Warriors can book 1/4 final spot with Cuba win; Gov’t fails to land TV rights

The “Soca Warriors” can book their second successive CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal berth tomorrow with a win over Cuba in in Phoenix.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago players celebrate after a goal in their opening 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Guatemala. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago players celebrate after a goal in their opening 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Guatemala.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba kick off at 6.30 pm at the University of Phoenix Stadium while Mexico and Guatemala clash from 9 pm in the second game of a double header.

The Warriors downed Guatemala 3-1 in their Group C opener in Chicago on Thursday while Mexico routed Cuba 6-0.

Football wins will have to either get FoxSports2 or hunt for an online stream for the contest, though, as Sport Minister Brent Sancho conceded that the Government failed to a television feed for the Gold Cup.

Television rights for the entire competition is priced at US$100,000. However, CONCACAF dropped its asking price to US$60,000 for Trinidad and Tobago, which is the same rate offered to Haiti.

Even that was considered too much for local television stations, including State-owned CNMG and GISL.

“The Ministry of Sport cannot apply,” Sancho told Wired868. “The (relevant) TV station has to apply for the broadcast rights and then they have to approach sponsors (to sell advertising space) for it…

“My ministry cannot pay outright… I would have definitely have put money towards it.”

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Sheldon Bateau (centre) celebrates the opening goal against Guatemala with teammates Radanfah Abu Bakr (left) and Khaleem Hyland. (Copyright Jonathan Daniel/AFP 2015)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Sheldon Bateau (centre) celebrates the opening goal against Guatemala with teammates Radanfah Abu Bakr (left) and Khaleem Hyland.
(Copyright Jonathan Daniel/AFP 2015)

It might be the first Gold Cup that is out of reach for most football fans.

In the United States, the Warriors are upbeat, though, after an encouraging opening result.

“It’s always important to get off to a winning start,” Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones told the TTFA Media. “A win or even (a draw) in the next game can guarantee us going to the quarter finals once again. And I think that measures the standard and level of progress we made in the last two to three years.”

Guatemalan football fans were bitter in 2005 when the Warriors edged an understrength Mexico 2-1 to pip Guatemala to a two-legged 2006 World Cup Play Off qualifying berth against Bahrain.


Jones revealed that the Warriors received some verbal jabs about the perceived influence of disgraced ex-FIFA vice president Jack Warner on Trinidad and Tobago’s football.

“Guatemala had a few digs, trying to talk about Jack Warner helping us,” said the Cardiff City forward. “But I can’t remember the last time Jack Warner kicked a ball. For us, I think we came out on the field and despite all the odds against us, showed our class.”

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones (centre) in action against Guatemala in the opening Group C 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup match. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones (centre) in action against Guatemala in the opening Group C 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup match.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

Warrior attacker Cordell Cato and defender Sheldon Bateau, who both scored their first international goals against Guatemala, are still beaming about their Gold Cup thus far.

“It was definitely amazing being able to come out in the first game with a win and the way the team played and being able to get a goal just topped it off,” said Cato. “I think this win means a lot more than everyone could imagine because the results leading up to the Gold Cup wasn’t the right one. But to come here and perform the way we did it was definitely what we needed.”

Bateau was thrilled too although he admitted that the Warriors lost control for periods in the second half.

“It was a great feeling to get my first goal at the senior level and be able to help the team get the three point,” said Bateau. “We lost some control in the second half but we knew we could maintain the lead and see them off.”

Jones agreed.

“Credit to the team for the way we started the game and we put ourselves in a position where we could cruise,” said Jones. “We wanted to come out and still to put pressure on them.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Khaleem Hyland (right) tackles Guatemala captain Carlos Ruiz in 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Khaleem Hyland (right) tackles Guatemala captain Carlos Ruiz in 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

“Ten minutes before the first half ended and then into the second half it seemed as if we were playing against twelve.”

The Warriors hope to have an easier time against a Cuban outfit that turned up in the United States with only 16 members of their selected 23-man squad minus head coach Raul Gonzales.

Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba played to a dull goalless draw in their last meeting last November in the Jamaica 2014 Caribbean Cup group stage.

Hopefully, there will be goals this time.

(Trinidad and Tobago Gold Cup team)

Goalkeepers: 21.Jan-Michael Williams (Central FC), 1.Marvin Phillip (Point Fortin Civic), 22.Adrian Foncette (Police FC);

Defenders: 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr (HB Koge—Denmark), 18.Yohance Marshall (Juventud Independiente—El Salvador), 4.Sheldon Bateau (KV Mechelen, Belgium), 17.Mekeil Williams (W Connection), 5.Daneil Cyrus (W Connection), 2.Aubrey David (Shakhter Karagandy—Kazakhstan), 3.Joevin Jones (Chicago Fire—USA);

Midfielders: 14.Andre Boucaud (Dagenham & Redbridge—UK), 8.Khaleem Hyland (KVC Westerlo—Belgium), 15.Dwane James (North East Stars), 19.Kevan George (Columbus Crew—USA), 11.Ataulla Guerra (Central FC), 20.Keron Cummings (North East Stars);

Forwards: 9.Kenwyne Jones (Cardiff City—UK), 13.Cordell Cato (San Jose Earthquakes—USA), 23.Lester Peltier (Slovan Bratislava—Slovakia), 10.Willis Plaza (Central FC), 16.Rundell Winchester (Portland Timbers 2—USA), 7.Jonathan Glenn (IBV—Iceland), 12.Kadeem Corbin (St Ann’s Rangers).

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Radanfah Abu Bakr (right) challenges Guatemala substitute Minor Lopez for possession during 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Radanfah Abu Bakr (right) challenges Guatemala substitute Minor Lopez for possession during 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

Gold Cup fixtures

Group C 

(Sun Jun 12)

Trinidad and Tobago v Cuba, 6.30 pm, Phoenix;

Mexico v Guatemala, 9 pm, Phoenix.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Sheldon Bateau celebrates his maiden international goal against Guatemala at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Sheldon Bateau celebrates his maiden international goal against Guatemala at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

2015 Gold Cup results

Group A

Panama 1 (Alberto Quintero 55), Haiti 1 (Duckens Nazon 85) in Dallas;

United States 2 (Clint Dempsey 25, 64), Honduras 1 (Carlos Discua 68) in Dallas;

 

Panama 1 (Luis Tejada 20), Honduras 1 (Andy Najar 81) in Boston;

United States 1 (Clint Dempsey 47), Haiti 0 in Boston;

Photo: United States forward Clint Dempsey celebrates his 2015 Gold Cup strike against Honduras in Dallas. (Courtesy MexSport/CONCACAF)
Photo: United States forward Clint Dempsey celebrates his 2015 Gold Cup strike against Honduras in Dallas.
(Courtesy MexSport/CONCACAF)

Group B

El Salvador 0, Canada 0 in California;

Jamaica 2 (Gareth McCleary 13, Jobi McAnuff 48), Costa Rica 2 (Roy Miller 33, David Ramirez 37) in California;

Photo: Jamaica midfielder Je-Vaughn Watson (right) challenges Costa Rica player Jose Cubero during 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Jamaica midfielder Je-Vaughn Watson (right) challenges Costa Rica player Jose Cubero during 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

Group C

Trinidad and Tobago 3 (Sheldon Bateau 11, Cordell Cato 15, Joevin Jones 25), Guatemala 1 (Carlos Ruiz 61) at Chicago;

Mexico 6 (Oribe Peralta 16, 36, 61, Carlos Vela 22, Andrés Guardado 43, Giovani Dos Santos 74), Cuba 0 at Chicago.

 

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About Lasana Liburd

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.

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63 comments

  1. Govt had a chance to say. All doh worry we will pay for the TV rights. so the population could take in the games. Now they have to hope that the team does not go beyond the quarter final because fans will be cussing about not being able to see the games live on local TV if the team makes it to the semis and then final. Plenty money spending otherwise.

  2. State TV is only to spread election propaganda peeps , I am very sorry if that is not know by now .

  3. Those responsible for this on shit. All kinda rights for f***ery politics but to support our boys no one cares. Then they want to run in front podium an say they helped them reach.

  4. Boi we saving that money for kallco
    120m to fix maracas. Lol. Kickbacks. Lol…….

  5. Boi we saving that money for kallco
    120m to fix maracas. Lol. Kickbacks. Lol…….

  6. Normal thing from our media houses…. Don’t ever support in the start, only when the team performs they jump on the bandwagon… Same thing with Ladies W. Cup qualifiers.. Thank God for Fox Soccer

  7. It is so sad that our state owned television station which all citizens pay for is not bringing any of the football matches or coverage of the athletics games where our nationals are representing. What is disappointing is that some years ago I remember a station bringing live coverage of Ms Teen USA. Who cares about miss teen USA? Steups. We could spend money for that and not on our own people.

  8. Well most folks travels abroad to get their degrees etc, etc, in sports administration and other disciplines eh, and when they all have returned to our sweet country eh, they are not given their chances to do so but all dem other bootleg sports administrators like meh uncle Jack Warner cronies are still holding on to the positions and continuing to do ah set ah madness so how will things ever change and done in the right way eh. Them really good yes.

  9. hahaha uncle Earl Mango Pierre you is something else yes!! Nah all i saying is for the Pan Am and the Gold Cup let we band together and give the teams only good vibes because the administerators aint doing than and the country need it bad right now!! You aint read the papers?? Is only sports giving you something to smile about

  10. Gordon Pierre no wonder why yuh eh want us to say nutten bad about the corrupted governments eh, yuh wukking for both of them just like meh uncle Tim Kee ent . Alyuh really good yes. hahahaha

  11. While i worked there we were under PNM and UNC and we carried a lot of sport. Most times we ran at a loss or just broke even but we always bid for it. Maybe this might work in their favor as those two entites seem to be blight so bess we leave them out of it. Those of you who can try and order Fox 2 or do like Sancho and find a sports bar that’s affordable.

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