Nations League stalemate in Bacolet, Soca Warriors draw with French Guiana

In their second game of the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League A campaign, TT's men's football team were held to a goalless draw by French Guiana at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago on September 10 in a subpar encounter.

After losing their opening matches in the campaign, both teams were desperate to register three points in their second match. The onus would have been on the Soca Warriors to set the tempo after their 4-0 loss away to Honduras on September 6 in Derek King's first match in charge as caretaker coach.

Playing before roughly 2,000 fans in Bacolet, TT didn't do enough to break down the French Guiana team, with their best chance arguably coming via a long-range effort from midfielder Daniel Phillips in the 39th minute.

In his first game at home since taking over from Angus Eve last month, King made five changes from the starting XI which featured against Honduras, with Phillips, Leland Archer, Triston Hodge, Duane Muckette and veteran Tobago forward Kevon "Showtime" Woodley drafted into the starting lineup.

There was little to no showtime from TT or Woodley, though, and the players were even momentarily forced off the field in the 20th minute as one of the lighting towers went out – significantly dimming the lighting at the venue.

Muckette tried to provide his own light in the midfield with his creativity, but TT's speed of play left a lot to be desired and they often lacked the pace or precision to break the opposition's defensive lines.

In the 25th minute, Muckette orchestrated one of TT's best spells of possession, as he sat at the base of midfield and sprung passes as the team put together a sustained spell of pressure. At the end of the move, the AC PoS captain was denied by a save from goalkeeper Fei-hong Faham after Woodley set him up at the edge of the area.

Two minutes later, Loic Baal tested Soca Warriors custodian Denzil Smith after Phillips meekly gave up possession in the TT half.

Perhaps, trying to make amends for his loose play moments before, Philip got the Bacolet crowd jumping in the 39th minute when he slammed a right-footed shot off the base of the post from 20-plus yards.

The hosts created two more chances as they finished the half strongly, with both Woodley and Muckette sending their efforts wide of the target after decent solo moves outside the area.

Despite the tepid nature of the game, TT's first changes only came in the 56th minute when Kaile Auvray and Reon Moore came on for Woodley and winger Real Gill, who had a quiet game by his standards. Surprisingly, Muckette was withdrawn near the hour mark despite looking like TT's most effective player.

The French-born Auvray teased and danced in his cameo with little luck against the French Guiana defence. In the 61st minute, the 20-year-old Auvray almost found forward Ryan Telfer with an attempted through pass, but the defence stood firm.

In the 64th minute, the Canada-based Moore had a glorious opportunity when he was played in behind the defence by right back Alvin Jones. However, the former Defence Force forward sprayed his shot wide from a tight angle with both Faham and his last-stopper out of the play.

The chances were few and far between for the Soca Warriors who boasted of 62 per cent possession, and their late, gung-ho approach left them stretched at the death when substitute Arnold Abelinti shot wildly over bar in the 85th minute.

There were no to be no late heroics for either team, though, and TT remain at the bottom of group B with their solitary point after two matches. Nicaragua currently top the group with four points from two matches after drawing 1-1 with Cuba on September 10.

Under Eve, the Soca Warriors progressed to the quarterfinals of Nations League A last year. After two games in the 2024/25 cycle, TT could well be fighting for survival to stay in the Nations League top flight.

The two teams to finish at the foot of group B will be relegated to Nations League B for the cycle, with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals.

In their upcoming games versus Cuba on October 10 and 14, the Soca Warriors will need a lot of improvements if they are to stay in League A or even advance to the quarterfinals.