Warriors re-start Gold Cup bid

Trinidad and Tobago are placing their hopes on Defence Force striker Jason Scotland and CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh’s Cornell Glenn in today’s crucial CONCACAF Gold Cup playoff match against Martinique at the Stade d’honneur de Dillon from 7 pm (TT time).

The only setback for the Soca Warriors is that Ireland-based defender Avery John, who was scheduled to join the team on Monday night, did not arrive because of a mix-up in travelling arrangements. TT coach Zoran Vranes will now have to make do without him. CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh’s Nigel Daniel has since taken John’s place. Livingston defender Marvin Andrews arrived at the Squash Hotel, Fort de France on Easter  Monday and was expected to have his first training session with the team at the match venue yesterday. “We are ready for this challenge. This is the most important match of the campaign for us so far. We need to win because this will determine whether we go to the Gold Cup in July or not,” Andrews said yesterday. “This is what you describe as a big, big match. Without a doubt I have confidence in the guys that we can get the job done. “There are some experienced guys in the team like Arnold (Dwarika) and Ansil (Elcock) who all know what it is like to play these sort of matches. “We have the potential as a team and we all know how important this series is. I think we are prepared for two hard matches,” added theScotland-based defender. Vranes, who up to yesterday had conducted three sessions with the team in Martinique, sounded optimistic about  TT’s chances.

He indicated that playmaker Arnold Dwarika will start the encounter and Northampton Town midfielder Brent Rahim will come off the bench. Kelvin Jack will start in goal with Andrews, Brent Sancho and Keyeno Thomas shouldering the responsibilities at the back. Birmingham City striker Stern John, unable to take part in the series, said he will be keeping his fingers crossed over the next few days. “It’s not going to be easy for me having to sit and wait here for the scores,” John said yesterday  from his Birmingham, England home. These are important times for us because I think we desperately need to qualify for the Gold Cup. Even though I will not be there, I have faith in the guys that they can get the job done and I will be keeping my fingers crossed from where I am,” he said. TT will face Honduras in their second match on Friday at the same venue with the host nation tackling the Hondurans on Sunday. The top two teams will advance to the CONCACAF Gold Cup finals from July 12-27.