Remain focused on task at hand

Trinidad and Tobago’s men’s football team would entertain Guatemala in their last battle on home soil at 7.06 pm, and the team are fully aware that they are just one point away from reaching “the hexagonal”/ final stage of the CONCACAF 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Trinidad and Tobago’s coach Stephen Hart has warned the TT players to remember the ‘certain little things’ he demands of them in which they may take for granted or even forget during their time away from home.

However, he expressed his satisfaction over the last week of preparations as the team has better cohesion and is moving the ball quicker.

“I’m quite pleased to see these things coming back into play over the last few training sessions,” he said. “This is really a tight knit group and are truly a team. The mood of the camp (going into the game) reflects that.” Hart went on to give his insight as to how he anticipates the ebb of the game to be, stating, “I think Guatemala would come out pressing high up the pitch, put us under pressure and look to score early and we have to play ‘passthe- press’ (knock around the ball and create opportunities), understand what they are trying to do very quickly and settle down because there is going to be some tension.” Trinidad and Tobago currently sit on-top of the table with 10 points, needing just one point to confirm qualification to the next round, and are followed closely by the United States on seven points and Guatemala on six points, who are in search of two wins from two games. Guatemala would host St Vincent and the Grenadines, who are cemented at the bottom of the group with zero points, on the final match day on Tuesday and Trinidad and Tobago would travel to the US.

Trinidad and Tobago won the away fixture against Guatemala last November by a 2-1 margin.

With this at the back of his mind, Hart stated, “we’re going out to dictate how the game is actually played and hopefully get the result at home.” Hart and Kenwyne Jones, the Warriors’, have both been urging the local fans to throw their support behind the team, by flocking the stadium in their national colours later this evening, as it would be a sensational culmination to this Independence week. Gates open at 4 pm and tickets can be purchased at any Lotto outlet nationwide.