T&T holds Mexico in eight-goal thriller; Panama here we come!

Football! Bloody hell!

Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico set the CONCACAF Gold Cup alight tonight with an eight goal thriller in Charlotte to end the group stage of the 2015 tournament.

Photo: A Trinidad and Tobago football fan waves his flag during their 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup fixture against Cuba in Phoenix. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: A Trinidad and Tobago football fan waves his flag during their 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup fixture against Cuba in Phoenix.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

And, when the dust settled, both nations were locked at four-goals apiece and the “Soca Warriors” were atop Group C.

“It was a good game for spectators—not my heart,” Trinidad and Tobago coach Stephen Hart told the TTFA Media. “We had an objective to get to the quarterfinals. We wanted to win the first game and get the result from Cuba and not have to play Mexico to get to the quarterfinals.”

Somewhere in a hotel lounge, Panama coach Hernan Dario Gomez must have mumbled an expletive under his breath.

Earlier this year, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago arranged a friendly home and away series between the two nations. The Central American team travelled to Trinidad in March, where they were housed at taxpayers expense, won 1-0 in Couva and then reneged on the deal to host the Warriors in June.

Instead, the Panamanian Football Federation offered to let their National Under-23 Team face Trinidad and Tobago to complete the series. And the feeling was that Gomez did not think the Warriors were suitable match practice.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago stand-in captain Khaleem Hyland (background) tries to muscle Panama midfielder Ricardo Buitrago off the ball in friendly action at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva in March 2015. (Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago stand-in captain Khaleem Hyland (background) tries to muscle Panama midfielder Ricardo Buitrago off the ball in friendly action at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva in March 2015.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)

It is a perceived slight that the Warriors would probably remember when the two nations meet from 4.30 pm on Sunday in a quarterfinal fixture in New Jersey.

Panama drew all three group matches so far against Haiti, Honduras and the United States and eked through among the best third placed teams.

And the Warriors?

They didn’t just barge through the door; they ripped the damn thing off its hinges.

“It was a bit bittersweet knowing that we were on top and then conceded,” said the composed Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones, in the post-match interview.


He would probably have said something quite different if the question was posed as the final whistle blew.

Photo Trinidad and Tobago defender Yohance Marshall (left) wins a header from Mexico defender Yasser Corona in CONCACAF Gold Cup action. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo Trinidad and Tobago defender Yohance Marshall (left) wins a header from Mexico defender Yasser Corona in CONCACAF Gold Cup action.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

At the time, Jones was lying down, just outside the Mexican penalty area, and embracing Trinidad and Tobago’s final goal scorer Yohance Marshall so tenderly that Mrs Marshall must have been blushing.

“We had a plan for the corner kicks, but I picked up the flight of the ball late,” said Marshall. “But I wound up in the right place. We could have lost, but we could have easily won also.”

For the first time, the Warriors went into a Gold Cup without a negotiated bonus scheme for wins or advancing past the group stage. And Sport Minister Brent Sancho, a former 2006 World Cup player, has not been in a particularly generous mood towards the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) of late.

There will be pressure on Sancho now to loosen the purse strings for the national players and staff at least.

The Mexico Football Federation’s annual budget is believed to be in the region of US$150. The Warriors make by with whatever former Sport Minister Anil Roberts left behind, which was roughly TT$5 million or US$0.8million.

Imagine what Warriors coach Stephen Hart could do with a properly functioning football body behind him?

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago coach Stephen Hart takes questions during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago coach Stephen Hart takes questions during the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

This is a night for dreaming, after all. Trinidad and Tobago made six changes to a winning team and still managed to hold a Mexican side that advanced to the knockout stage of the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

Goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams and midfielder Andre Boucaud were both unavailable through injury and suspension respectively. But Hart went further as he replaced Radanfah Abu Bakr, Daneil Cyrus, Lester Peltier and Ataulla Guerra with Marshall, Aubrey David, Cordell Cato and Keron Cummings respectively.

Perhaps the coach wanted fresh legs against Mexico. Or maybe he was saving players for the weekend knockout fixture.

Either way, it was a gamble; and not one that always looked like reaping rewards.

Trinidad and Tobago created the first moment of concern in the match, after nine minutes, as Jones chased a weak Mexican back pass and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was forced into a rushed clearance for a throw.

But such proactive play was rare from the Warriors in the first 45 minutes and they were soon defending inside their own half of the field as “El Tricolour” built momentum.

By the time the opening goal came, in the 31st minute, a Mexican item seemed an inevitability.

Photo: Mexico wing back Paul Aguilar celebrates scoring the opening goal against Trinidad and Tobago in their CONCACAF Gold Cup meeting. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Mexico wing back Paul Aguilar celebrates scoring the opening goal against Trinidad and Tobago in their CONCACAF Gold Cup meeting.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

Miguel Layun whipped in a cross from the left flank that came off the head of striker Carlos Vela and into the path of right wing back Paul Aguilar who buried between the legs of Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Marvin Phillip.

Mekeil Williams, who was making his fifth international senior appearance, was a fraction late in spotting the danger.

At that stage, Mexico had 62 percent ball possession.

The Mexicans should have doubled their lead in the 47th minute as substitute Oribe Peralta missed a free header. But they were not as wasteful, three minutes later, when Jones conceded possession with a wayward pass at the half-line.

Carlos Vela, the former Arsenal striker, peeled away to collect in space, and stepped inside Marshall before squeezing his shot past Phillip for Mexico’s second.

Photo: Mexico star Carlos Vela. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Mexico star Carlos Vela.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

But Jones atoned quickly. In the 54th minute, the muscular Cardiff City striker muscled past one Mexican defender and held off another before slipping a neat pass into the path of midfielder Keron “Ball Pest” Cummings. And the North East Stars’ attacker produced a cool finish.

It was the first time a Trinidad Pro League player had scored at the Gold Cup since St Ann’s Rangers striker Errol McFarlane’s item against Guatemala, eight years ago.

Vela should have restored Mexico’s two-goal lead within seconds as he snuck away from Marshall and, clean through on goal, flicked over Phillip but wide of the far post.

From here on, the football fixture began to resemble a table tennis match.

The Warriors stole possession at the half-line in the 57th minute and cut through the Mexico side like a police car dissects traffic on the highway.

Hyland to Cummings wide to Cato back inside to Jones who steered the low cross past Ochoa before he somersaulted away to celebrate his first goal in seven international matches. Flipping brilliant!

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones celebrates his goal against Mexico in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones celebrates his goal against Mexico in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

It got even better in the 67th minute as Cummings put the Warriors ahead with a thunderous, angled left footed strike into the far corner after Jones chested down a David throw for him in the area.

What a moment for Ball Pest! Five years ago, Cummings made his international debut under then coach Russell Latapy. Since then, he has played at more local clubs than soca star, Benjai, as his fondness for minor league football and poor training record saw him bounce all around the Pro League before he decided to buckle down at Stars.

Last night was only Cummings’ eighth international appearance and even that owed much to the absences of the injured pair of Kevin Molino and Hughtun Hector and a disciplinary incident with Marcus Joseph.

But Hart will be hard pressed to leave him out now. Trinidad and Tobago, it seems, has still got talent.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Keron Cummings (third from right) celebrates his second strike against Mexico with teammates (from right) Khaleem Hyland, Kenwyne Jones and Kevan George at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. (Copyright AFP 2015)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Keron Cummings (third from right) celebrates his second strike against Mexico with teammates (from right) Khaleem Hyland, Kenwyne Jones and Kevan George at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
(Copyright AFP 2015)

The Warriors might have gone two goals clear in the 78th minute as Jones roughed up opposing defender Diego Reyes before spanking a shot that ricocheted off the upright.

“We believe in one another,” said Cummings. “We knew we (could) come back, once we dug deep.”

But, for the final ten minutes, Trinidad and Tobago decided to drop deep and wait for the final whistle. And it was a nearly disastrous decision.

In the 88th minute, Mexico captain Andres Guardado spanked a speculative effort from outside of the area and Phillip, blinded by his own teammates, only saw the ball as it whizzed past him.

And, one minute into stoppage time, it got worse.

Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera wriggled free of his marker and drove a cross into Trinidad and Tobago’s six yard box where Jones inadvertently sliced his clearance into the back of his own net.

He looked stunned as Mexican players celebrated what was surely the last goal of the game.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Kevan George (left) keeps an eye on Mexico captain Andres Guardado in 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Kevan George (left) keeps an eye on Mexico captain Andres Guardado in 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup action.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

Presumably, Hart was being resuscitated on the touchline at the time. This was not about tactics anymore. Just guts and composure.

Four minutes into stoppage time, the Warriors won only their second corner kick of the match. As Joevin Jones prepared to take it, Mexican fans showered him with water bottles, beer cans and anything else they could get their hands on.

Jones (J) looked imploringly at United States referee Mark Geiger who waved impatiently at him to kick the bleeding thing and get it over with.

And Jones (J) marched bravely through falling objects to put a precise set piece on the head of Marshall who arched his back to steer his header into the far corner.

It was the most exhilarating escape from Mexican guards since “El Chapo.”

Football, as former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once famously remarked, bloody hell.

Photo: A Trinidad and Tobago football fan supports the national team at the Germany 2006 World Cup. (Copyright AFP 2014/Lluis Gene)
Photo: A Trinidad and Tobago football fan supports the national team at the Germany 2006 World Cup.
(Copyright AFP 2014/Lluis Gene)

The Warriors had not scored in 470 minutes before they showed up in the United States. They now have nine goals in three matches.

Gomez should soon discover that the Warriors are not quite as poor opposition as he may have thought. Hopefully, he will appreciate the irony.

(Teams)

Trinidad and Tobago (4-1-4-1): 1.Marvin Phillip (GK); 2.Aubrey David, 18.Yohance Marshall, 4.Sheldon Bateau, 17.Mekeil Williams; 8.Khaleem Hyland (15.Dwane James 76); 13.Cordell Cato, 19.Kevan George, 20.Keron Cummings (10.Willis Plaza 89), 3.Joevin Jones; 9.Kenwyne Jones (captain).

Unused substitutes: 22.Adrian Foncette (GK), 5.Daneil Cyrus, 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 7.Jonathan Glenn, 11.Ataulla Guerra, 12.Kadeem Corbin, 16.Rundell Winchester, 23.Lester Peltier,

Injured: 21.Jan-Michael Williams (GK)

Suspended: 14.Andre Boucaud

Coach: Stephen Hart

 

Mexico (3-5-2): 13.Guillermo Ochoa (GK); 5.Diego Reyes, 2.Francisco Rodriguez, 3.Yasser Corona (21.Carlos Esquivel 77); 22.Paul Aguilar, 6.Hector Herrera, 8.Jonathan Dos Santos (9.Jesus Corona 67), 18.Andres Guardado (captain), 7.Miguel Layun; 10.Giovani Dos Santos (19.Oribe Peralta 46), 11.Carlos Vela.

Unused substitutes: 1.Moises Munoz Rodriguez GK), 12.Jonathan Orozco (GK), 4.Miguel Herrera, 14.Javier Orozco, 15.Oswaldo Alanis, 16.Antonio Rios, 17.Jorge Torres Nilo, 20.Jesus Duenas, 23.Jose Vasquez,

Coach: Miguel Herrera

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Keron Cummings (left) challenges Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera during CONCACAF Gold Cup action. (Courtesy CONCACAF)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Keron Cummings (left) challenges Mexico midfielder Hector Herrera during CONCACAF Gold Cup action.
(Courtesy CONCACAF)

CONCACAF Gold Cup results

Group C

(Wed July 15)

Cuba 1 (Maikel Reyes 72), Guatemala 0 in Charlotte;

Mexico 4 (Paul Aguilar 31, Carlos Vela 50, Andre Gurdado 88, Kenwyne Jones 90+1 OG), Trinidad and Tobago 2 (Keron Cummings 54, 66, Kenwyne Jones 57, Yohance Marshall 90+4) in Charlotte.

 

Upcoming Fixture

(Sun July 19)

Trinidad and Tobago v Panama, 4.30 pm, New Jersey.

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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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105 comments

  1. Congrats to the Soca Warriors , great game , nice to see the skipper back on the score-card , best of luck against Panama .

  2. The most entertaining read….I could just picture the field of play etc…EPIC…..Congrats to team SOCA Warriors

  3. Great game and best match of the tournament. It had everything you wanted in a game. CONCACAF is rising.

  4. Once dey eh lose I will take dat.

  5. Lol Colin Benjamin. U full of sh*t

  6. Japs owes Cummings free food for life after his performance

  7. Lolololol. Aww sry Chabeth Haynes. Didn’t mean anything from it at all. Our women are doing fantastic and I’m pissed with my self that I could make the game against Colombia which they drew 1-1. I’m just so excited right now about our senior team. Me and Lasana have been with them through thick, thin, everything inbetween and even our first ever encounter together. This victory in the group stage of the Gold Cup means a whole lot to us, that I have forgotten every thing else. Lol.

  8. Joevin has matured in the way he maintained his composure and disciplined enough to put it on Yohance’s head……well done WARRIORS…….

  9. LOL! Allan, I was talking about the Women’s football shots. I know this is a men’s football thread, but I saw your name and i was like oh, there’s the guy that takes all the good football shots so let me tell him how much i like the shots. And this whole explanation is making me sound really ridiculous and I swear I’m not a ridiculous person. So how about next time, you just cut a chick some slack and just say thanks? 😛 Or maybe I should learn a lesson and not throw compliments a photographer’s way? Ha!

  10. Well written,Lasana …you should be teaching this to our so called sportwriters……lol

  11. Chabeth Haynes. Unfortunately I’m not withy the team ATM. I’m with the PanAm athletes. Wish to death I was there tho. But I’ve decided I will be at the finals if we make it no matter what (Keshorn is throwing the day before at PanAm and he’s been doing fantastic while year too! So I HAVE TO get him!)

  12. Yohance Marshall plays in El Salvador.

  13. On current form Warriors can go to the wire .

  14. Oh btw… Allan V. Crane… some really nice shots!

  15. lets just enjoy the ride and like the penguins from Madagascar will say “just smile and wave boys” 😉

  16. Jevon the question is how long it go last. Richard Thompson beautifully said it… Losing (/our failures) is what makes us victorious… Once we learn from them. Bandwagonist don’t accept failure. Only false results. I’m no wagonist. I’m a failure who learns from it to oneday become victorious. And I wish the rest of our society does too!!

  17. TnT is a bandwagonist society, so I don’t think that would be a problem.

  18. Well let’s hope the TTFA knows how to ride this and gets at least one major sponsor…

    • Even if the private sector doesn’t step up, it would be nice if one or two state agencies (kudos to Petrotrin for doing their part) were to come on board. I don’t care how many audits they need to ask the TTFA for… just come on board and support the team, whatever your feelings about the administration.

  19. I don’t know, politicians love to ride a wave so it’s left to be seen.

  20. I know Cyrus is foreign-based too and Hyland, but not sure of the others. And of course Kenwyn Jones.

  21. Only three? Who is the Marshall guy?

  22. Marvin Phillip (Point Fortin Civic), Keron Cummings (North East Stars) and Mekeil Williams (DIRECTV W Connection) were the three local based players who started today. And Willis Plaza (Central FC) and Dwane James (North East Stars) came off the bench.

    • Plaza is still at Centrsl FC. Yohance was with the Sharks last season when he forced his way back into the national team. BallPest, another former Shark has matured nicely. Always extremely talented, it now appears he has become more disciplined. Plenty more to see from this guy.

  23. Only three starters today still play in the Pro League. But we definitely don’t have high profile players anymore. Hopefully we are on our way back to where we once were though..

  24. A house for beating Panama? What do they get if they win the whole thing?

  25. Coach Hart is definitely doing a great job with the team. I think this victory and overall performance could make them automatic favourites. This team of basically locally based players could only get better.

  26. Chabeth Haynes bonus? I wouldn’t be surprised if they get keys to HDC houses,especially if they beat Panama.

  27. The crowd played a MASSIVE part in that game. But we showed Hart and true trini spirit!! I watched this game in the athletic village of the PanAm games with nearly 1000 Mexicans around to only a handful of trinis in the room. I didn’t care who hear me banging on the filing cabinet. My team, my only team represented my country and myself through the Hart of a warrior!

  28. Fitting piece to go along with an excellent game!

  29. I always praised Joevin Jones and people scoffed when he failed at the Udinese trial. But that moment in stoppage time when he took that corner kick while being pelted with bottles and cans… Only top players can deliver with the game on the line under such pressure.
    Well done Joevin!

  30. How do you figure out bonuses after a performance like that?

  31. Yip I would love to see them cry too just like the Mexican fans that threw bottles at the corner flag, (a blessing from the stands)……lol

  32. For me, the most exceptional moment from a Trinidad and Tobago player might have been Joevin Jones’ corner kick.
    We got two corners who match. He was in stoppage time after running his heart and was being pelted with beer cans and water bottle. And his kick was brilliant.
    That is cojones. The kind of ice cold nerves when the game is on the line that the best players in the world would be proud of.

  33. “It was the biggest exhilarating escape from Mexican guards since El Chapo.” 😀

  34. I sure hope so Jevon. I so want to make them cry.

  35. Best match of the Gold Cup thus far, I also think we stand a better chance against Panama.

  36. A thrilling match and great performances so far… Now, we must avenge our honour against Panama and get the semifinal round at the same! I had hoped we would get Panama.

  37. ”Imagine what Warriors coach Stephen Hart could do with a properly functioning football body behind him?” under all the celebrations, this here says a lot.

  38. Take a bow Warriors. Topping Group C was a coup d’etat. Proud of our Boys.

  39. Was waiting up to read this Lasana. Hope we put some water in Panama’s eyes on Sunday as we did with Mexico earlier. What a thriller.

  40. The whole team was amazing..They played with pride, gratitude and professionalism. Proud to see a win anywhere but especially proud of a win in my home town!

  41. Drawing an essentially meaningless game doesn’t really count for much, but the manner in which the team played, the opponent they played against, and the circumstances under which they played… there has to be some sort of reward for this team. I don’t care where the TTFA has to find the money from. Not to suggest that ‘we reach’ and this is enough, we still have a lot to do, but this team was a part of something historic, and in the midst of constant gloom and doom, they offered a brilliant ray of sunlight. Come on TTFA, MoS, private sector… and everybody else, put your wallets where your mouths are and support this team.

  42. “Hyland to Cummings wide to Cato back inside to Jones who steered the low cross past Ochoa before he somersaulted away to celebrate his first goal in seven international matches. Flipping brilliant!” great as usual and yes you’re very right, if we had a better functioning TTFA where could we be. I have to admit i am still scratching my head at the results thinking it is a dream lol. But big up to the guys they are showing fight and who knows where this cinderella run can take them 😉 (Y)

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