WALTER ALIBEY
“We let them off the hook.” This is how national coach Stephen Hart feels about Tuesday’s key World Cup Qualifying encounter against the United States at the Hasely Crawford Stadium which ended in a goalless draw.
“Yesterday the coach said we should have scored as least two goals in the first 15 minutes of the game. “We had three clear cut opportunities, two of which should have been converted but it just did not happen. The one when Kenwyne Jones squared back the ball for Joevin Jones on top the area, really should have been put in. And again when Cordell Cato got between two US defenders and shot....I think that too should have been converted,” Hart said.
The T&T team enjoyed almost total domination of the game, particularly in the first half of the game, much to the delight of the sold-out crowd that made their way to the venue. Football pundits have described it as a display unlike any other by a T&T team against USA, but Hart said the team played to its potential.
Hart, who is responsible for a string of excellent performances by the T&T over the past months, in the midst of a turbulent time in the sport’s administration, did not sound worried about the result but impressed upon the need to convert opportunities when they come.
In front of the proverbial “Sea of Red” the Soca Warriors were expected to score at least once. And Hart in pointing out some of the clear cut chances the team enjoyed, also singled out Cato’s missed header in the 64th minute of the match.
From this play, Jones (Joevin) raced clear down the right flank and centred for an unmarked Cato who was thrown off by a US defender’s attempt to challenge for the ball. Hart said an international player such as Cato should never have missed such an opportunity.
He also pointed out that despite the US having more of the possession in the second half of play the T&T was not penetrated and congratulated them for holding their own against their counterparts. After back pedalling for the entire first period, Jurgen Klinsmann’s men looked a renewed team after the resumption and created a number of chances.
“They definitely could have scored but had we scored at least the two goals, we would have had them against the ropes,” Hart said. He made it clear that though they were outplayed, his team was not penetrated by the US and congratulated them for the manner in which they were able to contain them and still create opportunities.