Soca Warriors go through to next round.Trinidad and Tobago brought an end to Bermuda's big dream of moving on to the group stages with a 2-0 win on the road on Sunday. After the Bermudans won the first leg 2-1 in Macoya, the whole island was hoping for more of the same in the return leg. All they got was a 2-0 loss as T&T move on to the next round through goals from Darryl Roberts and Stern John, which brought the aggregate to a slim 3-2 in favour of the Trinidadians.
The Soca Warriors will now meet the United States, Guatemala and Cuba in the next set of World Cup qualifiers. The 12 Round Two winners will contest Round Three, which consists of three round-robin, home-and-away groups of four teams with matches running from 20 August – 19 November 2008. The top two from each of the three groups will advance to the six-team CONCACAF Final Round scheduled for 11 February - 14 October 2009.
The top three teams from the CONCACAF Final Round in 2009 will automatically qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. CONCACAF's fourth place finisher will play off with CONMEBOL's fifth-place team in a home-and-away series for one of the last berths to the FIFA event.
TeamsT&T:[/b] - 18.Jan-Michael Williams, 5.Osei Telesford, 6.Dennis Lawrence, 4.Makan Hislop, 3.Michael Edwards (2.Kern Cupid 64th), 7.Carlos Edwards, 8.Khaleem Hyland, 9.Aurtis Whitley (capt), 17.Keon Daniel, 10.Darryl Roberts (16.Stephan David 88th), 13.Jerol Forbes (14.Stern John 46th).
Bermuda: - 1.Timmy Figureido, 8.Omar Shakir, 5.Kofi Dill, 2.Antonio Lowe, 3.Kevin Richards, 6.Mesach Wade, 17.Kwame Steede (9.Jemieko Jennings 67th), 10.Keishen Bean, 18.Khano Smith (14.Domico Coddington 78th), 7.Damon Ming, 16.John Barry Nusum (15.Stephen Astwood 52nd).
T&T 2 (Darryl Roberts 10th, Stern John 65th) v Bermuda 0
Stats - T&T vs BER15 SHOTS 5
1 SAVES 3
T&T coach rings changes for qualifying victory.
By: Ian Prescott Hamilton (Express).[/size]
MATURANA'S MAGICCoach Francisco Maturana might have been lynched for the changes he made had Trinidad and Tobago not come out with a positive result from the World Cup qualifier against Bermuda on Sunday night in Hamilton.
The Colombian showed his steel and made brave changes, relegating England-based professionals Stern John (Southampton) and Jason Scotland (Swansea) to the bench, while dumping Walsall goalkeeper Clayton Ince altogether in favour of local boy Jan Michael Williams.
John and Scotland were both top scorers for their respective clubs in the English leagues last season, while Ince has an incredible clean-sheet record for his club.
In all, Maturana made five changes to the team which went down 1-2 to Bermuda in the first leg on June 15 at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya. It all worked perfectly and, like Midas, everything Maturana touched turned to "goal", T&T winning 2-0 in the return leg and moving onto the next round of qualifying with a 3-2 aggregate victory.
Assistant coach Anton Corneal feels that Maturana, who has been heavily criticised recently, might have answered some of his detractors with his decision to stick with the locally-based players at this stage of the campaign.
"I think people have to give the coach far more credit now, because he decided to go with the players he felt would be best against these opponents. I think it all worked quite well," said Corneal.
Maturana's changes resulted in a measured, tactical game as Trinidad and Tobago controlled the match, pinning back the Bermudans and opening them up with precise passes and quick flicks. The crowd of 5,000 at the National Sports Centre in Hamilton was supposed to be Bermuda's 12th man, according to the local newspapers, but they were soon silenced.
Indeed, it was the "Trini Posse" who were jumping. Some, like 71-year-old former national coach Ken Henry, had flown in from the United States, while a man from Point Fortin was proud to support the Soca Warriors although he has lived for 30 years in Bermuda.
The Trinidad and Tobago fans carried a large flag, had their faces painted in the national colours and proudly sang "I'm ah Soca Warrior" from the start to the end of the game. While they celebrated, the rest of the National Sports Centre went dead in the eighth minute, though, when Darryl Roberts scored for the visitors.
Taking Keon Daniel's pass at the top of the six-yard box, Roberts turned skilfully past Bermuda defender Kofi Dill and put the ball over the head of keeper Timmy Figureido. Roberts absolutely tormented Dill and had it not been for Figureido's brilliance, Bermuda might have been at the wrong end of a big score.
Figureido brought off a brilliant save when tipping away a Dennis Lawrence header and, despite being out of position, also stopped Carlos Edwards scoring in the fourth minute. In the second half, Figureido turned T&T skipper Aurtis Whitley's free-kick around the post, stopped a blast and also turned over a shot from Roberts in the penalty area.
John, who came on at the start of the second half in place of Jerol Forbes, eventually got the goal which gave T&T a 2-0 victory, meeting Daniel's free-kick in the 68th minute with a header into the corner of the net. John later blazed a shot over from inside the box, but Bermuda hardly ever threatened to punish them for that miss.
At the start, Roberts, the former Sparta Rotterdam striker, and United Petrotrin's Forbes provided far more mobile targets than either Scotland and John, who the Bermudans would have worked hard at trying to stop on the training pitch. Afterwards, Roberts said it gave him pride to play for Trinidad and Tobago.
"Every time I step onto the pitch and I wear national colours, I just try to put my best foot forward. Fortunately, I was able to score early and Stern's goal also helped us to get through," he told the Express.
Another of Maturana's changes was starting Defence Force defender Michael Edwards, who had looked super on the training pitch. Brought in at left back, Edwards allowed none of the shenanigans which Damon Ming provided for Bermuda when he regularly drifted by Ancil Farrier in the first leg.
Edwards was flawless and when taken off injured in the 64th minute, he was replaced by Kern Cupid, who redeemed himself appreciably for a horrible showing against England earlier this month.
At right back, Osei Telesford was also rightly shifted back to defence where he first made his mark at national level last year at the Digicel Caribbean Cup. But, by far the bravest of Maturana's changes was replacing the solid but slightly overweight Ince with a far more agile Williams, who was in ripping form in training.
Williams was hardly troubled, but competently handled everything that came his way. The speed of a Kevon Carter would also have further unhinged the Bermudans, but with Carlos Edwards playing his game, there was no place for Carter.
Carlos Edwards finally played like Carlos can since coming back from English Premier League club Sunderland. Indeed, it was good to see him dropping back at the last minute to cut out a pass which would have put Kwame Steede through at the edge of the T&T defence had it not been intercepted.
And Khano Smith, who had set up Bermuda's first goal at the Marvin Lee Stadium the week before, was a non-entity in Sunday's game because Carlos did his defensive work. Carlos Edwards also destroyed Bermuda in attack, drifting by one, two, sometimes three tackles. His one fault in Hamilton was missing a couple of scoring chances.
Bermuda also shot themselves in the foot a bit by presenting a golf course-type pitch which, with a little moisture in it, provided a perfect dribbler's surface for the likes of Roberts, Daniel, Carlos Edwards and Khaleem Hyland. And, for much of the match, Bermuda were chasing shadows.
It was also a delight to see Daniel finally learning to aggressively take the attack up the flank and whipping in dangerous crosses with his left foot. But he still needs to remain in the game for 90 minutes as he did fall away in the second half. And also to adopt an attitude that he must consistently tackle when players are in his vicinity in the midfield.
Daniel let Bermudans pass by, but against Guatemala, the United States and Cuba in the next round of World Cup qualifying, such inaction will end in goals conceded. Overall, it was a job well done in Bermuda. But the Soca Warriors will need to step up again if they are to get out of the upcoming third or semi-final round on the road to South Africa.
Of the match venue, Bermuda is a beautiful place, with lovely, friendly people like Louise and Dale Bridgeman, who hosted me at Lou & Dale in Paget. But, the "Gombey Warriors" are not yet as good at the beautiful game as the United States, Guatemala or even Cuba, who we meet in the next round.
Whitley, Roberts relieved with win.
By: Ian Prescott Hamilton (Express).[/size]
Trinidad and Tobago skipper Aurtis Whitley always believed the Soca Warriors were a better team than Bermuda, but, even so, he was still relieved to have gotten by their lower-ranked opponents in the home and away 2010 World Cup qualifier.
"I am relieved" Whitley said after Sunday night's match in Hamilton which T&T won 2-0 for a 3-2 aggregate victory after losing the first leg 2-1 the week before at Macoya.
"The guys have worked pretty hard and it's a pity we did not win at home. But, we came over here and did what we had to do."
Whitley added that the surprise 1-2 home loss they suffered against Bermuda had shaken up his team a bit and may have been exactly what they needed.
"Losing wouldn't normally be good for Trinidad, but I think it really woke us up...we needed that. After coming over here and playing the way we did, I think we needed that."
Striker Darryl Roberts, who scored the opening goal for Trinidad and Tobago, also felt the Soca Warriors almost paid a price for underestimating the Bermudans. Roberts was recently released by Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam, but said something is in the works.
While he is looking forward to playing with a new club and continue doing well with the national team, he thinks the Warriors need to improve again for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against the USA, Guatemala and Cuba.
"I think it (the loss to Bermuda) had us thinking a little bit. We have to be more prepared and we cannot underestimate any team in the World Cup qualifiers because on any given day a team can get a victory.
"We cannot underestimate any team, because we did that a bit against Bermuda. We took this second game seriously and we won. Hopefully, we can get back to training and work hard on a little more stuff for the upcoming matches," said Roberts.
Bermudans blame referee.
By: Ian Prescott Hamilton (Express).[/size]
Bermudans are blaming Guatemalan referee Carlos Batres for knocking them out of World Cup qualifying following their 2-0 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago in Hamilton, Bermuda on Sunday.
Yesterday's headlines in local newspapers read: "Ref got Trinidad out of jail" and "Blunders send Bermuda crashing out". But there was no concern among the Bermudan journalists in the press box at the National Sports Centre about the T&T goals, just disappointment.
In fact, one of them just queried whether Trinidad and Tobago captain Aurtis Whitley had gotten two yellow cards during the match. But Whitley immediately quashed that after the match.
"No, no, no, no," Whitley told the Express. "I got just one yellow card."
At a press conference after the game, Bermuda coach Kenny Thompson blamed the referee, stating that he was making a change while Stern John was heading the Soca Warriors' second goal.
Did any of them ask him how he could make a change without the referee's permission?
It seemed more of a mistake on Thompson's part to withdraw Jemeiko Jennings from the field, before he had been allowed to bring on a replacement.
Hunt congratulates Warriors.
T&T Express Reports.[/size]
Minister of Sport Gary Hunt, who has been involved in an on-going dispute with Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) special adviser Jack Warner, has sent his congratulations to the senior national team after their 2-0 victory over Bermuda in a 2010 World Cup qualifier on Sunday.
The result meant a 3-2 aggregate win for the T&T squad, who advance to the semi-final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying for South Africa 2010.
"The Government of Trinidad and Tobago wishes to congratulate the Soca Warriors on their magnificent victory over Bermuda this evening," Hunt stated in a press release.
"The determination and discipline of this team going into this do-or-die match brought back all the memories of our final qualifying game against Bahrain in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, and deserves the commendation of the entire nation."
Hunt added that "while the score line could have been much more heavily weighted in our favour, the end result is more important, as it provides us with the impetus now to continue striving to earn our place in South Africa 2010".
"In this regard, the Government wishes to assure the country, generally, and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, in particular, that it is prepared to do its part to ensure that there are no impediments, real or perceived, that will distract from the team's preparation," the Minister emphasised.
Hunt declared that "the Government was in constant contact with the local delegation attending the game in Bermuda and, like the rest of the country, exhaled with relief, when the final whistle blew".
"We call on all of Trinidad and Tobago, the corporate sector, the public sector and every single citizen, to throw their support from now behind this team which has the potential, we believe, to achieve what no other Caribbean team has done, that is, to appear at two consecutive World Cup Finals," he concluded.
Up close with PatriotReport here.
THE TRINIDAD and Tobago team before the crucial CONCACAF Zone World Cup qualifier against Bermuda on Sunday in Hamilton.
