T&T rejoice in a point, Argentina turn on the style
10 June 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com
THE DAY REPLAYED: They had been written off before the ball started rolling at 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ but not by themselves. And with a display of incredible spirit, energy and defensive resolution, Trinidad and Tobago brought Caribbean joy and colour to the heart of Europe. Their 0-0 draw with Sweden left England on top of Group B following their 1-0 victory over Paraguay earlier in the afternoon. Then two-times world champions Argentina stated their own credentials with a 2-1 victory over Côte d’Ivoire.
They are the smallest nation not only in this tournament but in any FIFA World Cup. Just 1.1 million souls make up the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago which have been blessed with sporting success before, but normally when the ball is a small red sphere and the target a set of cricket stumps. In a footballing context they have always been rank outsiders but no one will ever forget their brave contribution to day two of football’s greatest showpiece.
The FIFA World Cup newcomers rode their luck as Sweden threatened to make the breakthrough on several occasions. Having lost defender Avery John to a second yellow card in the 46th minute and their goalkeeper Kelvin Jack in the warm-up, the odds were stacked against them but they battled on. At 37 his replacement Shaka Hislop has achieved many things in the game but not so much as a single FIFA World Cup appearance before today.
Before the game Hislop had spoken of how he and two other kids playing in a Trinidadian park 25 years ago and giving themselves the names of Zico, Socrates and Maradona, had dreamed of just this moment. His boyhood pals, T&T captain Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy, were also present on this defining day in the tiny Republic’s footballing history, Yorke earning Man of the Match honours through a selfless display of midfield leadership. Blunting his normal attacking instincts, he erected a formidable defensive shield from which every team-mate took inspiration.
Moment of the Day
T&T might even have ended up with all three points. In the 59th minute Glen Cornell let fly from a tight angle and saw his shot cannon against the crossbar.
With Hislop standing in the way of everything that Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson could throw at him, Leo Beenhakker’s team held firm. At the end the thousands of painted Swedish faces betrayed only shock and incomprehension.
