Trinidad and Tobago national men's football team got a 4-0 spanking on Tuesday from a well respected Romanian side at the National Arena in Bucharest.

The Romanians got an hat-trick from Schalke 04 striker Ciprian Marica in the 31st, 33rd and 82nd minute respectively while T&T defender Daneil Cyrus added the final nail in the coffin with an own goal in the 83rd to seal the win for the Europeans.

Romania were technically superior while T&T, who started off with a surprising 4-4-2 format looked disorganized but showed fight from an individual aspect- they just could not get their acts together as they fell apart and deteriorated as the match progressed.

The Soca Warriors did however show some individual grit in the second half but noting really menacing enough to trouble the Romanian side as the Europeans ran away with a comfortable 4-0 victory in the first ever meeting between both nations.

Romania are using the game to prepare for their 2014 World Cup qualifications while Trinidad and Tobago is preparing for the 2013 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Next up T&T faces Estonia in Tallinn on Friday.

Teams

Trinidad & Tobago: - 1.Marvin Phillip, 3.Joevin Jones (Yellow 18), 4.Justin Hoyte, 5.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 6.Daneil Cyrus, 10.Kevin Molino (8.Ataullah Guerra 54th), 11.Kevon Carter, 12.Darryl Roberts (19.Shahdon Winchester 71st), 14.Andre Boucaud (Yellow 16) (13.Cornell Glen 78th), 18.Densill Theobald (capt) (7.Christopher Birchall 71st - vice-capt), 9.Devorn Jorsling (15.Jamal Gay 54th).

Coaches: - Hutson Charles and Jamaal Shabazz.

Romania: - 1.Bogdan Lobont (capt), 2.Alexandru Măţel (4.Srgian Luchin 46th), 3.Răzvan Raţ (Yellow 41), 5.Nicolae Grigore (18.Hoban Ovidiu 46th), 8.Costin Lazăr (16.Nistor Dan 66th), socawarriors.net, 9.Ciprian Marica, 11.Gabriel Torje, 15.Dorin Goian (21.Dragoș Grigore 46th), 17.Valerică Găman, 19.Bogdan Stancu (Yellow 20) (6.Adrian Stoian 83rd), 22.Aurelian Chiţu (7.Grozav Gheorghe 46th).

Coach: - Victor Piţurcă.

Goalscorers: - Ciprian Marica 31, 33, 82, Daneil Cyrus 49 own-goal.

Venue: - National Arena, Bucharest.

Referee: - Milorad Mazic (Serbia and Montenegro).

Temperature: -  23°C.

Video: - Post Match Comments - Jamaal Shabazz.

Beaten in Bucharest
... T&T head to Estonia after 4-0 loss.
By Shaun FUentes (TTFF).   

Trinidad and Tobago received a sound lesson in Bucharest on Tuesday night, suffering a 4-0 defeat to Romania in the first of two friendly internationals on European soil ahead of next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States.

Schalke forward Ciprian Marica punished the “Soca Warriors” with a hattrick (31st, 33rd and 81st) and Daneil Cyrus had an own goal as Romania strolled to the victory before 10,000 fans in  a lively and true European-like atmosphere at the National Arena.

The affair was the first for Trinidad and Tobago in Europe since the 2006 World Cup training camp, the Finals in Germany and a subsequent friendly versus Austria in Vienna in 2006.

Back then T&T played Wales, Slovakia and Czech Republic prior to the World Cup and just five days before T&T’s seven-year anniversary of its first World Cup appearance against Sweden, Leo Beenhakker made an appearance, attending Tuesday’s match in Bucharest as a guest of TTFF President Raymond Tim Kee.

The match was played under a closed roof and as it turned out, T&T were unable to find a way out as Romania controlled much of the proceedings. The visitors didn’t look too badly in the opening half hour as skipper Densill Theobald and his fellow starters which included Middlesbrough right back Justin Hoyte on debut and Notts County midfielder Andre Boucaud who both produced solid performances, actually looked organized and unfazed by facing the eight time World Cup finalists.

T&T had their moments inside the first half hour but could not penetrate the Romanian defense as forward Devorn Jorsling and his attacking partners Darryl Roberts, Kevon Carter and Kevin Molino were kept at bay for most periods. Carter did manage to cause a couple anxious moments with his pace on the right but nothing that would force Romanian goalkeeper  Bogdan Lobont into action.

Some disorganization in the T&T defence, in the 31st minute gifted Marica an easy tap in from close range following an initial free kick atop the penalty box. Two minutes later he slapped one low past goalkeeper Marvin Phillips to leave T&T trailing 2-0 at the break.

A deflected goal by Daneil Cyrus in the 50th minute brought more misery for T&T and Marica completed his hattrick with a headed goal nine minutes from time.

Substitute Cornell Glen had a late effort which was pushed around the near left post.

Finnish-based duo Shahdon Winchester and Ataullah Guerra were introduced in the second half but were unable to help T&T get on the scoresheet.

The T&T squad will arrive in Tallinn, Estonia on Wednesday for Friday’s friendly international. Local-based defenders Kareem Moses and Aubrey David will join the squad for that encounter.