TT aim to keep Gold Cup hopes alive

THE TT men’s football team will be playing for survival in the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup when they face off with hosts and defending champs United States at the First Energy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio from 8 pm (TT time) today.

A win is needed by TT to keep alive any chances of progressing to the quarter finals of the competition following Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Panama. For the US, the result matters for more than one reason. The talk here among the US fans and the media is that the hosts want to exact a measure of revenge over their 2-1 defeat to TT at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on October 10, 2017 – a result which ended their chances of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

USA’s Christian Pulisic has acknowledged that beating TT in Cleveland is “not going to change anything.” But, he told reporters, “Obviously, I want some revenge. I want to beat them. The team is going to go out and give it everything. We want to win that game.”

And for TT wing-back Alvin Jones, the man who scored the second goal in the October 2017 encounter, “For us, we need to win, it’s that simple.”

TT captain Khaleem Hyland is fully aware of the team’s requirements and his leadership and experience will be vital.

“Yes. We know how critical this game will be. We just have to go out there and leave everything on the pitch. We all know what is at stake. The fans will be against us and America and will be going all out to get a win. But we will not go in there and throw in the towel. For us, survival is the main thing and only a win will guarantee that,” Hyland said.

TT coach Dennis Lawrence conducted a one-hour session at the match venue yesterday. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) and seats 67,895.

“It’s straightforward. There is a lot of history between both countries but like I said before, I want these boys to write their own history. We know what is in front of us and what needs to be done,” Lawrence said.

TT goalkeeper Adrian Foncette, who played in the October 2017 match, said, “The mindset is to get full points. We need to win to stay close to the other teams in the group and get out of it. It is a do-or-die game and there is nothing else on our minds. That time around (2017) was completely different to now. We already knew our fate.”

The Police FC captain continued, “We couldn’t qualify for the World Cup and we had nothing to lose. The tables have turned now but this time we have everything to lose. It’s win or go home.”