T&T Gets win on the road vs El Salvador
T&T Gets win on the road vs El Salvador
Trinidad and Tobago’s men’s football team surged to the top of their Concacaf Nations League A group on Sunday night, as they secured a hard-fought 3-2 win against El Salvador at the Nacional Jorge Mágico González Stadium in El Salvador.
Before a partisan home crowd of just over 15,000, T&T fell behind as early as the 17th minute, as El Salvador defender Eriq Zavaleta headed past goalkeeper Denzil Smith from a set piece.
Trinidad and Tobago were soon on level terms, as flanker Ryan Telfer sent a powerful left-footed blast into the net in the 22nd minute after receiving a precise pass from the left by Reon Moore.
The teams went to the break tied at 1-1. However, the visitors took the lead in the 51st minute through a clinical penalty by Canada-based Malcolm Shaw. The T&T attacker was bundled over in the area after receiving a clever square pass from halftime substitute Duane Muckette, and his spot kick gave El Salvador goalkeeper Thomas Romero no chance.
Smith was in great form between the uprights, making a string of remarkable saves. Smith’s defenders fell asleep after Shaw’s goal, though, and the hosts were back on level terms just two minutes later as Brayan Gil beat the T&T goalkeeper from point-blank range after being left unmarked from a Corea corner.
El Salvador mustered another goal from a set piece, as Brayan Gil scored from close range in the 53rd minute when he was left unmarked from a corner.
TT goal, coach Angus Eve’s Soca Warriors team stayed resolute and disciplined.
“We knew we were going to suffer for a bit. Possession doesn’t win matches,” Eve said after the match. “We have a plan. We have a way we want to play and the guys executed to a T.
“The guys are extremely disciplined, and there’s a oneness in that dressing room there. Besides the talent and the discipline the team has, that’s what is taking us through.”
In the 71st minute, the togetherness and jubilation were there for all to see, as towering Defence Force defender Justin “Shiggy” Garcia beat Romero with a looping header to the far post after meeting a deep free kick by Telfer. Garcia
scored ten goals from his centre-back position as Defence Force won the inaugural TT Premier League and its knockout cup. He was one of several local-based players overlooked for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup.
In San Salvador, El Salvador, Garcia’s value in national colours was evident.
“Justin Garcia has been scoring those headers for fun with Defence Force, so I took something from (Defence Force) coach Hutson Charles and they, and I had him spin around at the back post,” Eve said. “He’s very effective.”
As T&T edged to their first-ever win in El Salvador at senior level, Eve decided to protect the three points at all costs as he inserted defenders Kareem Moses and Andre Raymond, as well as central midfielder Michel Poon-Angeron in the latter stages of the game. The front three of Moore, Telfer and Shaw were withdrawn.
In the 76th minute, the 23-year-old Smith, who injured a finger during the first half, sprawled to his right to stop an effort by Gil. In stoppage time, the former Shiva Boys’ Hindu College standout came up huge for T&T once more, as he made a flying save to his left to keep out a precise header by Zavaleta.
“I could call 15 man-of-the-match winners, but I’ll give Denzil because he was spectacular,” Eve said. “People may not know that he did his finger in during the first half. For him to save the whole game (was excellent). We tried to take him off and he said he didn’t want to come off.
“That’s the kind of fight and grit we will need to have to build back T&T football.”
As the five minutes of stoppage time elapsed, the T&T players and staff members were in an ecstatic mood as they wildly celebrated their historic victory on El Salvador soil.
Eve, whose tenure as head coach was extended to March 2024, later said in the post-game interview,
“I’ve seen big coaches like (Jose) Mourinho, David Moyes and Claudio Ranieri – when he won the English Premier League with Leicester City – have like 35 per cent possession (when their teams played),” Eve said.
“We think we have good wingers. We have good, fast forwards, so we think that we can soak up pressure, because defensively we are very solid.
“We think we can play on the break and play this counter-attacking game we have been playing. It’s working for us.”
T&T grabbed the winner when Defence Force defender Justin “Shiggy” Garcia sent a looping header past goalkeeper Thomas Romero in the 71st minute to seal a dramatic road win for the visitors, their first ever in El Salvador in all form of senior team fixtures.
After two Group A matches, T&T sit atop the six-team table with a maximum six points. Panama and Guatemala (both four points) are in second and third spot respectively.
T&T will host Guatemala in their next Nations League game at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on October 13.
(Teams)
Trinidad and Tobago : 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 14.Shannon Gomez, 2.Aubrey David (captain), 17.Justin Garcia, 3.Ross Russell Jr; 15.Neveal Hackshaw, 23.Kristian Lee-Him (10.Duane Muckette 46); 7.Ryan Telfer (16.Michel-Poon Angeron 80), 18.Andre Rampersad, 19.Malcolm Shaw (6.Andre Raymond 90+3),13.Reon Moore (12.Kareem Moses 75);
Unused substitutes: 1.Christopher Biggette (GK), 21.Jabari St Hillaire (GK), 4.Jesse Williams, 5.Kevon Goddard, 20.Kaïlé Auvray.8.Daniel Phillips, 11.Nathaniel James,
Head Coach: Angus Eve
El Salvador: 18.Tomas Romero (GK); 21.Bryan Tamacas (captain), 4.Eriq Zavaleta, 2.Erick Cabalceta, 16.Alejandro Henriquez (8.Elvin Alvarado 86); 6.Narciso Orellana (14.Christian Martinez 80); 7.Dustin Corea (10.Mayer Gil 65), 15.Alexander Roldan, 12.Amando Moreno (11.Joaquin Rivas 86), 13.Leonardo Menjivar (19.Emerson Mauricio 80); 9.Brayan Gil.
Unused substitutes: 1.Mario Gonzales (GK), 3.Roberto Dominguez, 5.Rudy Clavel, 17.Eric Calvillo, 20.German Fuentes, 23.Melvin Cartagena.
Head Coach: Hugo Perez
Referee: Ricardo Montero (Costa Rica)
