THAT Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop started yesterday's practice match against Arima-Morvant Fire may well be a good indication of national coach Bertille St Clair's intention to use him for Sunday's World Cup qualifier against St Kitts/Nevis from 3.30 p.m. at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
St Clair's senior national team had an intense session at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar yesterday, before engaging Arima-Morvant Fire in a friendly match, coming away with a 3-1 victory.
After Hislop conceded a soft goal to United States-based Conrad Smith, the T&T squad equalised late in the first half through Fire midfielder Densil Theobald.
A second half penalty and another goal from Wrexham defender Dennis Lawrence later secured victory.
Today, the Soca Warriors go into camp at the Royal Hotel, San Fernando. They then play St Kitts/Nevis on Sunday, before leaving on Monday for Wednesday's second World Cup encounter against Mexico.
St Kitts/Nevis are due in today with a strengthened team which now includes two England-based players from Second Division Peterborough.
T&T beat the Kittians 2-1 in the away match on September 4.
Coach St Clair was upbeat about what he saw at yesterday's session and said if the T&T footballers showed the same intensity in Sunday's match, then a positive result could be expected.
"Sunday we need to win. Once we win things will change," St Clair declared, while explaining that he was also unperturbed about having to go to Mexico on short notice.
"It's better to go to Mexico either a day before, or two weeks before," St Clair said, while also declaring his intention to raise a few eyebrows in Mexico.
"Everyone is expecting a drubbing...wait till we come back from Mexico," he declared.
The Tobago-born national coach was high in praise for the foreign professionals who showed up for national duty, despite efforts by their clubs to dissuade them.
Present at yesterday's session were overseas professionals Brent Rahim, Marvin Andrews, Dennis Lawrence, Andre Boucard, Hislop, Kenwyne Jones, Stern John, Cornell Glen, Ian Cox, Brent Sancho and Errol McFarlane Jr.
Mostly foreign pros started yesterday's match against Fire, with the exception of Angus Eve, Marlon Rojas and Theobald.
Once again, St Clair employed the 3-5-2 system which was used when the team lost 3-1 to Mexico in their last game.
Starting at the back were Cox, Andrews and the dreadlocked Sancho, while Eve, Rahim, Boucard, Theobald and Rojas held the middle. Coventry's John and Glen, who plays MLS football with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, were the starting strikers.
Fire, who always have a good knock, matched the national team in the first half of yesterday's match. But St Clair's team looked solid in the middle, where defensive midfielder Boucard (Peterborough) regularly moved the ball from side to side across the pitch.
Rahim started in right midfield, before moving to the attacking midfield position, while Eve was directed to the flank.
One area of concern is that St Clair's midfield did not create many clear-cut opportunities for strikers John and Glen.