TT footballers go to ‘war’ with Iraq

TRINIDAD and Tobago tuned up for their friendly international against Iraq today with an emphatic 4-0 victory over a Newport All Star XI,  at the Lilleshall National Training Centre, London. The Trinidadian footballers take on the Iraqis at the West Brom Stadium from 3 pm (10 am TT time) today. And West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara will be among the many Trinidadians to support them along with CONCACAF president Jack Austin Warner who arranged the match, Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation president Oliver Camps, technical director Lincoln “Tiger” Phillips and marketing manager Peter O’Connor.

Woodbrook Playboys Steel Orchestra is scheduled to play the national anthem of both teams before the start of the match. At Friday’s match, national coach Bertille St Clair got his first look at English-born midfielder Andre Boucaud in a match situation, and the youngster held his own in the midfield. Kerwyn “Hardest” Jemmot put Trinidad and Tobago ahead in the 19th minute, and Stern John doubled the lead in the 22nd. Kerry Baptiste added the third after 51 minutes and second half substitute  Dennis “Tallest” Lawrence completed the scoring in the 78th minute. Trinidad and Tobago started Clayton Ince, Marvin Andrews, Ian Cox, Marlon Rojas, Brent Sancho, Andre Boucaud, Angus Eve, Stokely Mason, Stern John, Kerwyn Jemmot and Jerren Nixon.

And coach St Clair made eight changes at half-time, with Arnold Dwarika, Derek King, Carlos Edwards, Lawrence, Baptiste, Daurance Williams, Densil Theobald and Kenwyne Jones all getting a run. The Trindadians spent most of yesterday relaxing and going over a few technical reviews at their White House Hotel. All selected players except US-based striker Cornell Glen and Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop are in England, and he is expected to miss today’s game because of club commitments. Glen who scored a double in a 5-5 draw a week ago was expected to line up for his MLS club New York/New Jersey Metrostars yesterday against countryman Avery John who has just signed for New England Revolution. The game against Iraq today will be the first for Trinidad and Tobago after their the 2-1 defeat by Egypt in Cairo last month.

Both teams see this game as vital to their preparations for their World Cup qualifying preliminaries, with Trinidad and Tobago scheduled to play Dominican Republic in their first-legt game on June 13 with the return on June 20. Iraqi captain Hussam Fawzi said, through an interpreter, his team is ready to face Trinidad and Tobago and is in no way intimidated by not being able to play or train at home. He said: “It is normal, during the war with Iran, the Iraqi team qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico without playing a single game at home.”