The Trinidad and Tobago national under-23 football team endured another lesson yesterday evening with a 1-0 loss to their Canadian counterparts at the Holiday Inn Sports Complex, Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale. It was Trinidad and Tobago’s second straight tour defeat after a 2-1 loss to Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Wednesday.
Canada, who is led by Trinidadian technical director Stephen Hart, grabbed the game’s only goal with a solo effort from Evan James in the 29th minute. And Trinidad and Tobago coach Angus Eve bemoaned several missed chances and some untidy defending at the final whistle.
The young “Soca Warriors” play Barry University from 6 pm tomorrow in their final warm-up before Eve selects his squad for the 2012 London Olympic qualifiers. The CONCACAF qualifying series starts on March 23 with a group fixture against Mexico in California.
“I thought we played well,” Eve told the TTFF Media, “… (but) we are giving away very soft goals which we are not really accustomed to. We are creating a lot of chances and we’re not taking the chances on one end and giving away goals on the other.”
Eve made six changes to his regular starting team with the newly arrived Seattle Sounders striker Cordell Cato and W. Connection attacker Shahdon Winchester upfront. Captain Sheldon Bateau and in-form striker Jamal Gay were among the players to miss out.
“This is a training camp and we need to see players step up to the plate at this time” said Eve. “This game was not only about winning but to see some of these players who just came in like Shahdon Winchester and Cordell Cato and young Kevan George who has been fantastic for us in midfield.
“We changed up the entire back four as well and it’s about giving all these boys the opportunity before we select the final squad for California this weekend.”
Trinidad and Tobago finished with 10 players as substitute Trevin Caesar was ejected in the closing stages for a wild tackle that caused a brief flare-up between both teams.
Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.