at match time later in the evening.
“Things have gone smoothly and we’re just really looking ahead to Saturday,” defender Atiba Charles said. “The session this morning was a light one just going through some shooting and passing drills because we’ve more or less done our work for this game.”
Midfielder Brent Rahim, who is hoping to make an impression following a recall to the team, added that the players have gelled well particular over the past few days.
“Strenuous training especially just before a game always tend to take a lot out of you but to be honest the sessions have been well coordinated and we have actually enjoyed it. I think everyone is just trying to stay focused on the match because we all know how much we need a win. We’ll have one more session on Friday and then it’s just a matter of putting on the shirt and doing it out there on the pitch,” Rahim ended.