‘Warriors’ beaten but not disgraced

In the day’s other CONCACAF qualifiers, The United States downed Panama 3-0 to move into a commanding position to secure its fifth straight World Cup berth, while Paulo Wanchope scored a last-gasp goal to help Costa Rica beat visiting Guatemala 3-2.

Mexico leads the region with 13 points, ahead of the United States at 12 and Costa Rico with seven. Guatemala and Trinidad and Tobago have four points each, while Panama trails with two.

Mexico went ahead of Trinidad and Tobago in the 65th minute when Perez sent a crossfield pass ahead for Ramon Morales, whose offering from the left was stopped by Trinidad goalkeeper Kelvin Jack, but not held.

Standing alone, Borgetti nudged the rebound home from point-blank range. Perez added an insurance goal from the high right in the 88th, firing from just outside the box, then controlling the rebound off a defender and depositing it into the back of the net from slightly closer.

Most of the contest’s opening minutes were played deep in the islanders’ zone, with Mexico pressing on offence before heat-related fatigue set in. Officials listed the game-time temperature at 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit).

The visitors used physical play that appeared to catch faster Mexico off guard. Brent Rahim and the player he replaced, Aurtis Whitley, both collected yellow cards for Trinidad, as did John. Mexico’s Luis Perez was also whistled for one. Mexico was without many of its stars and it showed, as its players swarmed around the ball, trying to force a quick goal rather than running a patient attack.

A groin injury sidelined team captain and defender Rafael Marquez, while striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco asked to be excused from the lineup because of fatigue after Mexico’s 2-0 victory at Guatemala on Saturday. Defender Salvador Carmona was suspended due to accumulated yellow cards.

TT coach Leo Beenhakker was high in praise for the courageous performance by the ‘Warriors’ against Mexico. Beenhakker said such a performance transcended the final score of the match and he was confident that if the team carried that performance into the other games, success would follow.

Midielder Chris Birchall, Dwight Yorke, Hector Sam and Carlos Edwards all returned to England yesterday while American-based trio Marlon Rojas, Avery John and Leslie Fitzpatrick returned to their respective clubs. The rest of the team are expected back today.

"Mexico is a very strong team and we proved that we could play with them but unfortunately it didn’t take us to the end," Beenhakker said after the game.

"They were better than us. We tried to compensate with a lot of work but we couldn’t stop them. We did a good job but we need to have more ball possession to manage a team like Mexico. No one likes to lose but I think the team did everything it could after having been together for only ten days I don’t think I could ask for much more from the boys and it’s just unfortunate that we are not leaving with something to show from this match," he added. "I don’t know for sure and maybe I will have to see the replays but the first goal for them looked a bit questionable but that’s the game."

Beenhakker added that the next focus will be on the CONCACAF Gold Cup which he sees as a useful build up to the August 17 World Cup qualifier away to United States.

"Now we must look to the Gold Cup and ensure that we take full advantage of it because it definitely will give us a chance to put things together for the matches in the campaign to follow," he said. TT opens their campaign on July 6 against Honduras in Miami and then has matches against Colombia and Panama to close off the first round. The team is also expected to take up base in Miami at least a week in advance to the tournament kick off.

Lineups:

TT: Kelvin Jack, Avery John, Marvin Andrews, Atiba Charles, Dennis Lawrence, Christopher Birchall (Gary Glasgow, 83), Otis Whitley (Brent Rahim, 54), Carlos Edwards, Kenwyne Jones, Denzil Theobold (Hector Sam, 80), Dwight Yorke.

MEX: Oswaldo Sanchez, Mario Mendez (Alberto Medina, 37), Aaron Galindo, Ricardo Osorio, Carlos Salcido, Jaime Lozano, Juan Pablo Rodriguez, Luis Perez, Antonio Naelson (Ramon Morales, 63), Francisco Fonseca (Omar Bravo. 84), Jared Borgetti.