Under-20s play Americans first

Like their senior compatriots, Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-20 footballers will open their final round CONCACAF World Championship qualifying phase against the United States. Following their 6-5 aggregate win over Cuba last weekend, TT will travel to face the Americans in Group “A” action in Carson, California on January 12. Just under three weeks later (February 9), the senior teams of both countries will meet at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain in a 2006 World Cup qualifier. Following the USA clash, TT Under-20s will then meet Costa Rica two days later before closing their campaign against Panama on January 16.  The top two teams from the group will then advance to the 2005 World Youth Championship in the Netherlands.

The other group, from which two teams will also advance to the World Championship, comprises hosts Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica and Canada. Coach Anton Corneal felt that facing the Americans first would best suit the youngsters. “I say this because we know very well what their style of play is. It is easier for us to play against the US than against Costa Rica because they play a disciplined type of game and to their basic strengths. Hopefully we can be tactically prepared for them and force them to not enjoy playing to their strengths,” Corneal said yesterday. “We realise that it is pretty much a tough group for us but we will prepare and go into the matches knowing very well what we have all to play for because two teams will end up going through to the World Youth Championship.

“Costa Rica will be similar to Venezuela and Cuba but will be a team of more experience and passion for the game. We will have to equal that passion and at the same time eliminate their key players which most times are playmakers. “Right now for us is just a matter of taking our game to a higher level because we have just about 30 days before the tournament continues which means that the guys will have just Christmas and New Year’s days off,” said Corneal. He said he was also aware that two coaches attached to the American team were at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella to view TT’s match with Cuba last Friday. Several scouts from American Universities also made the trip.

“When the Under-17s lost, it hurt us just  as much and I am hoping that they can look back and realise that they too need to step up like the Under-20 boys did. This match is based on 70 percent fight and 30 percent ability and until we can put that into proper perspective, we need to change the pattern of our game,” Corneal said. TT captain Radhanfah Abu Bakr felt that constant improvement resulted in TT’s passage into the final round. “We played to a plan which was not to allow them (Cuba) to settle and play their game. We have also worked very hard over the past few weeks and everyone chipped in for us to get this result,” Abu Bakr said. “We’ve played continuously with heart and soul and this is what we need to continue into the next stage. The coaching has been good. We stuck to our plan all along and played a formation which was comfortable for us,” he said.

Final round schedule
Group A — 
Carson, California USA; Home Depot Centre
January 12 — 
Costa Rica vs Panama, USA vs TT
January 14 — 
TT vs Costa Rica, USA vs Panama
January 16 — 
Panama vs TT, USA vs Costa Rica