Molino's strike jams Jamaica in Kingston.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
“We Going Korea! We Going Korea!”That line was the popular one among members of the Trinidad and Tobago National Under 17 team at around 10 pm T&T Time on Sunday as the junior “Soca Warriors” booked to ensure participation in a football World Cup for the second time in less than a year for the twin-island Republic.
And 16-year-old Kevin Molino, hailing from Carenage will have his name go down in the record books alongside Dennis Lawrence as the one with the distinction of scoring the goal which pushed T&T through to the World Finals.
His 13th minute item was enough to hold off a desperate Jamaican outfit by a 1-0 margin and join fellow Concacaf nations Haiti, Honduras, Costa Rica and United States at the
FIFA Under 17 World Championship which kicks off in Korea on August 18 and runs until September 9.
Going into Sunday’s encounter, a draw would have pushed T&T through to the World Championship based on their head to head results, having won 2-1 over Canada which was on four points. But head coach Anton Corneal wanted a win and his players were made to think that only a win would see them through. They were instructed to stay discipline against the more powerfully built and forceful Jamaicans. They were told that once they played a clever tactical game with composure and determination that chances would come and clinical finishing would determine their fate. The rest is history.
From the kick off, Jamaica showed that they meant business with an effort from the left going wide of the upright but T&T soon settled and took the game to the “Reggae Boyz”.
Stephen Knox was not afraid to run at the Jamaican defence and pushed through to the touchline before being bundled over with the ball running out for a goal kick.
On eight minutes T&T made their first serious attempt at goal when left sided workhorse Akeem Adams floated one into the box and Knox nodded on for Robert Primus but he couldn’t keep his header down.
A minute later Jamaica responded, this time, Noel Mais shot wide from well inside the 18-yard box.
Jamaica were trying to make inroads from either sides of the pitch and opted for the deep service approach. McKauly Tulloch and Dever Orgill had further chances for them.
But Molino, coming in for Daniel Cyrus and making his first start of the tournament, had other ideas. The little man, wearing the number 19 shirt and easily one of the smallest players on the field, thrilled the fans and troubled the Jamaican players with his deft touch and willingness to travel with the ball at his feet. Constant step overs and an almost unorthodox way of weaving his way between players made up Molino’s game. “Latapy come back again” was the clear choice of words being heard in the Jamaican accent from a few in the covered stands.
The CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh player rested the hurt on the “Reggae Boyz” and booked T&T’s passage to Korea in the process when he collected on the right and fluently moved goalwards, going between the two centre halves before clinically burying a right footer into the far corner of the net. Just like that and just as Corneal had ordered, T&T were up 1-0 and Korea looked closer.
As anticipated, the hosts didn’t back down. Shortly after Kabari Palmer picked up on a bad clearance and tried his luck from 35 yards out but to no avail.
From then on T&T goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel’s night of bravery began between the uprights. He would go on to make vital interceptions and stops to easily walk away with the “Man of the Match” award.
T&T continued to play though before the interval took both teams to the dressing rooms. Molino was busy on both sides even finding himself deep in his team’s half, going for balls and taking it forward. While Knox and Leston Paul would have been observed previously, the Jamaicans knew little or nothing of Molino and he was having a time.
Five minutes before the break, one came over from the right but Adams skied over bar as he rushed in on the far post.
For a period, the home fans, maybe about 5,000 of them in the Stadium, would go silent as T&T stifled their team on the pitch. To their credit too, they never once showed any signs of troubling the T&T team members nor their section of 60 odd fans positioned just above the players tunnel.
In the 43rd minute, Molino drifted down the left, played inside for Paul who in turn slipped to his right for Knox inside the box but even as he rounded goalie Oneil Wilson, his hurried shot went over an unprotected goal. A goal there probably would have taken the sting out of the hosts but they continued to press and out muscle T&T.
Almost on the stroke of half time though, Molino again caused them problems as he played inside for Knox but as quick ball runner moved away from the goalie, he pushed too much and had his tight angled attempt cleared by a defender.
One could sense that the Jamaicans would throw everything forward in search of the equalizer in the second half and that was exactly what transpired. T&T had to dig deep in defense but skipper Ryan O’Neil, workhorse Jean Luc Rochford and Robert Primus fought like “Warriors” at the back. And Samuel left his best performance of the series for the final bout. His showing was comparable to Floyd Mayweather’s gutsy display in the ring the previous night, his presence in goal growing stronger stronger as the battle ticked over. Early in the second half he had to recover quickly to stop a point blank effort by Mais after punching the initial cross and falling to the ground. Coach David Hunte introduced Akeen Brown and Andre Steele into the attack and though the fresh legs threatened T&T for a short period, it was not enough to break them. Down the stretch Chad De Freitas and Cyrus came on for T&T while Aubrey Davis had replaced injured defender Sheldon Bateau on 64 minutes.
As Jamaica forced their way in and around the T&T penalty area, the frightening shout of “Gooooallll” from the fans turned into jeers after Dever Orgill’s strike was ruled offside in the 65th minute.
Molino almost got a second goal 12 minutes from time when his shot was stopped by the ‘keeper after T&T tried to capitalize on a quick break. By then Jamaica were barely trying to spoil T&T’s eventual party but when the sounds of Machel Montano’s “We reach the stage… we warming up” blasted from the music boxes, it was a clear signal to Seoul that the “Soca Warriors” would be arriving in August.
Teams:
Jamaica: - Oneil Wilson, Damaine Thompson, Kenneil Hyde, Marvin Boothe (Andre Steele 60th), Noel Mais (Christopher Waugh 76th), Jermaine Jarrett, Kabari Palmer, Shamari Brown, Yannick Salmon (Akeem Brown 59th), McKauly Tulloch, Dever Orgill.
Subs not used: - A Blake, P Kafach, C Banner, Adrian Christian, Shabon Brown.
Booked: - Shamar Brown (74th)
Trinidad & Tobago: - Glenroy Samuel, Ryan O’Neil (capt), Sheldon Bateau (Aubrey Davis 54th), Akeem Adams, Leston Paul, Stephen Knox (Daniel Cyrus 81st), Robert Primus, Jean-Luc Rochford, Chike Sullivan, Micah Lewis (Chad De Freitas 80th), Kevin Molino.
Subs not used: - J Fullerton, B Balbosa, S DeSilva, S Chang, M Joseph, I Ferguson.
Booked: - Ryan O'Neil (70th)
Officials: - Referee: Jose Guerrero (Nicaragua)
Assistant Referees: Hector Delgadillo (Mexico) & Florencio Osiris (Honduras)
Fourth Official: Rudolph Angela (Aruba)
Match Commissary: Colin Klass (Guyana)
Referee Inspector: Lisle Austin (Barbados)
T&T’s newest football sensations arrives home tonight.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).Caribbean Airlines will take newest squad of football sensations back to Trinidad and Tobago on Monday and may well be advised to set up route to Korea following this country’s qualification for the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Championship.
Scenes of high emotion and jubilation took over the field and the T&T dressing room at the National Stadium, Kingston on Sunday night as T&T’s National Under 17 footballers celebrated their 1-0 win over Jamaica to seal up the third spot from the group towards the Championship. It meant that T&T made it through to the World Championship, first time as qualifiers, joining 23 other countries including those such as Japan, hosts Korea, Korea DPR, Tajikistan, Syria, Nigeria,Togo, Ghana and Syria, Haiti and Honduras, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Argentina and New Zealand among others at the Championships.
Coach Anton Corneal and his junior “Soca Warriors” sang, pranced and hugged anyone in sight as the sounds of Soca blared from the music speakers and the sight of Jamaican colours quickly disappeared from the stands.
Corneal had used the track “Lion” by T&T songster Kees Diffenthaller from Kes the Band to get his players battle ready. The song, with the words “I am a lion… I am a fighter” is about preparing one for the many challenges in life, finding strength within one’s heart, holding on to dreams even though it seems out of reach and inspite of the many that would always try to bring down a brother. That in a nutshell could sum up the display from this team. From regular captain Jesse Fullerton being forced to the bench for all four games and his replacement Glenroy Samuel being a giant in goal and the tale of little Kevin Molino’s winning reward for Corneal’s decision to start him for the first time in such a critical affair; the little recognition from fans and media going into the tournament to the numerous congratulatory messages and calls from local and international media which followed on Sunday night into the early hours of Monday morning relates to it all.
“This is one of the few teams that came through a pilot project. Two years ago we got this in place, Some people just didn’t understand long term planning and we had our obstacles. I think this team deserves every bit of its success and the players did it at times against the odds even with the critics and that’s only normal to have the critics. It seems that is part of our society,” Corneal told TTFF Media moments after the win.
“When I look at what Brian Lara had to go through, I ask who am I?” “I hope now this can open the eyes. It’s not about Anton Corneal but instead it’s about realizing that if the proper structure is put in place at least we will be put in a position to be successful and to qualify for more World Cups,” Corneal continued.
He also mentioned the vision and efforts of TTFF Special Advisor Jack Warner and the Federation. Warner had initiated the setting up of National Under 15 team in October 2004.
“His vision was also clear and that gave me a lot of support. Warner, Groden…. They gave us a lot of support and it’s easier when you have that support, when they stick with you through it. These players have proven them right and this is not the end all. We have to continue this trend by having long term preparations.
“Working with a team for a long time is so helpful. I knew we would be able to break teams once we played… I knew we would create chances. We have to take the talent and work with it for a long time or else we would never realize the full potential in our football.”
The former National player, also assistant coach for the T&T Senior team also credited his staff for their tireless efforts not just at matches but also during the screening sessions throughout country which brought players to the team from Mayaro, Point Fortin, La Brea, Cascade, Couva, San Juan, Biche, Morvant, Arima, Petit Valley, Mount Hope,Glencoe, Carenage, Port of Spain and Plymouth in Tobago. He added that the input from Dutchman Wim Rijsbergen was invaluable and appreciated the assistance of technical director Lincoln Phillips.
Hard work was the order of everyday. Just ask Molino. “I got the chance and I know I had to put in my hardest bit of work today. This was the game to score in. I watched the big players make it to a World Cup and I felt happy. I wanted to make a World Cup too and make the country proud and I really feel we were able to do that with this win,” the Carenage youngster concluded. T&T contingent is scheduled to touch down at Piarco at 8:15pm Monday.
News from the 06th of May 2007Junior Soca Warriors battle Reggae counterparts for World Cup berth.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF). Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 17 footballers will attempt to become only the fourth team from the Caribbean to qualify for a FIFA Under 17 World Championship when it takes on Jamaica in a final CONCACAF round encounter at the National Stadium, Kingston from 7pm (8pm T&T Time) on Sunday.
The junior “Soca Warriors” set themselves up with a firm chance of claiming the third spot out of their qualifying group for the World Championship in Korea in August with a 2-1 win over Canada on Friday. But Jamaica also kept its chances alive with a come from behind 3-2 win over the United States, scoring three goals in the closing ten minutes of the match.
T&T has played at a World Under 17 Championship before but has never qualified for one. The only Caribbean teams to qualify include Haiti, for the upcoming finals, Jamaica in 1999 and Cuba in 1988 and 1991. For the past two FIFA U17 World Championships, Costa Rica, USA and Mexico represented the CONCACAF on both successive occasions in 2003 and 2005.
Both teams will be a vying for a spot among twenty-four nations at the World Championship. Already Japan, hosts Korea, Korea DPR, Tajikistan, Syria, Nigeria,Togo, Ghana and Syria, Haiti and Honduras, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Argentina and New Zealand have qualified. The UEFA final round kicked off on May 2 with five teams to come from that region.
The last time T&T met Jamaica in a youth encounter was at the 2006 Caribbean Youth Cup third place playoff at the Hasely Crawford Stadium when T&T came away 2-0 winners. Stephen Knox, the scorer of T&T’s second goal on Friday, struck back then in the 44th minute and current team captain Ryan O’Neil got the other item in the 53rd minute. The entire T&T starting team in 2006 is also in the present squad and the Jamaicans have up to eight players in its current team that suffered that defeat including Orgill Dever, one of their goalscorers against the Americans on Friday and John Ross Doyley who struck the winner from the penalty spot in injury added on time.
The T&T team had a recovery session in the pool on Saturday morning and kept together for the remainder of the day looking ahead to the big affair. Already officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation including special advisor Jack Warner and President Oliver Camps have sent messages on to the team and parents who made the journey over along with other Trinidadians residing here have come out at the Stadium to support the team. It is expected that T&T students from the UWI here will also show up at the venue on Sunday as Jamaican friends here have indicated that the home team fans will come out in their numbers to back the “Reggae Boyz”.
Coach Corneal remained calm and expects the same of his players but he knows too that they must be prepared and up for the challenge.
“It’s a situation now where even though we have it our hands, they (Jamaica) also have it to play for so it will be a different game but that will not cause us to change our impressions of the game. We knew all along that it could come down to the matches against Canada and Jamaica and that is exactly the situation we are in now. We got past Canada, it took a lot of fight from us but we stood up to the pressure and now must do the same against Jamaica. It’s a very big game for us and we must rise to the challenge now,” Corneal told TTFF Media.
Skipper O’Neil and his teammates have a chant they have used to fire themselves up in the tunnel before walking out for the earlier matches which goes “The more we sweat in peace time, the least we bleed in war! When side come to die… Kill Them! Who are we T&T!”
Surely come kick off time, the battle will be on between these two Caribbean rivals.
News from the 05th of May 2007T&T one win away from U-17 world cup.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago's kept their dreams of qualifying for Korea 2007 with a nail biting 2-1 victory over Canada in their third CONCACAF Final round encounter at the National Stadium, Kingston on Friday evening.
First half goals by midfielder Leston Paul in the 4th minute and striker Stephen Knox in the 38th minute gave T&T the much needed three points but the young "Soca Warriors" were run almost to the ground by the gritty Canadians who pulled a goal back in the 46th minute through Mohamed Sylla. Canada pressed for the equalizer but T&T held firm and almost sealed the game up in the closing 15 minutes creating nervous and exciting moments for the T&T faithful on hand. Goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel blunder had brought Canada back into it when a weak low shot by Mohamed Sylla went straight through him but he fought back with some vital saves in the minutes after that.
T&T coach Anton Corneal said his team knew what they had to do and they did it the hard way. "It was a fight and after we went in front by two goals, we didn't know how to handle it. It was the worst result to be 2-0 up. Canada missed some easy opportunities, but that's the game."
He added: "We came here knowing that we had two games to win and we knew that we had to step up against Canada and now we wait for Jamaica."
Canada's coach, Stephen Hart, says they have nobody to blame but themselves. "The bottom line is if you don't take your chances you won't score. We had several opportunities but that's how it goes. I thought we threw it away and now our destiny is in somebody else's hand and frankly I don't expect too much."
Regardless of the result between USA and Jamaica in Friday's second game, T&T have it all in their hands now as a win on Sunday against Jamaica will book their place in the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Championship.
Virtual 'war' in Kingston Sunday.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).It will be “war” versus Jamaica on Sunday at their own “office” the National Stadium in Kingston as both Trinidad and Tobago and the hosts go all out for a place in the 2007 FIFA Under 17 World Championship.
Following’s T&T’s hardfought 2-1 win over Canada in the first game of the double header, Jamaica stunned United States, scoring three goals in the closing ten minutes to earn a 3-2 win and set up a virtual final with the “Soca Warriors” on Sunday. Already USA and Costa Rica have snapped up the top two places in the World Championship.
In a sense the current scenario may be a blessing in disguise as T&T now know that the “Reggae Boyz” will be playing with a purpose which means that T&T must win and will have to work for it. Nothing other than three points on Sunday will do it. This time around there will be nothing like “playing for a draw”and Anton Corneal’s boys will have their own destiny at their feet.
By the time the T&T team bus pulled up at the Knutsford Hotel on Friday night, USA were already up 2-0, but moments after dinner the news of a late come from behind win for the Jamaicans left an instance silence throughout the corridor on level two. “Nah! They will come harder now but we go be ready. We ain’t backing down” followed.
Skipper Ryan O’Neil and his troops would now spend their Friday night knowing very well that they have their work cut out in the next affair.
“The result felt good but we were under a lot of pressure. But Knox and Leston kept us in it. I encouraged the boys throughout the game and the fitness runs on the hills (in Maracas, St Joseph) paid off today. We will be up for that game on Sunday. We know that we have to go all out,” O’Neil told TTFF Media as he got under his covers setting up himself for a much needed rest before Sunday.
Paul, it was mentioned previously hadn’t stamped his authority in neither of the two games versus Costa Rica and USA. But he recalled how his inner feelings hinted that he would find the net against the Canadians.
“I know I would have scored today also,” he added with a gentle tone. “Yeah… serious. Is the dreaming too. I kept thinking about the game right through and I knew it had some and I kept telling my roommate Chike whole day too that it would come today.”
“When the ball came with the first touch it bubbled a bit and then I realized I could have taken a couple more so I kept it and then picked my spot.
“We know we had to pull it off today. We were talking a lot too because if we didn’t we could have just go flat,’ Paul said.
And knowing that Jamaica will be coming firing all cylinders all well, Paul feels T&T just needs to stay focused and play its natural game.
“We know it will be a hard game. But every game should be a hard one and we just have to play it that way. We want to qualify so we will play to qualify,” he continued.
Midfielder Chike Sullivan was proof that the team has fighters among it after coming off a knock which sent him to hospital against the Americans. He started on Friday and battled like a warrior for 93 minutes.
“Going into the game there were two ways about it. We had good support from the coaches and parents that kept driving us. We had a few let ups at the back but we kept playing. I had to go out and give my all. I couldn’t go out there and give no fifty percent and the coaches believed in me and I couldn’t let down anyone in this match,” added Sullivan.
Stephen Knox couldn’t have delivered at a better time as Canada kept drilling into the T&T half and looked likely to strike. The Fatima College player knew that the timing was right.
“We know we had to win these two games and everyone had to step up the call and we did it. We know we still have a game to go so nothing has changed really. We just have a win on our side now and we need one more,” Knox said.
His composed finish was a result of practice.
“That just came from practice in training day after day. Our finishing hadn’t been that good before but with the emphasis on winning the game… we just had to go out there and do the job.”
And manager Christopher Gouveia had predicted a clinical finish from the target-man.
“The manager is always an encouraging person and today I couldn’t let him down. We have to refocus again and we need to go out there on Sunday with the same beat again and get it done,” Knox fired.
News from the 03rd of May 2007Canadian coach expects tough outing from T&T.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF). Trinidadian head coach of the Canada National Under 17 team Stephen Hart says he expects a tough outing on Friday when his team faces Trinidad and Tobago in their final round CONCACAF World qualifying encounter in Kingston, Jamaica.
Hart, who is also interim head coach of the Canadian Senior Team, has led his team to a 3-0 win over Jamaica and a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica and was preparing his team to take on the USA on Wednesday.
Friday’s game is of huge significance for T&T as a win will keep their qualifying chances alive, of course if the Americans stay unbeaten. Anything other than a win for the Canadians versus USA would keep T&T in the tournament.
In an interview at his Knutsford Court Hotel room mere hours before departing with his team for the game versus United States, Hart gave his impressions of Friday’s game as well as T&T’s football on a whole.
“I think its going to be difficult,” Hart said frankly. “The result versus the USA is no reflection to how the team (T&T) played. Anyone who looks at them and thinks that the points are guaranteed will be a fool. We have seen them play and that definitely will not be the case for us. We have some ideas as to how we will approach the game but at this point all our energies are going into the USA game,” Hart told TTFF Media.
Hart left Trinidad in 1980 for Canada but returned a year later to play for San Fernando Strikers. He subsequently returned to Canada, taking a further interest in coaching and that eventually led to him assisting with the Canada Under 17s before former Canadian technical director Holger Osieck asked him to take up the full time coaching job with the National Under 17 team. Hart has also been interim head coach of the Canadian Senior team since September.
“Some of the advice you get from the top coaches is that if you want to learn about football and coaching, it’s advisable to work with those who work with the youth and that’s where I started,” Hart said.
About whether he would ever consider returning home to help the development of the game, Hart commented: “The situation is one with whether Trinidad and Tobago football will want myself working there. I have a contract with Canada and in this we all know there is no job security. If the right opportunity comes that’s challenging whether Trinidad and Tobago or anywhere else in the world, I would look at it very carefully.”
And his overall view on the game in his homeland, Hart added: “I think everybody that is Trinidadian and knows about Trinidad and Tobago football will say almost the same thing. Trinidad has a natural passion for football. We create a certain type of footballer and we all know what is missing in our football. What anyone will like to see is some sort of program that is designed to direct the energies, talent and qualities of Trinidad football is some sort of consistency program. The longer Trinidad stays for lack of a better word, disorganized in some of their approach, the more the other countries will go ahead and dominate. And it’s parallel to Canada. We in Canada do what was done before and we need to develop something a bit different to go forward,” Hart concluded.
Meantime, the T&T team, who got a chance to catch a glimpse of World champion sprinter Asafa Powell and Trinidadian Darryl Brown train in Kingston, had one morning session on Thursday at Harbour View and had the rest of the day off. The entire team got together to view the Euro Champions’ League affair between Manchester United and AC Milan. And there was loud buzz in the dining room, grabbing the attention of other hotel guests as well when Dwight Yorke was featured in the pre-game build up for his game winning performances against Inter Milan and Juventus during Manchester United’s reign in 1999. That simple moment who knows could inspire the young Soca Warrior hopefuls.
News from the 02nd of May 2007T&T U-17s punished by clinical USA.
By : Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).Trinidad and Tobago’s Under 17 footballers put themselves in a must win situation in their remaining two matches against Canada and hosts Jamaica to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the FIFA Under 17 World Championship after going down 3-0 to United States at the National Stadium, Kingston on Sunday.
The young T&T side, after showing great promise in the first half, at one point dominating possession play and enjoying large periods in the opposition territory, conceded goals at critical stages of the match. First up Liberian-born striker Alexander Nimo opened for the Americans as early as the second minute, then Ellis McLoughlin ended the half well with a 38th minute strike and Nimo struck again in the 62nd minute. T&T even managed to out shot the Americans 11-10 with six shots being on goal as compared to five by the eventual winners. The difference, evidently, was that three of those shots went in for the US.
Coaches give their thoughts.Canadian head coach, Trinidadian Stephen Hart said he felt T&T had played well enough to at least avoid going home empty handed from the encounter while American coach Hackworth said in the post match press conference that his team were pushed to the wall at one stage.
“It was a pretty strange match overall,” he said. “We scored early, which is good but then we dropped into a defensive shell which wasn’t good. We regained momentum in the game with some solid possession and got a second goal going into halftime with the game in control. We got the third goal in the second half and, as young kids are prone to do, I think we lost our composure a little bit by having a player thrown off and get three yellow cards. In the end, we did kill the game off, get our three points with a shutout.”
As for Corneal, his only hope now is six points from the remaining games against Canada (four points) and Jamaica (no points) with the hope that both USA (three points) and Costa Rica (four points) finish off without conceding points too. That would see T&T at least sealing third place and a spot in the World Championship.
“We know what we have to do in the next two games. The good thing is that we are still in with a chance and we showed today that we could compete. I thought apart from the early goal, we came back strongly and we forced the Americans in their half for long periods. But then we were ill-discipline and we gave up goals at points in the match just when we seemed to be getting back into it. Our finishing needs to be better because the Americans showed today that even under pressure, once you score the pressure eases and goals win matches.”
T&T concede early but kept their heads up.Despite falling behind early after Nimo ran on to a long pass on the right from Daniel Wenzel, slowed it down and then cut in past an off balanced Akeem Adams to shoot home from close up past goalie Glenroy Samuel.
The early goal seemed to have settled T&T rather than throw them off as they became the more aggressive team, winning balls and pressuring the Americans in their half. On five minutes Adams had a powerful effort over bar and a minute a later Sheldon Bateau floated one over and it dropped for Ryan O’Neil but he skied over bar.
T&T began to show that it could compete and even outplay the Americans who had played in every previous FIFA Under 17 World Championship. But the boys from Bush land remained disciplined and organized in their approach and pounced on T&T when it mattered most.
T&T also had to contest with an American team which got very physical in their play as the game progressed. On 28 minutes T&T lost midfielder Chike Sullivan to a viscious tackle by Abdusalam Ibrahim, forcing the player to be taken to hospital for treatment and x-rays on his shin. Later on, ten minutes from full time, goalscorer McLoughlin was ejected by El Salvador referee Elmer Bondilla for an elbow challenge on Jean Luc Rochford. Moments before that the same McLoughlin was also guilty of spitting on Rochford and after the match American coach John Hacksworth did enquire from the T&T staff which of his players had committed the nasty act.
T&T born player Sheanon Williams, a former Joe Public trainee, was also very aggressive in his play, picking up a caution in the 24th minute but was able to have an assist on USA’s second goal.
Midway through the first half, T&T pressed and kept the Americans at bay.
A cross from the right set up Daniel Cyrus perfectly and his left footed crack brought the best out of goalie Zack MacMatch.
But the Americans had the last laugh before the break as Williams got behind the T&T defense on the right and squared for McLoughlin to nail home low from just inside the box.
The second half started with the Americans seemingly contented with their 2-0 lead but they managed a couple chances because of lapse defending by T&T. On 53 minutes William Schuler hit wide after a free kick was swung over and then Rochford tried to beat a man in his half, lost possession with the play leading to Williams having a crack which flashed inches past the upright. Up to that point, midfield playmaker Leston Paul was having a relatively quiet game and that continued for the remaining time.
Just before the 60 minute mark, goalie Samuel, who had little to do except for the three goals, had a long throw out for Rochford on the right and he raced down the flank before swinging over and the ball got to substitute Sean De Silva atop the box but his one time shot was well blocked by a defender.
USA hung in there without conceding and then got their third item to kill the game as a ball from the left allowed Nimo to shoot home without any pressure.
On 68 minutes a good run by Rochford on the right saw him play it over and the ball fell for De Silva atop the box but his snap shot with the outside of the right foot didn’t come down in time, passing the crossbar on its way out.
De Silva also had a free kick from 30 yards out go over in the 74th minute and then a minute later a Rochford free kick on the right saw Kevin Molino’s diving header force the goalie to push out to his left. The only other incident of note to follow was the sending off of McLoughlin. The T&T players, some of them with tears in their eyes, had a brief talk from Corneal on the pitch after proceedings before heading back to the Knutsford Hotel. T&T have a three-day break and next play Canada on Friday evening from 7pm.
- Team Game Report -Participants: USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago
Competition: CONCACAF Group B Qualifying Tournament (Final Round)
Location: National Stadium; Kingston, Jamaica
Date: April 30, 2007
Weather: Warm, 80 degrees
Scoring Summary:USA – Alex Nimo 2nd minute
USA – Ellis McLoughlin (Sheanon Williams) 38.
USA – Alex Nimo (Brek Shea) 62.
Line-ups:USA:[/b] - 18-Zach MacMath; 2-Sheanon Williams (4-Howard Turk 67th), 3-Mykell Bates, 6-Daniel Wenzel, 15-Brek Shea; 19-Alex Nimo, 8-Jared Jeffrey, 17-Greg Garza, 11-Abdusalam Ibrahim (7-Nicholas Millington 65th); 13-Billy Schuler (10-Byran Dominguez 79th), 9-Ellis McLoughlin.
Subs not used: - 1-Josh Lambo, 5-Thomas Meyer, 12-Brendan King, 14-Jesse Paredes, 16-Brandon Zimmerman, 20-Alex Dixon.
Head Coach: - John Hackworth.
TRI: - 21-Glenroy Samuel; 3-Ryan O’Neil, 4-Akeem Adams, 5-Akeem Adams, 18-Micah Lewis; 16-Marcus Joseph (9-Chad De Freitas 61st), 15-Chike Sullivan (19-Kevin Molino 31st), 6-Leston Paul, 14-Jean-Luc Rochford; 10-Stephen Knox, 11-Daniel Cyrus (8-Sean DeSilva 58th).
Subs not used: - 1-Jesse Fullerton, 2-Aubrey Davis, 7-Brenton Balbosa, 12-Robert Primus, 13-Stephan Chang, 20-Isaiah Fergusson.
Head Coach: - Anton Corneal.
Statistical Summary:USA / TRI[/b]
Shots 10 / 11
Shots on goal 5 / 6
Saves 4 / 2
Fouls 24 / 11
Corner Kicks 3 / 3
Offside 1 / 1
Misconduct Summary:USA – Sheanon Williams (caution) 24th minute
USA – Abdusalam Ibrahim (caution) 28.
TRI – Marcus Joseph (caution) 54.
USA – Mykell Bates (caution) 69.
USA – Ellis McLoughlin (sent off) 80.
TRI – Leston Paul (caution) 81.
Officials:Referee: Ruiz Bondilla (SLV)
1st Assistant: Hector Delgadillo (MEX)
2nd Assistant: Juan Zumba (SLV)
Fourth Official: Jose Guerrerro (NIC)
