Warriors spank Suriname to revive chances
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com)Trinidad and Tobago’s recent football upheavals started—or perhaps ended—at the hands of Caribbean colleagues, Guyana. But at least, Guyana had the good grace to give something back. More on that later.
The “Soca Warriors” managed their first home victory under interim coach Hutson “Barber” Charles last night with a 3-0 win over Suriname in the second outing of their 2012 Caribbean Cup semifinal group competition at Bacolet, Tobago.
A six goal triumph would have put Trinidad and Tobago ahead of Cuba on goal difference and left the Warriors only needing one point on Sunday against President Raúl Castro’s men to be guaranteed a place in next month’s regional finals in Antigua and Barbuda. Instead, Cuba would have a slender advantage when both teams meet tomorrow from 6 pm.
Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba have four points each while St Vincent and the Grenadines can get to five points with a win over Suriname from 4 pm at the same venue.
So the Warriors’ win yesterday was encouraging without quite being satisfying. A bit like getting a saucer-sized serving of your favourite meal.
And yet something about Trinidad and Tobago’s third goal, scored by Guyana-born defender Aubrey David, felt like a good omen.
David’s finish was composed and precise. But that wasn’t the point. What mattered is that he cared enough to be here to score in the first place and then celebrated like it meant something.
“First to begin, I want to thank God for the opportunity to play today,” said David. “It is a great feeling to play for my national team and to get a goal on my (full) debut was great for me.”
Trinidad and Tobago has fielded players with two passports before with Chris Birchall being the most famous and successful example—if one omitted Shaka Hislop from the list on the grounds that he never seemed foreign. But which one of them ever rejected their home country for our sake?
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