AC Port of Spain head coach Walt Noriega wants to see more resolute defending when they face Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC in a must-win CONCACAF Caribbean Championship match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium from 8 p.m. today.
The “Capital Boys” are currently third in Group B with two points while their opponents are second on four. A win today will keep alive their chance at progressing to the semi-finals phase, but they will also hope other results go their way.
“We let it slip in the last minute of the game so hopefully tomorrow (today) we take full advantage of the situation and we execute in the attacking part and cut out these last-minute goals that we have been conceding,” stated Noriega yesterday during a media conference at the match venue.
“It is about pride and, mathematically, we still have a chance,” he emphasised. “We have to hope that something happens at the other end but once we get the opportunity to push for the win, we’ll go for that.
“We did the homework on them. It is just the final third we need to correct and just execute and be resolute defensively because we constantly keep conceding goals in the closing stages of the game and that is something we have to look and try to get better,” Noriega added.
In their latest game against Grenades last week, AC PoS conceded a goal in added time (90+5’) and were made to settle for a draw.
On the possibility of reaching the semis, Noriega said: “We have to win and hope the Haitian team (in their fixture) do us a favour and get full points, to give ourselves an opportunity to qualify,” adding, “It is out of our hands and we only have ourselves to blame, but we will go out and give our best fight and see what could happen.”
Meanwhile, AC PoS skipper Duane Muckette said it was “deflating” not to get a win in their previous game after playing the way they did. “At this point we just have to bounce back. We still have life and we still have a chance so we have to give everything in order to give ourselves a chance,” he said.
“I will have another chance to correct where I fell short. It is about staying positive and working to come back in the next game,” Muckette added.
Cibao FC is unbeaten so far in the competition with one win and a draw. A victory today will see them stay in the top two in the group and it will also end AC Port of Spain’s hopes of advancing to the semis. Moca FC currently top group B with seven points from three matches.
Cibao FC play their final game against cellar-placed Ouanaminthe FC of Haiti next week Tuesday.
SOURCE: T&T Express