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28
Thu, Mar

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TRINIDAD and Tobago Football Federation technical director Lincoln "Tiger" Phillips wants to see the senior national football team jump all over St Kitts-Nevis during today's World Cup qualifier, which starts at 3.30 p.m. at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.


Phillips believes the T&T Soca Warriors must destroy any notion which St Kitts may have that they can win the match by scoring early and keeping the pressure on the visitors.

"I think we are two goals better than St Kitts and our chances are very good," Phillips said yesterday. "I think that we are a better team than when we beat them 2-1 earlier, now that Rougier (Anthony) has returned. I think we will improve on that showing, but we just cannot underestimate St Kitts because they feel they can beat us. We must burst that bubble early."

Coach Bertille St Clair took his T&T Soca Warriors on a good one-hour run around the stadium yesterday afternoon in their final training session.

Training with the squad yesterday was utility player Rougier who came in last of the overseas-based professionals, after a long flight out of China where he plays, and then taking a connecting flight from London.

Everyone in the team is said to be fit and available, except for lanky Wrexham defender Dennis Lawrence, who is on suspension after picking up a second yellow card in the 3-1 loss to Mexico last month.

However, Lawrence will be available for Wednesday's qualifier in Puebla against hosts Mexico.

St Clair, who is looking forward to a good game, said the spirit in the team's camp is high and he is expecting to win.

The Tobago-born coach wants to solidify their position at the top of the group before going on to meet Mexico.

And T&T skipper Angus Eve is expecting a positive result as well, despite feeling that their game is not as compact and flowing as it could be.

"Once again we are going into a game with some players who were not in the last game, but we know that this is an experienced bunch and this can only augur well for what we are trying to establish for the future matches," the captain said on the eve of the match.

"It is difficult for the coach to get the team playing at its best, but he's really using these games in the semi-final round as a platform for the final stage. While these games are also important, meaning that we need positive results, at the same time we are still experimenting and trying to get the right formula."

Also confident is England-based goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, who feels that T&T should win, but need to play a disciplined game to come away with the victory.

"It's a game that I believe we should win, but we can only do it once we approach it the correct way and that is to be disciplined and on target at the same time. If we approach the game any other way we could be in some problems. But the current squad has loads of potential and everyone has the right intentions, which obviously is the sort of platform we want," said Hislop.

Despite expecting a baptism of fire, St Kitts-Nevis coach Lenny Lake still believes that an upset is possible, despite having to play before a partisan T&T crowd.

"We have been training every day, working on correcting our mistakes because we felt that cost us the last match," said Lake.

"We know it's going to be difficult in Trinidad because they also want to win at home but we know that it's do or die time for us and we need to ensure that we are at our best. It's going to be a different ball game and we have all intentions of spoiling T&T's party."

Full T&T team:

Shaka Hislop (Portsmouth), Ian Cox (Gillingham), Marvin Andrews (Glasgow Rangers), Â Brent Rahim (Falkirk), Andre Boucaud (Peterborough), Kenwyne Jones (Southampton), Brent Sancho (Dundee), Anthony Rougier (Nanjing FC), Cornell Glen (New York-New Jersey Metrostars), Errol McFarlane (Al Nejmeh), Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham), Stern John (Coventry City), Marlon Rojas (Joe Public), Derek King (Joe Public), Silvio Spann (Vibe CT 105 W Connection), Densil Theobald (Arima/Morvant Fire), Angus Eve (Jabloteh), Duarance Williams (Jabloteh), Keyeno Thomas (Jabloteh), Jerren Nixon (North East Stars).