“It was onside!” T&T coach blames Lady Luck and lack of belief but vows to press on

“It was clearly onside from what I saw… I think we were a bit unlucky.”

Trinidad and Tobago head coach Dennis Lawrence cut a disappointed figure as he lamented falling 1-0 to Mexico at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last night in a 2018 World Cup Qualifying match that was filled with moments of controversy.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Joevin Jones (left) blasts the ball into the back of the net while Mexico defender Carlos Salcedo looks on during Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 28 March 2017. Jones' item was incorrectly ruled out for offside as T&T lost 1-0 to Mexico. (Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Joevin Jones (left) blasts the ball into the back of the net while Mexico defender Carlos Salcedo looks on during Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 28 March 2017.
Jones’ item was incorrectly ruled out for offside as T&T lost 1-0 to Mexico.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)

It could have been a completely different outcome had Jamaican assistant Richard Washington not waved away what appeared to be a perfectly good goal scored by Joevin Jones in the 32nd minute.

But Lady Luck, Lawrence conceded, simply was not on the Warriors’ side last night. And his players failed, he seemed to be suggesting, to make their own luck.


“Sometimes we need to believe how good we can be,” the rookie head coach told the media, at the post-match news conference. “We got into the game and we allowed the Mexican team to get too much control of the game. It was just a shame that they had to wait until we went 1-0 down to then believe.”

It was his first loss as head coach after recording back-to-back wins against Barbados and Panama. But he felt that, although his team perhaps did not deserve to take all three points, they more than deserved a share of them.

“It was difficult to break us down in open play but we didn’t do enough to take the game,” offered Lawrence. “I’m disappointed for the boys because I didn’t think we deserved that. But that’s football.”

This is T&T’s latest defeat after opening round losses to Costa Rica and Honduras in the Hex. Mexico, however, are now unbeaten in 2018 World Cup qualification.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago forward Willis Plaza (right) runs at Mexico winger Miguel Layun Mexico forward Javier Hernandez (right) tries unsuccessfully to evade a tackle from Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Kevan George during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago forward Willis Plaza (right) runs at Mexico winger Miguel Layun Mexico forward Javier Hernandez (right) tries unsuccessfully to evade a tackle from Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Kevan George during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

But the game was determined by fine margins, with both teams enjoying crucial moments that could have swung the contest in either direction. Mexico head coach Juan Carlos Osorio was quick to acknowledge the strengths of his opponents and was obviously extremely pleased to be leaving Port-of-Spain with all three points in the bag.

“Fortunately, we scored on a set play and we are very, very pleased with the result and the performance,” a relieved Osorio told the media in English. “Trinidad and Tobago is different [to Panama]. [They] are very good in the air, very strong and physical. Today was different and we are very pleased with the result.”

In the pre-match build-up, coach Lawrence had continuously emphasized the need for the Soca Warriors to focus on their own strengths and on what they are good at rather than on the potential potency and tactical flexibility of the Mexicans.

It seems that coach Osorio was reading from the same hymn book.


The Colombia-born coach, whose side has now solidified their hold on the top-of-the-table spot in the Concacaf Hex with 10 points, revealed that Mexico had come to match Trinidad and Tobago at their own game.

“In the past, the tactical strategy was different,” the articulate Hispanophone explained in fluent English. “It was to play talent against physical ability. Today we matched their physical ability.

Photo: Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio (left) complains to the fourth official while Trinidad and Tobago coach Dennis Lawrence (right) follows the action during Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 28 March 2017. Mexico won 1-0. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio (left) complains to the fourth official while Trinidad and Tobago coach Dennis Lawrence (right) follows the action during Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on 28 March 2017.
Mexico won 1-0.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

“We were humble enough to say we are going to compete. […] We respected [Trinidad and Tobago].”

Osorio’s tactical revelations may have to be taken with more than a pinch of salt, though. He made five changes to the side that had sauntered to a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica on Friday, with only one of those changes being enforced through injury.

Two of Friday night’s stars, Oribe Peralta and Carlos Vela, were left on the bench in Port-of-Spain. Osorio commented that it was all a matter of tactics.

“Today we needed the strong players because Trinidad and Tobago are very physical—very tall and strong—and the idea was for us to always have eight players good in the air. [….] We decided to put in Raúl Jiménez because of his aerial game.”

He continued: “We need to take more in consideration what you do the best and I think what you do the best is the aerial game and the physical game.”

Elated Mexico captain Hector Moreno echoed his coach’s sentiments and said his team had “played smart.”

Photo: Mexico forward Javier Hernandez (right) tries unsuccessfully to evade a tackle from Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Kevan George during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017. (Copyright AFP 2017/Alfredo Estrella)
Photo: Mexico forward Javier Hernandez (right) tries unsuccessfully to evade a tackle from Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Kevan George during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017.
(Copyright AFP 2017/Alfredo Estrella)

“We want to play attacking, nice football,” said Moreno, in a post-match interview, “but sometimes it’s difficult [because] everything is complicated with these kind of away games.”

Both coaches seemed focused on tactics that took account of the strengths of the T&T players but Lawrence was keen to point out that the defining moment of the game was not so much the controversially disallowed 32nd minute goal his team scored but Diego Reyes’ 57th minute header.

“If you keep your concentration and you do your job defensively on the set piece, sometimes those are the things that win you or lose you games.”

Mexico have now scored a set piece in each of their last four matches in the Hex and it is something that seems to be a clear game plan employed by Osorio ever since he took charge in late 2015.

It is also an aspect that Osorio was keen to fix in the defensive side of Mexico’s game, especially after the most recent 3-3 and 4-4 draws with T&T.

“[First objective was to] keep a clean sheet. There were two games where the score was 3-3 and 4-4 (…) Too many goals! Couple goals from set pieces. […] We needed to control the direct football that they [T&T] play and play very well.”

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago winger Joevin Jones (second from left) takes on the Mexico defence during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017. (Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago winger Joevin Jones (second from left) takes on the Mexico defence during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017.
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868)

The loss leaves the Warriors in a precarious position as the men in “red, white and black” have now dropped to the foot of the six-team Hex table after results elsewhere in the Hex competition. Costa Rica and USA both battled back to claim 1-1 away draws against Honduras and Panama respectively.

Lawrence and his team are, however, trying to put this latest defeat quickly behind them and focus on the next round of matches in June. T&T will face two very difficult away ties to a resurgent USA and an always dangerous Costa Rica.

“The focus needs to remain the same. The belief has to remain the same,” Lawrence told the media.  “We have to believe that it can still be done. It’s just for the boys to start believing in themselves and understand that they are capable of doing it.”

Elaborating on his immediate plans, he commented, “I’m gonna be here. The moment that the [local] players are available, we will be working with the local players again because the work has to continue.”

T&T captain Kenwyne Jones was also upbeat about the road ahead and reiterated the same concern about the focus that his former teammate and now coach is demanding.

Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Curtis Gonzales (right) keeps the ball from Mexico attacker Carlos Vela during their Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017. (Copyright AFP 2017/Alfredo Estrella)
Photo: Trinidad and Tobago defender Curtis Gonzales (right) keeps the ball from Mexico attacker Carlos Vela during their Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying action at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on 28 March 2017.
(Copyright AFP 2017/Alfredo Estrella)

“We are only going to get stronger,” he said. “Two tough away games coming up but we are going to get prepared and go out there to get the points.”

“We just have to buckle down,” he ended, “and prepare for that game.”

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About Amiel Mohammed

Amiel Mohammed is a sports enthusiast and has worked in communications for Central FC and the Women's Premier League TT. He has also pioneered numerous projects geared towards creating opportunities for the differently abled such as the Differently-Abled Football Camp 2015 and Focus Football Coaching Academy.

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9 comments

  1. Lasana Liburd bro where’s the article with your coverage on djw getting the FIFA allocation to pay the salaries of Morace and tallest?

  2. So many complaints, but when jack tell Mexico bring a fete match team so we could make it in 2006
    Nobody complain.
    Always remember win some, lose some in this kind of games

  3. It’s interesting that even Goal.com magazine refers to this offside call “Robbery”:

    Robbery on the road – Mexico fortunate to escape Trinidad and Tobago with three points
    http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1616/concacaf/2017/03/28/34105562/robbery-on-the-road-mexico-fortunate-to-escape-trinidad-and

    In any case, we can’t keep blaming these things on referees and looking back on what could have happened.

    The fact is, we should have taken away four points from our fist two games, but we wasted that opportunity. That’s why we’re under pressure now.

    My hopes are with Dennis Lawrence and his team that they can find a way to capture at least fourth place and a play-off.

  4. Down a goal in the 2nd half and you leave Levi Garcia on the bench?

    You take off Cato and bring on….Willis Plaza?

    So your strike force to try and get an equalizer consists of a rookie who’s sole international appearance was against Barbados, and a player who plies his trade in India?????

    And is Mexico in a WCQ at home u playin.

    Questionable to say the least

  5. I was a Hart fan but I must admit I really like the vibes of Lawrence listening to everything he says pre match and post match. Seems very calculated and clear of what he wants. The team looks very organised . Need more composure and confidence in the final third. And improvement on cross balls offensively and defensively

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