Soca Warriors off to Costa Rica.
By: Nigel Simon (Trinidad Guardian).Soca Warriors coach Russell Latapy and an 18-man squad will leave today for Costa Rica for Saturday’s 2010 South Africa Fifa World Cup qualifier in San Jose from 10 pm. The Soca Warriors have no chance of qualifying and sit at the bottom of the group with five points from eight matches. At the top of the group is USA with 16 points, one ahead of Mexico while Honduras is next with 13, Costa Rica (12) and Guatemala (eight).
The Costa Ricans, who hired former T&T coach Rene Simoes after dismissing Rodrigo Kenton, go into the match needing a win to stay in the hunt for an automatic spot in South Africa. With only two matches left for each team, the top three will qualify for South Africa while the fourth placed team will face the fifth placed South American team in a home-and-away series for another spot. On Monday night, Latapy had his first session with 21 of his 22 players at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo and was due to hold another session at the same venue last night ahead of today’s departure at 5.20 pm.
The only player missing from Monday’s session was Southampton FC utility player, Jake Thomson, one of five players from the T&T Under-20 team which returned from the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Egypt on Saturday. Thomson was due to arrive yesterday for his first session with the senior squad where he will join fellow Under-20 players, captain, Leston Paul, defender Robert Primus, goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel and striker Juma Clarence.
Meanwhile, Costa Rica suffered a blow over the weekend, losing midfielder Celso Borges to an injury in a match for his Norwegian club, Fredrikstad. Borges, with five goals in 15 caps, will miss Saturday’s home match against T&T as well as the US clash and Costa Rican defender Cristian Montero is also questionable due to a shoulder injury.
Soca Warriors training squadGoalkeepers:Marvin Phillip (W Connection), Jan-Michael Williams (W Connection), Glenroy Samuel (United Petrotrin).
Defenders:Robert Primus (Jabloteh), Kern Cupid (W Connection), Radanfah Abu Bakr (Swansea FC), Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton Wanderers), Dennis Lawrence (Jabloteh), Julius James (DC United).
Midfielders:Jake Thomson (Southampton), Trent Noel (Joe Public), Densill Theobald (Caledonia), Leston Paul (University of South Florida), Keon Daniel (Caledonia AIA), Hughton Hector (W Connection), Carlos Edwards (Ipswich Town), Hayden Tinto (Joe Public), Clyde Leon (W Connection).
Forwards:Kerry Baptiste (Joe Public), Devon Jorsling (Defence Force), Juma Clarence (United Petrotrin), Kenwyne Jones (Sunderland).
Kerry Baptiste, left, and Under-19 captain Leston Paul, go after the ball during the Soca Warriors’ final preparations for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica. The team will leave today for
the penultimate match of the campaign. Photo: Anthony Harris
Kern Cupid number three and Glenroy Samuel go for the ball, while team-mates Carlos Edwards, Under-20 forward Juma Clarence # 19 and Julius James # 16 look on during the Soca Warriors practice session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium. Photo: Anthony Harris
