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Russell Latapy and Stern John yesterday combined for three goals as Trinidad and Tobago came from behind on two occasions to defeat Guatemala 3-2 in their CONCACAF World Cup Final Round qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.


John, who plays for Coventry City in England found the back of the net three minutes from regulation time to salvage the crucial win for the Warriors who are now back on track for a qualifying place in the Germany Finals.

The 37-year-old Latapy, making a comeback after retiring from international duty four years ago, looked as fit as he was during his remarkable career and was instrumental in lifting the team to their new heights.

However John’s place was questioned as he looked a shadow of himself over the past year but managed to keep his starting position. He later admitted that coach Leo Beenhakker kept faith with him and was grateful that his drought came to an end yesterday.

Until the 86th minute, the majority of the crowd, estimated at more than 20,000 was disappointed with the 29-year-old when he was twice caught offside with the ball in the Guatemalan net.

But, a counter-attack led by substitute Jason Scotland resulted in a pass to Latapy on the edge of the box and, in one go, found an unmarked John on the left who tucked in a low right-footer beyond the reach of goalkeeper Miguel Klee.

With the crowd now in a frenzy, John lived up to his immense potential with a deadly strike 60 seconds later.

He collected a chip from captain Dwight Yorke, chested the ball and on the half-volley smacked his stinging right-footer home.

The Guatemalans protested that John was off-side, as he was called six times during the match, two of which were disallowed— in the 18th and 72nd minutes.

But Trinidad and Tobago were rocked, as is now the norm, in the opening minutes of the match when the first strike at goal — a 35-metre stunning free-kick from Guillermo Ramirez, in the third minute, deflected of defender Marvin "Dog" Andrews.

The shot wrong-footed goalie Kelvin Jack and whizzed into the back of the net.

The Warriors then settled down and John, collecting a Carlos Edwards’ pass in the 10th, was thwarted by a Selvyn Ponciano and eight minutes later was ruled offside after heading goalwards from a Silvio Spann’s centre, with Yorke tapping the loose ball home.

Spann, who is a play-maker by nature, delivered a number of probing crosses from the right, one of which found Yorke but his 25th-minute header went overbar.

Coach Beenhakker introduced striker Jason Scotland for defensive midfielder Aurtis Whitley and Yorke filled the midfield gap to good effect. Following early second half pressure, Latapy came into his own providing the spark for the Trinidad and Tobago revival.

Edwards got the better of a tangle with Julio Giron on the right and passed to Latapy, who on the run deftly evaded defender Gustavo Cabrera and delicately placed his left-footer beyond Klee’s dive to his right.

That goal spurred his teammates and Chris Birchall got into the act but his 25-metre blast was saved by an airborne Klee in the 55th.

Two minutes later John headed wide from a centre from right-winger Edwards and in the 60th, Scotland stunned Klee with a 20-metre rocket, and John, in an offside position headed the rebound wide.

Against the run of play, substitute Carlos Figueroa found Ruiz on the run in the 62nd and, with the TT defence outnumbered, sent a left-side cross to Gonzalo Romero whose sliding right-footer sailed past Jack.

TT surprisingly slowed the pace of the game then, but had two chances to level the scores.

In the 70th Scotland benefitted from a defensive lapse to drill a right-footer, which was saved and two minutes later, Latapy got a through ball from Spann’s replacement Scott Sealy and, after his shot was parried, an unmarked John tapped the rebound home, but again in an offside position.

Teams —

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Kelvin Jack; Marvin Andrews, Brent Sancho, Avery John, Silvio Spann (Scott Sealy 72nd); Aurtis Whitley (Jason Scotland 46th - Ian Cox 90th), Chris Birchall, Carlos Edwards, Russell Latapy; Dwight Yorke (capt), Stern John.

GUATEMALA: Miguel Klee; Angel Sanabria, Gustavo Cabrera, Selvyn Ponciano; Julio Giron, Guillermo Ramirez, Elmer Ponciano, Fredy Thompson, Gonzalo Romero; Fredy Garcia (Carlos Figueroa 56th), Carlos Ruiz (capt).