D/Republic anxious to turn tables

SANTO DOMINGO: The Dominican Republic, beaten 2-0 at home last weekend, are anxious to overturn that result when they face Trinidad and Tobago in their CONCACAF second-round return match tomorrow in Trinidad and Tobago. Dominican Republic coach William Bennett is confident his team can turn the tables when the two teams face each other in the 2006 World Cup qualifier at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella. He believes his team matched the TT footballers in several areas of the first leg last Sunday in Santo Domingo. “I think we gave them a good match and we showed that we can compete with Trinidad,” Bennett said. 

“I think we can have a surprise there because now we know what to expect from them and we know exactly what we have to do to move on in the tournament. We are two goals behind but we are not out of it,” he added. Stern John, who scored one of TT’s two goals last weekend, has a different view.  He believes Trinidad and Tobago are far superior and will eliminate the Spanish-speaking DR tomorrow.  “No disrespect to the Dominican team but they were not really a match for is.

I think we are six goals better than them and we are still not playing at our best,” he said.  But John, who plays for Birmingham City in the English Premier League, believes his side must improve their game to successfully challenge the best teams in CONCACAF in the ensuing rounds. “The football we are playing now will get us through this round but when we get to the next stage, it’s going to be a totally different ball game,” John said. (CMC)