Islanders Trinidad & Tobago begin their final round of North, Central American and Caribbean zone qualifying for Germany 2006 on 9 February against the United States. And with the Americans ugly labour dispute recently settled, any hopes the only remaining Caribbean side had of a cakewalk against a makeshift side of replacements have been roundly dashed.
The U.S. Players Union after threats of picketing the first Hexagonal qualifier in Port of Spain - reached a pay agreement
and inked a new contract with the federation just days before the 1
February deadline. And now with the likes of Landon Donovan, Damarcus
Beasley and Brian McBride once again available to a surely relieved
Bruce Arena, Trinidad & Tobagos worries have increased
exponentially.
But with the Americans training camp cut to just over two weeks, the team could be a bit out of sorts following the acrimonious and time consuming labour dispute. And with Major League Soccer (MLS) currently in its off-season, many of Arenas domestically based players will be struggling for fitness.
15 years of hurt for T&T
Aside from an opportunity to line up against one of the top two sides
in the region, the clash with the USA represents a chance to exact a
little revenge for what most of the near one-million inhabitants on the
dual-island nation would call their most disappointing sporting moment.
On 19 November 1989, the Soca Warriors, with a 17-year-old Dwight Yorke in the squad, were a point away from a first-ever spot at a FIFA World Cup finals. A 0-0 scoreline would have sent them clean through to Italia 90. But, as football is so often a cruel game, Paul Caligiuris 31st-minute, long-distance volley sailed over the keepers head, sending the U.S. not T&T through to the finals. As the net rippled, the screams of 30,000 and the calypso music that had filled the air fell suddenly silent.
In the States
the lone goal is largely regarded as the defining moment of soccers
resurgence in the country. Dubbed the the shot heard round the
world, Caligiuris cracker brought the U.S. back to the finals for the
first time in 40 years, kick-starting a renewed interest in the game.
And as Caligiuris goal propelled the U.S. upward, it set off a sad downward spiral in little Trinidad &Tobago, who had been attempting to qualify for the finals since 1966. The best theyve managed since the so-close-yet-so-far horrors of 89, was a last-place finish at the bottom of the final Hexagonal group for Korea/Japan 2002.
Without doubt, the shot has left its psychic scars on Trinidad & Tobago. Our first match is against the United States, which is going to be very tricky, said CONCACAF President, FIFA Vice president and Trinidadian, Jack Warner after presiding over the final round draw. But we have an old score to settle with the USA. All Trinidadians still recall the match on 19 November 1989, when the Americans defeated us in Port of Spain (1-0) to end our hopes of going to the World Cup in Italy.
Warner, who in 1989 was president of the Trinidad & Tobago FA, famously traded the straw hat he wore to the game for Caligiuri's cap, which said, Italia 90 on it.
A fresh start?
And now 15 years later, everyone on the islands will be hoping the
calypso rhythms and prideful chanting can begin anew with three points
at home in the city where they suffered their infamous defeat.
Thus far their Germany 2006 campaign has been fairly respectable, but coach Bertille St Clairs team are not exactly favourites for one of the top-three automatic qualifying spots. Unable to convince Dwight Yorke to return to the national team, St. Clairs side has looked a rather ordinary bunch of footballers.
As expected, they are stuck somewhere in the middle of the pack -- having lost two semi-final Group 3 qualifiers to Mexico and winning their other six matches against paltry competition. And its a sign of their relative weakness heading into the competitive final group that they needed very late goals to beat St. Kitts and St. Vincent in the semi-final stage.
But for the first time in the regions history a fourth CONCACAF participant could earn a spot at the finals. With a top three finish seeming unlikely for limited T&T, a fourth-place finish and a playoff with Asias fifth, could be a real possibility to revive their footballing fortunes and lay to rest the ghosts of 89.
Three recent friendly wins (1-0 and 2-0) against Azerbaijan and 1-0 over Haiti will surely have confidence a little higher ahead of what should be a passionate 9 February showdown in the capital.