Sidebar

28
Thu, Mar

Typography
The pervading mood of absolute triumph that engulfed Saturday evening after Trinidad and Tobago's spectacular 3-2 win over Guatemala's football team is jollification we warmly share but not without atleast a hint of caution for, as followers of the game all know, a single victory at this stage does not yet secure a local presence at the World Cup's final round.Not that we underestimate the degree of difficulty in containing jubilation, especially in Saturday's scenario, where joy is triggered by a superlative display of soccer skills from the home-team; a bunch often maligned for inability to convert flawless field strategies into favourable statistics.


Indeed, the T&T Warriors were in crackling form and despite the early setback and accompanying ignominy of helping the visitors chalk up a lead within three minutes of the opening whistle, leaving the home-team trailing thusly to conclusion of the first half, sheer determination delivered desired results in the ensuing segment.

But national coach Leo Beenhakker was clearly on the ball when he said in a post-game interview that his Warriors "have a right to be happy -a little bit," unfettered merriment, for all its infectious glee,hardly ever serving the same purpose as continuing vigilance.

We should not have to remind local fans that, like Trinidad and Tobago, any nation with a dangling opportunity for inclusion among FIFA's 32 World Cup finalists will strain its last resource to ensure qualification. In much the same fashion we expect our Warriors to approach Wednesday's crucial away-game against Costa Rica, the host country will undoubtedly be trying to bury our chance of advancing to next year's final round in Germany.

In any event, the concept of revelling in yet-unachieved victory has long been debunked and indeed, this country's experience with premature celebration in similar circumstances is a chapter of local soccer history we would all rather forget, Government taking the leadership role in tempting providence on that occasion, rewarding us with a public holiday before the final whistle of the 1989 qualifier against team USA; unable to retract it after we lost by the game's lone goal.In a manner of speaking, team T&T has only three blocks to navigate in completing the journey to Germany but those obstacles-Costa Rica,Panama and Mexico-are very real and not to be taken lightly.

Let us not exhaust delight at every juncture en route when the larger cause for bliss resides at our final destination.