NAIROBI: Trinidad and Tobago’s footballers broke their run of four defeats when they played to an enthralling 1-1 draw with Kenya before 28,000 vociferous fans at the  Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi yesterday.

The result was welcomed by the Soca Warriors who had previous lost matches dating back to a fixture against Cuba in March. But in their first official outing in Africa, skipper Reynold Carrington and his teammates proved their capabilities on the pitch. For coach Stuart Charles Fevrier, this day will be memorable, as his first international in charge ended with an ovation from the fans as well as the TT players and officials. The team’s 15-minute journey to the stadium had many onlookers waving their support and the players won thousands of new friends following their performance which was beamed live on Kenyan television as well as other parts of Africa on BBC Africa.

TT got just the start they were hoping for when a left-sided free kick by Avery John was handled by defender John “Mo” Muiruri inside the penalty box and English-based striker Hector Sam calmly slotted the kick home to send the Caribbean side ahead after just seven minutes. Even before that, TT seemed hungry for goals, with Falkirk striker Collin Samuel and Sam being the target of some robust tackles. Despite the early setback, the Kenyans didn’t  let up and a Muiri’s pinpoint right-side cross forced Carrington to head out, inches wide of Clayton Ince’s goal. The Kenyans continued to press, and on 22 minutes, TT got their first scare at the back. After Brent Sancho averted danger, the resulting corner saw Muiri’s powerful header knocked off the line by an alert Dale Saunders. The follow-up play then forced Ince to save Francis Chinjili’s low effort.

Soon after Ince was again brought into action, but it was his former Defence Force teammate who almost silenced the packed audience. A free kick was quickly played short to John on the left and his zipping low cross saw a lunging Scotland narrowly failing to connect on the far post. The Kenyans got their equaliser through some luck as defender Keyeno Thomas, who otherwise had a solid game, headed out an incoming cross. But the ball was played back in his direction and the Joe Public player mis-timed his clearance, allowing Oliech a clear path to goal. The result was firm movement into the box and a low shot past Ince by Oliech to send the home fans into a frenzy. Generally, Carlos Edwards was enjoying a good day on the right flank with good support on the left by Avery John, as well as  Silvio Spann who improved in the second half along with Saunders. The gutsy Carrington, Brent Sancho and Thomas were rock solid at the back.

TT line up: 21. Clayton Ince, 2. Brent Sancho, 3. Reynold Carrington, 4. Keyeno Thomas, 5. Dale Saunders (12. Anton Pierre, 88th), 6. Avery John, 7. Carlos Edwards 14. Nigel Daniel, 80th), 8. Silvio Spann, 9. Jason Scotland (15. Conrad Smith, 78th), 10. Hector Sam ((16. Nigel Pierre, 72nd), 11. Collin Samuel (18. Kerwyn Jemmot, 46th)
Subs not used: 22. Jan Michael Williams, 13. Derek King

SIMON MERRY overturned a six-shot deficit to lead the Boys 16-and-18 age group by four shots ahead of today’s final round of the Republic Bank National Junior Golf Trials.

Golfers are bidding for spots on the national team ahead of the Caribbean Junior Championships in the Bahamas from July 6-11. Playing under improved weather conditions at the St Andrew’s Golf Course, Moka, Maraval, the pencil-slim Merry quickly set out to atone for his ten-over-par 82 on the opening round on Friday. He closed the gap between himself and overnight leader Jordan Delaney with a score of 38 after the first nine holes and then, after a phenomenal 34 on the front nine, finished with 72 and a combined tally of 154. Delaney had a terrible round of 82 to lie second on 158 while Shane Costelloe made 78 to enter today’s round on 164. Other golfers in the Boys 16-18 who made the cut were Luke Thompson (166), Jesse Boocock (171), Alderray Downes and Kevin Williams (176), while Kahlil Bowen (181) and Christian Stauble (192) were sidelined due to poor returns on the greens. Diana Torry extended her lead in the Girls 16-18 from 44 shots to 66, carding 83 yesterday for a two-day tally of 161, with Nikesha Trim a distant second on 227 and Nicola Trim third on 235.

Ben Martin surged further ahead of the pack in the Boys 13-15, recording a four-over-par 76 for a score of 148, ten shots ahead of Zinski Baggan with Robert Llanos following on 159, Kyle Knaggs (161), Dahomey Kadera (163) and Stephan Coombs (166). Barring any major upset, Tracey Clarke will claim the Ggirls 13-15 division, as she enters today’s round on 157, with Victoria Seenath thirteen shots back while Deahana Ramnath is third on 181 and Martine De Gannes fourth on 183. Glen Charlett is atop the standings in the Boys Under-12 category with a tally of 160, a 10-stroke advantage over joint overnight leader Joshua Galt, while Timothy Martin (183) and Mikail Roberts (185) also made the cut. And Catherine Clarke maintained her superiority over her challengers in the Girls U-12, with a two-day score of 94, followed by Anneke Ward and Kelsey Lou Hing (101), and Natalya Rahamatula 105.

ONE of the biggest martial arts tournament in Trinidad and Tobago will be staged today from 8 am at the Woodbrook Youth Facility, opposite the Jean Pierre Complex at Mucurapo.

The competition, billed as the Annual Open Karate Championship, is organised for the 15th consecutive year under the Tiger Claw Karate School programme. The effort is headed by the husband and wife team of Amanda and Kenneth Foderingham, both senseis or masters of the artform whose martial arts academy is located at Bagatelle Road, Diego Martin. Sensei Kenneth said that competition will be in approximately 100 divisions with participants ranging from five years old to adults. Events include Open Hand and Weapon; Self-Defence; Breaking; Sparring; Continuous Sparring and Team Kata.

Also expected to take part are overseas entrants Master Littlejohn Davis and Shihan Otis from the United States; and a nine-member Guyana team including three Black Belts. Outstanding performers will collect valuable prizes and trophies, some as tall as six feet. Sensei Foderingham gave the assurance that competitors will be required to wear protective gear always and there will be special rules for the “sport karate” category which is a non-contact form of the art. Qualified judges will also preside throughout the competition.

TOP SEED Lendl Smith will meet Adam Talma in the Boys Under-14 final of the Sagicor Annual Junior Tennis Tournament at the St Augustine Tennis Courts today from 9 am. Smith blanked Berwin St John 6-0, 6-2 in yesterday’s semifinal clash while, in a three-and-a-half hour thriller, Talma overcame a first set deficit to defeat Isham Gosine 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Another number-one ranked player Nicolette Leacock booked a place in today’s Girls’ Under-12 final after a tough 7-5, 6-4 triumph over Nalini Maharaj. Leacock will square off against Lee-Ann Lingo, who knocked off Cristina Bennett 6-3, 6-1. Boys Under-12 top seed Seve Day advanced to the semifinal round after a 6-2, 6-0 whipping of Jerome Branker in yesterday’s quarterfinals while his opponent in today’s semi, Jovani Lewis, cruised past David Clarke 6-1, 6-0. Leon Fraser, who eliminated Christopher Brash 7-5, 6-3, will face off against Abdoulaye Camara in the other “semi,” after Camara crushed Jonathan Gouveia 6-1, 6-1.

Top ranked Olivia Bennett remains on course to claim the Girls Under-18 division with a 6-0, 6-0 mauling of Christina Bermudez, while her semifinal opponent Shenelle Mohammed also hammered Charlotte De Souza 6-0, 6-0. The other semifinal will see Yolande Leacock, who eased past Sanian Lewis 6-1, 6-1, facing Kiran Pereira, winner over Carlista Mohammed 6-4, “semis” following a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Mark Balgobin. The number-one seed will meet Johansi Williams, who crushed Matthew De Gannes 6-1, 6-0, while the other semifinal sees Ravi Ramsingh, a 6-0, 7-5 winner over Sean Woodham, meeting Richard Chung, who overcame Louis Villaroel 7-5, 6-3.