T&T snatches 3rd-place from host Saudi.
By Inshan Mohammed.A spectacular double from captain Kenwyne Jones and a fine individual goal by Andre Boucaud helped T&T overcome host Saudi Arabia 3-1 at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh today to cop third-place in the 2013 OSN Cup.
The Trinidad and Tobago team started off brightly with Jones netting his deuce in the 4th and 5th minute respectively. T&T would continue to control the game for the first half-hour and had a few more chances to bury the host even further.
The game however, would switch hands as T&T looked a bit tired and Saudi Arabia started to build momentum and launched repeated attacks on the T&T defence. Finally, the pressure paid-off and at the restart striker Hazazi would sneak behind T&T's defence and score a header off a well taken free-kick to bring his side back into the game.
Saudi Arabia never gave up and continued to pile attack on T&T defence. The Warriors held their own despite losing their captain who had gotten a knock and was taken off in the first half. T&T still managed to keep their spirits high and did well enough to keep the Saudi's at bay.
Then in the 85th minute a moment of brilliance came into play when midfielder Andre Boucaud intercepted a pass from Kevin Molino on the left from about 50 yards out and made a solo run on goal and calmly slotted a left-footed strike under the Saudi goalkeeper to seal the hard fought victory for the Warriors. It would be his first goal in T&T colors for the Notts County man.
T&T could have made it 4 in the dying minutes of the game when Marcus Joseph rifled a fierce free-kick from about 35 meters out that would ricochet off the woodwork, the Saudi keeper look shocked and would have to thank his goal-post for coming to his recuse.
ResultT&T 3 v Saudi Arabia 1Jones (Primus) 4 Hazazi (Al Shehri) 47
Jones (Unassist) 5
Boucaud (Molino) 85
TeamsT&T (4-4-1-1): - 1.Marvin Phillip (vice-capt), 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr (Yellow 46), 12.Robert Primus, 4.Sheldon Bateau, 3.Justin Hoyte (Yellow 66), 10.Kevin Molino (Yellow 88), 8.Khaleem Hyland (Yellow 60) (Densill Theobald 74th), 14.Andre Boucaud (Yellow 27), 11.Willis Plaza (7.Ataullah Guerra 81st), 19.Lester Peltier (Yellow 86) (5.Kevan George 87th), 9.Kenwyne Jones (capt) (16.Marcus Joseph 39th).
Unused Subs: - 21,Jan-Michael Williams, Glenroy Samuel, Mekeil Williams.
Injured out: - Curtis Gonzales and Aubrey David.
Coach: - Stephen Hart (TRI).
Saudi Arabia (4-5-1): - Abdullah Al Maiouf (Fawaz Al Qarni 46th), Kamil Al Mousa, Shaya Ali Sharahli (Nawaf Al Abid 63rd), Yasir Al Shahrani, Omar Hawsawi (Yellow 89), Saud Khariri (Yellow 56), Abdullah Al Asta, Ahmed Ateef (Yousef Al Salem 75th), Yahya Al Shehri, Naif Hazazi, Fahd Al Muwallad (Yellow 65) (Mustafa Al Bassas 84th).
Unused Subs: - Abdullah Al Sudairy, Ahmad Asiri, Hamdan Al Hamdan, Mansour Al Harbi, Mohammed Abusabaan, Osama Hawsawi, Sultan Al Bishi, Taisir Al Jassim, Waleed Abdullah, Motaz Hawsawi.
Coach: - López Caro (ESP).
Venue: - King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh.
Video: -
T&T vs Saudi Arabia Highlights