Back to back win for warriors.
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
Trinidad and Tobago, paced by two first half goals by striker Kenwyne Jones and Collin Samuel, scored their fifth win in six games over Panama by 2-1 scoreline in Wednesday’s friendly international at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
The win was T&T’s second in a row and extended their unbeaten run at home to eleven matches as they closed a mini-camp that had grabbed non-stop attention over money rows that the players had been enquiring over from their 2006 World Cup experience.
In spite of it though, head coach Wim Rijsbergen got his men to leave the controversy off the pitch as they easily dispatched St Vincent and the Grenadines 5-0 last Saturday and then inflicted the loss on the Panamanians who were coming off a 1-0 win over El Salvador last weekend.
Playing before a crowd of around 6,500, T&T didn’t dominate as they did against the Vincentians but they held together firmly and were never looking troubled by the Central Americans who finished runners up in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Most of the first half saw Panama trying to use more physical force to overcome the “Soca Warriors” only showing glimpses of their accustomed short passing game.
T&T looked purposeful in he earlies and Carlos Edwards would have hoped to see more use of his cross inside the first minute after being sent through by Jones.
Unlike like Saturday, goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams had more to do this time around. His first test came when he was forced out to stop Anel Canales’ attempt after Blas Perez found the space through.
T&T had to play it safe in periods though as Panama were always looking for a way through. The defense of Dennis Lawrence, Cyd Gray, Dwayne Jack and Avery John held firm though.
Jones had T&T’s real first crack at goal on twenty three minutes when he powered away from three players before sending his shot over.
Four minutes later, John, playing his 100th game for T&T, would have hoped for a better finish when Jones’ ball came over but under pressure, there was little force he could get on the end ball.
But it wasn’t too long after Jones’ persistence paid off. Intelligently reading the play, the Southampton striker hustled on the run after Avery John’s long ball was headed back to the Panama goalie by Carlos Rivera and latched on before slapping home from close range. One nil T&T after 34 minutes and the fans were on their feet anticipating more.
And just that they got as John neatly sliced one through to the onrushing Samuel who sped goalwards and shot past the hapless Oscar McFarlane for goal number two.
But T&T’s comfort at the interval was slightly bothered when Panama responded on 40 minutes. Victor Piggot sent one over high from the left and Canales followed through to head past goalie Williams to leave the scores 2-1 after 45 minutes.
Williams had to keep his eyes well open again in the second half to stop a low free kick from Piggot in the 53rd minute and soon after Perez fired inches wide. On the other end, John tried to beat the Panama goalie with an attempted flick but the ball went past him without a touch.
In the 79th, still looking for his 100th appearance goal, John tried to lob the goalie but saw his effort deflected over bar. By then Panama, still trying to sneak a late equalizer but both teams had also made a few changes and there was little further for the fans to cheer about excepting the fact of a second straight win for the Warriors.
In the earlier game of the double header, T&T Under 20s warmed up for upcoming CFU qualifiers with a 4-0 rout of Barbados U20s. Goals came from skipper Aaron Downing, Lester Peltier (2) and substitute Atullah Guerra
T&T Line up 1. Jan-Michael Williams, 8. Cyd Gray, 3.Avery John, 4. Dwayne Jack (2.Atiba Charles, 76th),6. Dennis Lawrence, 7. Chris Birchall (13. Nigel Daniel, 81st) 9. Trent Noel (18. Kerry Baptiste, 63rd), 11. Carlos Edwards, 14. Stern John, 15. Kenwyne Jones (20. Jason Scotland, 72nd)
Substitutes not used: Marvin Phillip, Andrei Pacheco, Andre Tousssaint.
Panama line up 1.Oscar McFarlane, 2. Carlos Rivera, 3. Luis Moreno, 4. Jose Anthony, 6. Gabriel Gomez, . Blas Perez, 8. Alberto Blanco, 11. Victor Piggot (15. Ricardo Phillips,71st) 13. Amilkar Henriquez (Reggie Arosemena, 64th),17. Luis Henriquez (16. Ubaldo Guardian, 56th) 19. Anel Canales
Subs not used: 12. Donaldo Gonzalez, 14. Manuel Torres.
Match Stats (Provided by TTFF Technical Study Group)
T&T/Panama
Shots on goal – 6/6
Shots off goal – 3/4
Headers on goal – 1/1
Corners – 2/3
Crosses from left – 8/6
Crosses from right – 5/5
Fouls – 15/5
Saves by goalkeeper – 5/4
