Warriors face off with Bajans

[Tallman]

Warriors face off with Bajans.
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFF)

Trinidad and Tobago’s Senior footballers will be aiming to brave the less than perfect conditions at the National Stadium in Bridgetown and collect the three points up for grabs when they face Barbados in their second 2014 World Cup qualifier from 4pm on Tuesday.

After arriving here the previous day, Kenwyne Jones and his teammates had their first feel of the playing surface which left a lot to be desired on the eve of the encounter.

The playing field was heavily grassed but very bumpy and uneven with sinks in some parts. In general, the stadium is similar to Skinner Park, San Fernando with bleachers and the venue holds no more than 4,000 seats. Click here for more photos

“It’s not the best of surfaces and it may not be conducive for good football but we are here to do a job which is to win a match and take home three points,” assistant coach Anton Corneal told TTFF Media after the session.

Additionally, it’s normal protocol for the visiting team to beprovided at least five match balls by the host association for practice but the Barbados FA passed over only one ball to the T&T team.

The T&T team always travels with its own footballs for training and it was no different on this occasion. (A host association has the privilege of selecting its own match ball once it is FIFA approved.)

All 20 players came through the session without any injuries and head coach Otto Pfister will have his full quota available for selection. So far the conditions have been humid throughout since the team's arrival here on Sunday.

“Okay we are here to play a World Cup qualifier and you have to be prepared for anything,” Pfister told TTFF Media. “We have our players here who are ready to play the game and we will approach the game like all others which is to finish the job.”

In a previous World Cup qualifier between the two countries in Bridgetown, T&T came away 2-1 winners in April, 1992. Current assistant coach Hutson Charles was on the field that day, scoring the winner in the 65th minute with Russell Latapy scoring the other in the 18th.

The other members in the T&T that day included  Dwight Yorke, Leonson Lewis, Clint Marcelle, Michael Maurice, Dexter Francis, Clayton Morris, Philbert Jones, Kerry Jamerson, Dexter Lee, Kelvin Jones and Alvin Boisson. T&T won the return leg 3-0 at the Queen’s Park Oval with Marvin Faustin, Jamerson and Lewis being the scorers.

In the most recent clash between the two countries at the National Stadium in Bridgetown, T&T came away 3-2 winners in a Gold Cup qualifier in February 2005. Angus Eve scored a 74th minute winner. Current Densill Theobald is the only current squad member that played back then.

Charles was sent to Georgetown to view Barbados’s 2-0 loss to Guyana last Friday and has provided Pfister with a report.

T&T US-based midfielder Keon Daniel is expecting a rough encounter from the “Bajans”.

“A team like Barbados will do whatever they can to make life hard for us, especially in a World Cup qualifier. They know that on paper that we are supposed to be better than them but it all goes down to what happens in that 90 minutes.

But mentally we should be prepared for this and whatever the conditions, we have to put things together and get the three points.

I don’t expect the match to be easy by any means but as a professional, you prepare for things like this and we have to deal with it,” Daniel said.

Local fans can listen to the match on i95.5 fm but the game will not be shown live on television as the host Barbados FA has indicated that the arrangements for the production and uploading to the satellite which is the responsibility of the host country, is simply not in place which therefore meant that it was not possible for a T&T station to broadcast the match even if the rights had been secured.

[trini_stallion]

Well this time it looking like de bajans dem ent upto par to braodcast de game even if had the rights....

I am wondering if any bajans tv channels go be showing it...

[D.H.W]

Local fans can listen to the match on i95.5 fm but the game will not be shown live on television as the host Barbados FA has indicated that the arrangements for the production and uploading to the satellite which is the responsibility of the host country, is simply not in place which therefore meant that it was not possible for a T&T station to broadcast the match even if the rights had been secured.

....

[ON DE BLOCK]

well boy, is de field, de grass, de lights, one ball, 4,000 seat stadium? no live broadcast, otto done sen out he vibes, be prepared for anything, an we here to finish de job.

[frico]

Dont matter where we play dem dutty Bajans we would cut they arse,I am hoping though,that our players come out free of injuries.

[asylumseeker]

There seem to be some ripe issues pertaining to the governance of the Barbados FA.

[Flex]

Soca Warriors hunt second win all set to tackle Bajans in Bridgetown.
T&T Guardian Reports.
 
In-form Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones and his Soca Warriors will be seeking to make it two wins from as many matches in the Concacaf Second Round Group B qualifiers for the 2014 Brazil Fifa World Cup, when they meet host Barbados at the Waterford National Stadium, Bridgetown, Barbados from 4 pm today.

In tonight’s other Group B match, Guyana host Bermuda at Providence Stadium, Guyana from 8 pm. However, in Bridgetown, both teams will go into the match on an uneven lush green surface on the heels of contrasting starts to their qualifying campaign.

Last Friday, Jones scored the lone goal as the Soca Warriors kicked off their bid for a second World Cup Finals appearance after their debut in Germany 2006 with a 1-0 win over Bermuda at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo while the Bajans were blanked by Guyana “Golden Jaguars” at the Providence Stadium, Guyana.

Based on the history between the Soca Warriors and Barbados in head-to-head clashes, Jones and company hold the advantage with 11 victories and four drawn results in 17 matches.

In addition, the Soca Warriors have also enjoyed a good record against the Bajans in Bridgetown in World Cup qualifying encounters, with two wins in three matches at today’s venue.

And the mood in the T&T camp following two training sessions in very hot and humid conditions with German-born coach Otto Pfister, gives the impression another victory is mere 90-minutes away, even coming after a lacklustre showing at home against the Bermuda “Gombey Warriors.

Despite the difficult conditions and being only provided with one training ball for yesterday’s final session ahead of today’s encounter instead of the mandatory five, the expectations among the T&T players remained high.

LA Galaxy midfielder Christopher Birchall, one of the surviving members of the 2006 World Cup squad was looking forward to his first encounter with the “Bajans”.

“I’ve never played against them before so I’m definitely looking forward to the match itself. I know that none of these Caribbean teams should be taken lightly despite where they may be on the FIFA rankings. And they are at home so they definitely will be coming all out to get a result,” Birchall said.

“Obviously we know the performance on Friday was not what we are really made of. When you look at this team on paper you see the talent and the experience.

But it will take us a couple matches to really get the chemistry going and this is why I’m also looking forward to the match against Barbados.”

From Friday’s win Pfister was forced into one change with Joe Public striker Andre Toussaint coming in for record goalscorer Stern John who is being rested after suffering a hamstring strain in Friday’s 1-0 win over Bermuda and the death of his mother.

Caledonia AIA midfielder Densill Theobald and defender Carlyle Mitchell of Joe Public are also in the mix as coach Pfister has a full 20-man squad to chose from.

T&T captain Jones believes the “Warriors” will be in good shape going into the match. “We understand the circumstances of the group that we are in and we know that we have to come out on top.

All we are thinking about is going there and winning each game. You’re not always guaranteed winning results but we intend to go there and try to achieve that in every match.”

T&T US-based midfielder Keon Daniel is also expecting a rough encounter. “A team like Barbados will do whatever they can to make life hard for us, especially in a World Cup qualifier.

They know that on paper we are supposed to be better than them but it all goes down to what happens in that 90 minutes. Mentally we should be prepared for this and whatever the conditions, we have to put things together and get the three points.

I don’t expect the match to be easy by any means but as a professional, you prepare for things like this and we have to deal with it,” Daniel said.

While confident of collecting all three points from the match, the Warriors seemed more concerned with the surface than their opponents.

The surface left a lot to be desired, was heavily grassed, and very uneven in most areas. However, it was surprisingly passed match fit by the El Salvadorean match officials and FIFA Match Commissioner, who ordered one of the goal posts be replaced after a a slight bend was observed.

Commenting on the state of the venue which is similar in look to the Arima Municipal Stadium playing field, which is surrounded by the cycling velodrome, Barbados Football Federation general secretary David Hinds said the surface should be improved by kick off.

With Barbados football going through a very low point, Hinds noted it was uncertain how much support the team will get at the venue which has a seating capacity of close to 4,500 spectators.

T&T assistant coach Anton Corneal said: “It’s not the best of surfaces and it may not be conducive for good football but we are here to do a job which is to win a match and take home three points.” Pfister added: “Okay we are here to play a World Cup qualifier and you have to be prepared for anything.

We have our players here who are ready to play the game and we will approach the game like all others which is to finish the job.”

Former national midfielder Hutson “Barber” Charles, an assistant coach to Pfister, scouted the Bajans in their 2-0 loss away to Guyana on Friday and has provided the Soca Warriors coach with a scouting report he hopes to make full use of today. Whether or not it will be enough to help T&T get the three points is left to be seen.

The Bajans were expected to train at the same venue after it was mowed for the match, less than an hour after the Soca Warriors had ended training.

T&T squad: Anthony Warner, Julius James,  Christopher Birchall, Khaleem Hyland, Kenwyne Jones, Hayden Tinto, Carlos Edwards, Darryl Roberts, Anthony Wolfe, Seon Power, Marvin Phillip, Clyde Leon, Jake Thomson, Akeem Adams, Andre Boucaud, Lester Peltier, Keon Daniel, Densill Theobald, Andre Toussaint, Carlyle Mitchell.

Barbados squad: Jason Boxill, Barry Skeete, Omar Archer, Kadeem Atkins, Renaldo Marques, Norman Forde, Carl Joseph, Riviere Williams, Jason Lovell, Craig Worell, Jonathan Nurse, Bentley Springer, Jonathan Straker, Mario Harte, Ramuel Miller, Kyle Gibson, Dwayne Mars, Louis Moss.

[royal]

ah taught FIFA have to approve those venues?