TT brace for hostile Costa Rican crowd

The TT team underwent one final training session at Prentup Field in Denver yesterday morning before leaving for San Jose in the evening. TT Head coach Dennis Lawrence opted to stay in Denver following Thursday’s match against the United States as he felt the training facilities would be a more comfortable environment for the team.

Defender Aubrey David, who played last year with Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa, will be familiar with the conditions in San Jose and it is expected to be a hostile one as the hosts are desperate for a win after being held 0-0 by Panama last Thursday at home. Their fans are expected to be on the backs of the players, urging them to three points. By last Tuesday, already 25,000 tickets were sold for tomorrow’s match and the Costa Rican Football Federation was expecting a sold out house by Gameday.

“Knowing the Costa Rican fans and how important football and the national team is to them, they will be out in their numbers to drive the team on Tuesday,” David told TT FA Media.

“The people are very, very passionate and they will be looking to spur the team on against us. But having played here and knowing what to expect, I don’t think our boys need to be intimidated. Once we settle and we get the fans out of our minds and play the game, then we should be able to cope with things,” David said.

“We have players who have faced very hostile conditions in countries like Mexico, Honduras. Guatemala and El Salvador so it’s not going to be an eye opener on Tuesday. And the head coach is capable to preparing the players mentally for the challenge ahead. The most important thing will be for us to settle and not let the Costa Ricans get on top of us from early and hopefully we can stick together and grind it out,” David added.

TT have never beaten Costa Rica in a World Cup qualifier and its best result in San Jose was a 1-1 draw in 1989.

In 25 meetings between both countries in all types of senior team matches, TT have won three, drawn four and lost 18 with the most recent defeat being a 2-0 loss in March in Port of Spain. One of the memorable wins for TT was a 2-1 win at the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals courtesy of goals by Arnold Dwarika and the deceased Mickey Trotman. TT have beaten Costa Rica only once in any form of World Cup qualification, that being a 2-0 win for the Under 17 Men’s team in World Cup qualifying final round in Panama in 2013.