Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 20 footballers have landed one foot in Egypt for the 2009 FIFA World Youth Cup after coming away with a spirited performance which earned them a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica before another packed audience at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Monday night.
View post game press conference
The Canada win along with T&T’s fourth point of the tournament, following Saturday’s 1-0 win over Canada, left the hosts needing only a point against Mexico on Wednesday to seal up one of the two spots available from the group for the World Championship. But if Costa Rica can beat Canada on Wednesday, even a loss to Mexico would guarantee T&T’s passage to Egypt. The same goes if Costa Rica (four points) and Canada (three points) were to draw, which would see T&T go ahead on head to head, having beaten the Canadians in the opener.
The spectators have enjoyed themselves both in the fan zone and in the stands and Wednesday promises to be another exciting double header to follow up what has been two days of intense and action packed football among the four teams. And the same can be said of Group A at the Dwight Yorke Stadium with USA, Honduras, El Salvador and Jamaica all locked in battle going into Tuesday’s final set of group games.
Canada vs Mexico
Randy Edwini-Bonsu scored a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes, leading Canada to 2-0 victory over Mexico. Mexico, which has reached the U-20 World Cup 10 times – second most in CONCACAF, failed to qualify for third time in the last five tries. It was playing less than a month after Juan Carlos Chavez replaced Jesus “Chucho” Ramirez as coach of El Tri.
Edwini-Bonsu, who plays for the United Soccer Leagues’ First Division Champion Vancouver Whitecaps, scored in the 75th and 82nd minutes to give Canada the victory. Canada is seeking a fifth-straight trip to the U-20 World Cup and ninth overall.
In Monday's second match, both teams started cautiously, evenly balanced for most of the half., T&T strikers Qian Grosvenor and Trent Lougheed had more miserable moments in front of goal. Grosvenor had T&T’s first good attempt, after failing to connect first time, he battled well to keep possession before turning and firing wide of the upright from a central position just inside the box. Costa Rica’s Diego Estrada was sent through later on but could only direct his attempt close to Glenroy Samuel who gathered with ease.
Four minutes later, Sean De Silva found Akeem Adams on the left wide of the box and he cut in well before powering his effort wide off the near post. Adams was rock solid in the left back position for a T&T defense that was tidy for most of the 90 minutes, giving up nothing and Samuel was up to the task whenever the ball came his way. One particular saved made sure of the point for T&T came late in the game when the first attempt crashed off the woodwork before the follow up was superbly blocked by Samuel.
Costa Rica battled the closing 38 minutes with a man less after Jose Mena was sent off in the 52nd.
De Silva and Leston Paul also had tries at goal but Grosvenor had another close shy in the closing quarter while substitute Kevin Molino, with some neat touches atop the box, dragged his effort wide with the goal in perfect sight. A goal there would have sealed T&T’s spot at the World Championship, just like the same player had done in 2007 when his strike gave T&T a 1-0 win over Jamaica in Kingston and booked T&T’s place at the World Under 17 Championship in South Korea.
T&T will be without defenders Robert Primus and Curtis Gonzalves on Wednesday as both players picked up yellow cards in the two matches so far.
T&T Full Roster
No. Name/Nombre Pos. D.O.B./F.D.N. Club
1 Glenroy Samuel GK 15.04.1990 United Petrotrin
2 Aubrey David DF 11.10.1990 no club
3 Curtis Gonzales DF 26.01.1989 Defence Force
4 Sheldon Bateau DF 29.01.1991 San Juan Jabloteh
5 Akeem Adams DF 13.04.1991 W Connection FC
6 Leston Paul MD 10.03.1990 Cic College
7 Kevin Molino AT 17.06.1990 San Juan Jabloteh
8 Sean De Silva MD 17.01.1990 College of Charlston
9 Juma Clarence MD 17.03.1989 United Petrotrin
10 Daniel Joseph MD 28.07.1990 San Juan Jabloteh
11 Trent Lougheed AT 12.08.1989 United Petrotrin
12 Robert Primus DF 10.11.1990 San Juan Jabloteh
13 Marvin Manswell DF 25.03.1989 W Connection FC
14 Jean Luc Rochford MD 10.11.1990 Joe Public FC
15 Uriah Bentick DF 05.02.1989 Caledonia AIA
16 Marcus Joseph MD 29.04.1991 United Petrotrin
17 Nicholas Walker DF 23.01.1990 St. Anns Rangers
18 Daneil Cyrus DF 15.12.1990 no club
19 Qian Grosvenor AT 28.04.1989 St. Anthony’s College
21 Andre Marchan GK 11.08.1990 W Connection FC
Young Warriors held by Costa Rica.
By: Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
Costa Rica may very well whip Canada in the first match (5 p.m.) of today's CONCACAF Under-20 Championship double-header at the Marvin Lee Stadium (MLS), Macoya.
If they do, Trinidad and Tobago's Young Warriors will qualify for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup before even kicking a ball against Mexico, who they meet in the second match at 7 p.m.
But, it is flawed logic to simply depend on others for one's well being and T&T should be prepared to beat Mexico tonight.
Mexico looked far better than Canada, but were unlucky to concede two late goals against the run of play when losing 2-0 on Monday, while Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica are tied for the Group B lead on four points after a tense goalless draw in front of another capacity crowd at the MLS.
A draw was a fair result for a match which either team could have won in the late stages. In the 90th minute, Costa Rica struck the post and there was a brilliant save by T&T custodian Glenroy Samuel during 30 seconds of sustained pressure.
Then deep into injury time, Young Warriors captain Lester Paul burst into the opponents' penalty area and shot powerfully. Had he been a half-metre on either side, Paul might have beaten Estebar Alvarado, but the outstanding Costa Rican keeper was able to smother the power and keep the ball out of the net.
Alvarado had come up with another breathtaking stop in the 51st minute to tip away a powerful header from striker Trent Lougheed, who sent a cross from left back Akeem Adams towards the top corner.
By then, Costa Rica were a man short and T&T were having their best period in the second half.
Monday's game showed that the Young Warriors have the versatility to adjust. Probably the fittest team in Group B, T&T first looked to run Costa Rica ragged as they had done during the 1-0 win over Canada last Saturday. But, Costa Rica are a far more crafty side and controlled the midfield in the first 45 minutes.
While the "Ticos" probed constantly, though, the T&T defence stood firm and even when striker Diego Estrada bore down on keeper Samuel in the 25th minute, sturdy central defender Curtis Gonzales put a body on him and allowed Samuel to intercept.
But except for energetic skipper Paul, the best player on the pitch, T&T's midfield struggled during the first session.
Sean De Silva tried being too cute with little flicks and Daneil Cyrus needed to play more simply than he did in the holding midfield role. Both regularly lost the ball, while newcomer Aubrey David also gave a "sleepy" performance at right back, where indecisiveness saw him being stripped a couple times.
But striker Qian Grosvenor, Adams and Paul all got off powerful shots at the Costa Rican goal during the first half.
As the pace slowed in the second half, T&T started to knock the ball around and pegging back Costa Rica.
The visitors lost defender Jose Antonio Mena, who was red carded in the 52nd minute by USA referee Ricardo Salazar, after ending Paul's burst towards the goal with a deliberate trip.
From the resulting free-kick, central defender Robert Primus curled the ball around the wall and just missed the far corner. So, so close.
For the first time, T&T were firing on all cylinders. Striker Lougheed re-directed De Silva's left side cross with a header in the 70th and just missed the far corner. And seven minutes later, Grosvenor's meandering run got the ball to Mucurapo dribbler Kevin Molino, whose first appearance of the competition added some punch to the attack.
After a couple "shakes" in the penalty box, Molino's low shot towards the far corner caught the keeper off-guard and almost scored.
However, Grosvenor got the best chance to win the match for T&T in the 85th. Cutting wide onto a through ball, Grosvenor could not get enough onto the ball to lift it past Alvarado, who was racing out of his goal.
After soaking up plenty second half pressure, Costa Rica almost won it with a late surge, while T&T's Paul also went close to taking his team to the World Cup.
The Young Warriors will be looking to finish the job tonight against Mexico and book a spot at the 2009 World Cup to be played in Egypt from September 25-October 16.
TEAMS:
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: 1-Glenroy Samuel, 3-Curtis Gonzales (7-Kevin Molino 69th), 2-Aubrey David, 4-Sheldon Bateau, 5-Akeem Adams, 12-Robert Primus, 19-Daneil Cyrus, 6-Leston Paul (capt), 8-Sean de Silva, 11-Trent Lougheed (10-Daniel Joseph 80th), 20-Qian Grosvenor.
SUBS:13-Marvin Manswell, 14-Jean Luc Rochford, 15-Uriah Bentick, 16-Marcus Joseph, 20-Andre Marchan (GK).
COSTA RICA: 1-Estebar Alvarado (GK), 2-Jose Antonio Mena, 5-Derrick Johnson, 6-Ricardo Blanco, 8-David Guzman, 13-Allen Guevara (12-Cristian Gamboa 61st), 14-Bryan Oviedo, 16-Diego Estrada (3.Kenner Gutiérrez 54th), 17-Josue Martinez (11-Diego Mudrigal 77th), 19-Jose Varela, 7-Marcos Urena.
SUBS:9-Jorge Castro, 10-Carlos Fernandez, 18-Minor Alvarez (GK), 15-Javier Esoce, 20-Esteban Luna.