Trinidad and Tobago, under new head coach Otto Pfister makes a return to international football with a convincing 3-0 win over India in a friendly match at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

This would be T&T's first international game for 2011 and Otto Pfister's first game in-charge of the Soca Warriors as the team officially kickoff their 2014 World Cup (WC) campaign on a positive note.

Despite India being a low ranking team, T&T did however field a fully local based unit that didnot disappoint. The game was used as a warm-up for T&T's all important WC qualifier against Bermuda at home in 12-days time at the same venue.

Full Recap

Game: - T&T 3 (Stern John 18-Pen, Darryl Roberts 46, 84) v India 0.

Teams

Trinidad & Tobago: - 1-Marvin Phillip; 17-Anthony Wolfe, 19-Carlyle Mitchell, 20-Seon Power, 4-Akeem Adams; 7-Hughtun Hector, 10-Hayden Tinto (socawarriors.net), 18-Densill Theobald (capt) (8-Akeil Guevera 86th), 15-Andrei Pacheco; 14-Stern John (10-Andre Toussaint 81st), 12-Darryl Roberts (9-Juma Clarence 86th).

Coach: - Otto Pfister (Germany).

India: - 1-Subrata Pal; 16-Samir Naik (28-Peter Carvalho 79th), 19-Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh, 3-Raju Eknath Gaekwad, 2-Debabrata Roy; 23-Steven Benedic Dias (20-Lalrindika Ralte 83rd), 8-Climax Lawrence (capt) (35-Rocus Lamare 88th), 30-Mehtab Hussain, 22-Syed Rahim Nabi (34-Valeriano Rebello 74th); 10-Jeje Lalpekhlua, 11-Sunil Chhetri (18-Sushil Kumar Singh 84th).

Coach: - Armando Colaco (India).

Attendance: - 2,400.

Referee: - Courtney Campbell (Jamaica).

Venue: - Hasley Crawford Stadium.

Weather: - 87°F (Scattered Clouds).

T&T beat India, but Indians show fighting spirit.
arunfoot.blogspot.com.

Trinidad&Tobago won 3-0 against India in an international friendly at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain as part of the +ONE India Caribbean Tour. The Soca Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the first half, while scoring two more after the break.

The first goal came of a penalty from veteran striker Stern John in the 19th minute, while Darryl Roberts added two more in the 47th and 85th minutes.

The opening quarter saw caution from both teams with each side testing the water with T&T stringing a lot of passes together, while India took a more direct approach. India went behind in the 19th minute when Raju Gaikwad brought down Darryl Roberts on the right side of the box with the Indian defence beaten. The foul was unnecessary as Roberts looked to be heading out. The resultant penalty was scored by a strong Stern John shot into the heart of goal.

India needed some minutes to regroup and their best chance of the half fell to Syed Rahim Nabi on the half hour mark as he beat the T&T defence on the left, cut in but his right-footer just curled wide of the goal. T&T went into the break with a one goal advantage.

After the break T&T upped the pressure and Darryl Roberts would make it 2-0 in the 47th minute. At this early second half stage it looked that India could be in danger of falling apart, but India needed some minutes to get back into the game and the boys showed character as they started playing football, stringing passes together and combining on the ground rather then using the long ball which was often used in the first half.

First a Nabi header of a Raju Gaikwad throw-in would just went over the crossbar in the 53rd minute and then a couple of minutes later a nice combination saw Sunil Chhetri's shot being blocked by T&T keeper Marvin Phillips, while Nabi's attempt of the rebound went over. India had another chance through Jeje Lalpekhlua in the 73rd minute as he got a nice through ball, but once more Marvin Phillips was upto the task.

India would concede a late third in the 85th minute when an alert T&T caught India napping during a free-kick with the ball played to Darryl Roberts who would make it 3-0 past Subrata Pal on the night.

India gave a good account of themselves with mistakes leading to the first and third goal, while own chances were not converted.

Coach Armando Colaco said in the post-match press conference, "It is about learning for my boys. Trinidad&Tobago is a much better team, you only have to look at the FIFA rankings. And they showed it today."

"But I am proud of my boys on how they came back and fought in the game. We take this experience to Guyana and there hope for a better result," Armando added.

T&T whip India 3-0 in World Cup warm-up.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).

STERN JOHNS' 70th international goal and a brace from strike partner Darryl Roberts were the highlights of an otherwise uninspired Soca Warriors performance against India, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Port of Spain, yesterday.

Trinidad and Tobago won 3-0, giving their German head coach Otto Pfister victory in his first match in charge of the Soca Warriors. John put the Warriors ahead in the 19th minute, converting a penalty, while Roberts (47th & 85th) added two second half goals.

Based on yesterday's performance, Pfister has some work to do before T&T meet Bermuda in 12 days time to start their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign.

India provided little pressure, and defended in numbers. That allowed the Soca Warriors plenty possession, but often the play was laboured, and without penetration.

Still, there were good performances from keeper Marvin Phillips, and central defenders Seon Power and Caryle Mitchell.

Roberts looked quick and composed, while John showed his experience. However, both left-side players, Akeem Adams and Andrei Pacheco looked a bundle of nerves, while the midfield quartet of Hayden Tinto, captain Densill Theobald, Houghton Hector and Pacheco never sparked. Hector and Tinto were better in the second half.

In the first half, Roberts faked defender Daberata Roy with a series of stutter steps, until he was cut down. John stepped up and emphatically converted the penalty.

Afterwards, everything happened a bit too slow for the Soca Warriors. In the 33rd minute, Tinto tested Indian keeper Subrata Paul with a hard, low shot, but later, when his marker slipped, Tinto had a clear run to goal, but was indecisive. His effort ended up being neither shot nor pass.

In the ninth minute, the Indians went close with a Steven Dias free-kick. And 20 minutes later, Syed Rahim Nabi curled a shot past the T&T far post.

Star striker Sunil Chhetr and Matab Hassain had chances in the second half, but Phillip pulled off two brilliant saves.

Two minutes into the second half, Roberts doubled T&T's goal tally. He was quickest onto a rocket cross from Tinto, and poked the ball into the net. And Roberts benefitted from a quick-thinking Tinto free-kick, stroking the ball past the Indian keeper for his second goal, five minutes from the end of regulation time.

Roberts inspires Soca Warriors.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).

Former Turkey and Holland-based striker Darryl Roberts had a hand in all three goals as the Soca Warriors began life under new coach Otto Pfister with a 3-0 shut-out of India in a friendly international at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, yesterday.

The 27-year-old Roberts created the opening goal then netted twice in the second-half for T&T in its lone official warm-up before its begins Caribbean Football Union Second Round qualification for the 2014 Brazil World Cup at home to Bermuda at the same venue on September 2, from 7pm. Under the guidance of Germany head coach Pfister, the “Soca Warriors” were playing their first match since last November.

With this being the lone chance for the all-locally based squad to impress ahead of the Bermuda game they started nervously. However, after enjoying the better of the early exchanges, Roberts was bundled over in the 18-yard box as he tried to forced his way between two defenders and Jamaican referee Courtney Campbell pointed to the penalty spot.

Veteran striker Stern John, one of three 2006 Germany World Cup survivors,  slotted the ball past goalkeeper Subrata Paul for  1-0 lead in the 19th minute to the delight of the 2,000 plus spectators. It was the 70th goal for John in 110 international appearances, to put him within seven of third placed Brazilian, Pele on the all-time list of goalscorers for their respective country.

T&T continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges with nippy winger Hayden Tinto and midfielder Hughton Hector, looking effective but despite the display, T&T failed to press home the advantage and led 1-0 at the break.

Within one minute of the restart, Roberts doubled the lead for the host when he was on spot to capitalised on an attempted clearance from close range off a defender, which trickled past goalkeeper Paul and into the net. Five minutes later, a surging Hector put through John on the left side of the 18-yard box, but his left footed effort was blocked by Paul.

Despite being outplayed, India managed to create a few nervous moments for the T&T defence and in the 52nd minute a long throw by Raju Eknath Gaikwad found the head of Syed Rahim Nabi, who just failed to keep down his effort.

Two minutes later, the “Bhangra Boys” threatened again with Je Je Lalpekhula putting through striker Sunil Chhetri, who had his fierce right footed effort kept out by T&T goalkeeper, Marvin  Phillip, diving to his right.

At the othe end of the field, Theobald had a chance to add a third for T&T, but after a Tinto right sided centre found its way into his path inside the 18-yard box, his effort hit against a wall of Indian players.

With T&T tiring, India began to see more of the ball and in the 72nd minute, a defensive blunder between  Carlyle Mitchell and Seon Powers presented Lalpekhula with a chance to cut the deficit but Phillip came up big, diving to his left to preserve the lead.

Midfielder, Andre Pacheco also came close to getting on the scoresheet until Andre Toussaint, an 81st minute substitute for John set up Roberts for the game clincher. After being tripped over, Toussaint caught the Indians napping with a quickly taken free-kick which put Roberts through and he easily chipped the ball over the advancing Paul to complete the scoring in the 84th minute and a third win for T&T in four meetings with the Indians.