Maturana fights back.
...Warriors see off Haitian threat.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).[/size]
Francisco Maturana gave a glimpse of his staying power at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Wednesday night with a timely interview in English as the "Soca Warriors" defeated Caribbean champions, Haiti, 2-0 for their seventh win from 12 internationals under the Colombian football coach.
At the post-match press conference, Maturana made his maiden media address in English-even in the questions and answers segment-and shared the head table with previously ignored 2006 World Cup players, Cornell Glen and Chris Birchall.
There was a suspicion that the inclusion of both players was forced upon the former two-time Colombia World Cup coach but he fended off the enquiry as to whether he sacrificed his supposed stance regarding the use of players who do not represent their respective clubs.
"I think that I am (an) intelligent man," he said. "I don't hate any compromise. (The) only (point is) for the football (team) to win
"(As far as I am concerned) all players are available."
Maturana appeared to be floundering after Trinidad and Tobago's slender goal aggregate triumph over Bermuda in June but at least he has managed a response.
On the field, he scrapped his team's 4-1-3-2 formation for a more pragmatic 4-1-4-1 and recalled discarded World Cup players like Cyd Gray, Anthony Wolfe, Avery John, Glen and Birchall. Off the field, assistant coach Anton Corneal, whose perceived influence courted criticism, has become less visible while the Colombian also paraded his improved English.
Of course, the most important bit is the wins column and Maturana improved that too with a more noteworthy victory, if not more convincing, than previous exhibitions against Grenada, Barbados, Guyana and the Netherlands Antilles.
The Haitians were livelier but fashioned only one scoring opportunity when the teams were level, striker Leonel St Preux wasting a free header in the first half.
The Warriors' threat came, almost exclusively, from deep free kicks which Birchall repeatedly aimed at powerful central defender, Keyeno Thomas. In the 62nd minute, Thomas headed home his second international goal in 56 caps from a Birchall delivery and, eight minutes later, the Joe Public player headed across goal for Glen to nod into an empty net.
It was Glen's first goal at this level in three years-his last came against Panama at the 2005 Gold Cup-and his tenth overall from 39 outings.
The talented 27-year-old striker was his own worse critic and gave the impression that he is, belatedly, ready to build on the promise that illuminated Trinidad and Tobago's famous World Cup tie against Sweden.
"I have a lot of work to do," said Glen, at Wednesday's press conference. "My fitness, my first touch, my decision making "
Birchall, in his first international for two years, did not knock a Haitian off the ball until the 58th minute and, even then, he conceded a free kick in the process. His dead ball delivery was his sole redeeming quality on the night as he tries to win a place ahead of W Connection midfielder Clyde Leon and, possibly, 19-year-old Khaleem Hyland, who gave a notable performance of restrained aggression in the holding midfield role vacated by the injured Aurtis Whitley.
"I am really glad to get (this first game) out of the way," said the England-born midfielder. "It is a rebuilding process and I think we are going in the right (direction)."
In goal, Connection employee Marvin Phillip became the first T&T custodian in over a decade-at least-to record six successive clean sheets. He is two shy of Walsall goalkeeper Clayton Ince for the most shut-outs in a calendar year.
Ince managed eight blanks in 2000-the most on record by a national keeper-with three against Canada and one each against Panama, Mexico, Barbados, Netherlands Antilles and the Dominican Republic. Phillip's shut outs, thus far, have come against El Salvador, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles and Haiti.
The strength of Phillip's and Maturana's records is open to debate. But on Wednesday night, at least in the post-game chat, the glass looked half full.
