T&T rebound to edge Guyana 2-1
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
November 4, 2003
TRINIDAD & Tobago played the National Under-23 squad with respect to redeem themselves at the Blairmont Community Centre ground, Sunday.
Down one goal at halftime, the visitors rebounded to edge out Guyana 2-1, as a seemingly over-confident Guyana literally played with the ball. Midfielder Emerick Williams was noticeably the composed and outstanding player, along with Dirk Archer.
Trinidadian coach Stuart Charles told Chronicle Sport: “Our guys were a little more focused. They knew they had to play with more respect for the Guyanese. Their focus was so good that they came back to win. The game was very competitive which augurs well for Caribbean football,” Charles said.
Technical Director Neider Dos Santos said: “I always knew Trinidad & Tobago had bigger, stronger and taller players, while our team is technically more skilful. They came out to kill that with fouls and the referee did not prevent that. When my players reacted they were blown against. The discipline was poor. They played very physical and the referee allowed it although she is technically good. In most countries, when the referee is in doubt, the benefit goes to the home team; in Guyana, when the referee is in doubt the decision is awarded to the away team.”
Dos Santos disclosed that some spectators came to the bench to abuse the players, whereas they should be supporting them.
“Even Brazil lose matches. Trinidad & Tobago are ranked higher than Guyana, the powerhouse in the Caribbean, yet we held them to even results, we won one and they won one,” Dos Santos pointed out.
President of the Guyana Football Federation Colin Klass told Dos Santos that the coaching staff would have to address the situation because the Costa Ricans would be much bigger than the Trinidadians and a bigger crowd would be against them. He also enquired why the strikers were not substituted.
The technical director said the team was hampered by having no striker to inject because Gregory Richardson was red-carded, which he said was uncalled for after reviewing the tape of the first game, and Dwight Peters was rested because of injury.
Richardson took Chronicle Sport to the Trinidadian player close to whom the incident occurred, and the visitor claimed that Richardson did not curse but was just questioning the referee’s foul call.
Trinidad & Tobago began the game with robust attacks, dominating the first 25 minutes of the game, but the Guyanese had their moments of close raids.
In the 27th minute, left wing back Walter Moore took a 30-metre shot to goal, the ball zoomed close to the near post, sending the goalkeeper diving for the save.
Fidel Smith carried across his outstanding performance to the second game and in the 30th minute during a defence lapse blocked a shot aimed from the edge of the box and a defender eventually cleared the ball.
During this time, Williams was having a good run in the midfield. And in the 42nd minute, he sent forward a neat pass to Devon Millington, who back-heeled a slip pass to Elton Brown. As the goalkeeper advanced, Brown sent a well-placed right foot shot from just inside the box. The locals led 1-0 at halftime.
Trinidad & Tobago came out more purposeful in the second half, while the Guyanese became complacent, possibly overconfident, as wingback Moore was guilty of over-dribbling instead of playing forward.
Then ten minutes in, the visitors produced the equaliser from a direct free kick taken from about 20 metres out. Nigel Daniels curved a flat right-footer around the wall, beating Smith.
Three minutes later, Guyana had a chance to take back the advantage. Sherwin Cadogan received a pass that dissected the Trinidadian defence, and alone at right, he failed to finish with ball rolling past the last post. Shortly after, he was injured and Kelvin McKenzie took his place.
About 26 minutes into the half, Moore carried the ball from the halfway line, reached the top of the box, sent a through pass to Browne who messed the chance.
Again, seven minutes later, Browne was again a sinner. Moore changed the play from the left with a long ball to right, finding Travis Waterton who carried the ball, sent a super through pass to a totally free Brown and he pushed the ball outside the last post.
Then in the 81st minute, the visitors attacked down the centre, caught the defence flat-footed, and Michael Celestine volleyed the ball over them and the advancing goalkeeper to produce the winner.