T&T not intimidated by World Cup opponents in Gold Cup opener.
TTFA Media.Trinidad and Tobago will not be intimidated by the fact that they will face a Panama team that is coming off a World Cup appearance at Russia 2018 when both teams face off with each other in the Group D Gold Cup 2019 opener at the Allianz Field in Minnesota on Tuesday.
This was the feedback coming out of the T&T camp on Thursday as T&T continued their build up in Minneapolis ahead of the opening clash with training sessions at Blaine Soccer Complex in Minneapolis which is also used by Kevin Molino’s club Minnesota United.
The conditions have been conducive for training with a slight chill throughout the day into late evening.
“I don’t think we have anything to be intimidated by. Yes Panama went to the last World Cup but we were able to get a win against them in the home qualifier. The key to us is to take it step by step and game by game. You always want to start with a win so we will be definitely going for that,” Alvin Jones told TTFA Media.
“The Japan game showed that we can match the top teams once we stay organised and disciplined. We know what we need to do in terms of our attack and we’ve been working on it. The group is going to be tough but it is not a challenge that we are not capable of overcoming. We have to work on what we need to in these next few days and take it into the match on Tuesday,” added the Oklahoma City Energy player.
His US-based teammate Leston Paul is also expecting T&T to pull out the stops from game one.
“Everyone is fully aware of the importance of this tournament. I am looking forward to it just as any other player. We all know this is the top level tournament of the region. The preparations have been good. Not just the Panama game but we had some quality friendlies before where we had to test ourselves against Wales, Iran and Thailand. Now it’s just about fine tuning and having everyone on he same page,” Paul said.
“My love for the sport and the national team keeps me going. Football is my motivation,” Paul added when asked what keeps him inspired for the game.
“So far qualifying for the Under 17 World Cup in 2007 and then the Under 20s in 200 but at the senior level it would have been the win over the US in 2017. Of course this being my first Goal Cup I am hugely motivated as I think we can do something of great significance here. We know about the rematch with the US but we need to start strongly against Panama and I think we have what it takes to start on the right note,” he said.
“We want to win this Gold Cup. That is how high we’ve set the bar for ourselves.”
With the Gold Cup kicking off on Saturday at the Rose Bown in Pasadena with Canada facing Martinique, Forbes has tipped Trinidad and Tobago as one of the teams to advance to the quarter finals. Forbes.com stated the following as the teams to advance – Quarter-finals: Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, USA, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Meantime, LA Galaxy II midfielder Ernesto Walker has been added to the 23-player roster for the Gold Cup after Panamanian midfielder Aníbal Godoy has been ruled out of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup due to injury.
Walker received his first senior call up with Panama earlier this year against the U.S. Men’s National Team in January.
The Gold Cup fever is beginning to grip the host cities and as part of its commitment to the football community, Allstate announced today it will designate an official “Day for Play” in select 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup™ cities ahead of key tournament matches. Free and open to the public, the Allstate “Day for Play” encourages soccer fans and players alike to get outside and celebrate their passion and love for the sport.
As a three-time sponsor of the biennial tournament, Allstate continues to reinforce its dedication to protecting the future of the game and its passionate fanbase. Allstate “Day for Play” celebrations will include pop-up soccer challenges and ticket giveaways ahead of select Gold Cup Tournament matches.
Preparing for Matchday in MinnesotaRELATED NEWSGold Cup is T&T's chance at success.
By Alvin Corneal (Guardian).In all my years of being part of our football development, I have found it very difficult to understand how or which route we took to bring our football to its present disarray.
I would have discarded the details of the past and looked forward to an improved state in the near future, especially as we are now geared with some truly talented players and a coach who seems to be very focused on taking our football to the next level and getting all our players, local and overseas-based, in readiness for the next week's CONCACAF Gold Cup kick-off.
The news which came out of the corridors of the TTFA regarding the decision to bypass the Olympic qualifying tournament, despite near qualification when we just missed entry to the final in England 2012, is disturbing.
This decision means that hundreds of teenage footballers and young men will have lost the opportunity to develop their game at the Olympic level. We must now replace that shortcoming with one of the organised competitions which are held in the USA, Brazil, France and England.
However, the Concacaf tournament which starts next Tuesday for our team against Panama in Minneapolis, USA, may well be a glorious step to bringing some respect for the countries in the region.
After the difficulties which the team faced with visa problems, the team can get still some encouragement after the goalless match against Japan and the 2-0 loss against Canada on Monday.
I have always felt that when playing away against teams with similar standards of play, the host country would be two goals better before the whistle blows, mainly through the atmosphere of huge crowd support, the inconvenience of flying across time zones, varying meal patterns and most of all long travelling, as was experienced en route to Japan last week and then back to North America.
As to the actual Gold Cup opening match, I expect that Panama is definitely within our victory radar. They have not demonstrated the strength of organisational play which could retain a clean sheet. The team has two central defenders who have been losing their competence over the past two years. Their recent friendlies have not said much, especially against Jamaica, whose physical and tactical game had brought some discomfort to Panama's “ageing” defence.
I reckon that the speed and clinical accuracy of passing by the Japanese, plus the rigours of Canadian-type play, may have been the ideal preparation lesson for T&T. From what I saw of Canada, they are excellent supporters of ball winning. This means their opponents (T&T in this case) must utilise quick rotations among the midfielders and make use of the penetrative passes to our quick-footed forwards.
A victory against Panama is vital because the USA, our next opponent, will probably defeat Guyana by a heavy margin. Readiness for any opponent is a priority for Dennis and his team. To my mind, there is a chance for our national team to step into the next round.