Business hails TT Warriors

TT defeated Mexico 2-1 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Wednesday night to cop the fourth spot in the six-team CONCACAF standings, and will now play a home-and-away series against Bahrain next month to qualify for the 2006 World Cup Finals.

San Juan Business Association president Gail Merhair said her organisation wished to express its "overwhelming jubilation" over Wednesday night’s victory and its optimism that TT will qualify for next year’s World Cup. Merhair said the victory could not have been more timely given the numerous challenges which the country is now facing, and the Warriors have given "a ray of hope" to the population.

She said the team has shown the ability of this country’s people to succeed at anything they put their minds to, and has strengthened the national psyche at a time when it was most needed.

Merhair added that the Warriors’ victory has given the population a reason to believe again. Chamber vice-president Ian Collier described Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Mexico as "probably one of the best ever (played by TT)" and the national team gave "a stellar performance."

In congratulating the entire team (including coach Leo Beenhakker and his technical staff) and expressing confidence that TT will qualify for Germany 2006, Collier said, "If what we saw was the beginning of this TT team, we look forward to very, very big things in the future."