Glen blasts hat-trick as TT beat Puerto Rico 5-0

TRINIDAD and Tobago made a grand start to their quest for a place in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, when they shut out Puerto Rico 5-0 in their Group “D” preliminary round Digicel 2004-2005 Caribbean Cup match yesterday. It was played at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya, Tuna-puna. Cornel Glen gave the “Soca Warriors” the lead after 13 minutes with his first of a hat-trick. Cyd Gray played a one-two with Nigel Pierre before sending a centre from the right to the New York/New Jersey Metro Stars striker who banged in his shot past Puerto Rican goalkeeper Alvaro Nazar. Glen netted his second in the 42nd minute when he latched on to a long clearance from goalkeeper Daurance Williams and dribbled defender Christopher Gores, before rounding Nazar and slotting the ball into the unguarded net.

He completed his “trick” in the 48th, when a Pierre long pass found him unmarked, and he darted into the penalty area before smashing the ball past Nazar. The fourth Soca Warriors goal came in the 80th minute from the penalty spot. Skipper on the night Derek King sent Nazar the wrong way with his spotkick, after referee Barry Callender of Barbados whistled Alexis Curet for bundling over Gray in the penalty area. And substitute Conrad Smith put the icing on the cake, dribbling two defenders before firing in a left foot blast past Nazar. Trinidad and Tobago are in Group “D” with Puerto Rico, Grenada and Suriname. They play the Grenadians tomorrow at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, from 8 pm.