Five thousand, two hundred spectators according to the TTFA watched the Soca Warriors come up short (2-1) to Honduras at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Friday night in its 2018 Concacaf World Cup Qualifier.

The T&TFA had previously stated that it had hoped to generate a more hostile atmosphere for the Hondurans by switching venues from the team’s international home at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo in the Capital City, but that decision brought no marked rewards.

However, head Coach, Dennis Lawrence was not willing to identify fan attendance as having any major impact on the final result.

“The venue wasn’t the issue. The issue was the performance of our team tonight.” said a visibly upset Lawrence during the post match press conference.

T&T fell behind as early as the 7th minute when Romell Quioto was allowed to get his diagonal cross in from about mid-way into the T&T half. Goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams, wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of regular skipper Kenwyne Jones, somehow made a mess of what should have been a routine catch directly from Quioto’s cross.

So straight-forward was the scenario that centre-backs Daneil Cyrus and Sheldon Bateau both turned away from the play confident and with the expectation that their last line of defense had dealt with the threat.

Instead, Williams spilled the catch onto the alert feet of a Honduran attacker whose first and second attempts to tee up a team-mate were blocked by the desperate lunge of midfielder Kevan George and then the leg of Kevon Villaroel respectively, the ricochet fell invitingly to Alexander Lopez who lashed a first time shot into the roof of the net from 18 yards out.

The lack-lustre defensive effort of the home team was punished again in the 16th minute when Alberth Elis put Honduras 2-0 ahead. That goal was even more indicative of T&T’s defensive frailty.

Once more it originated on T&T’s right side as the lively Quioto was allowed to deliver a seemingly harmless cross into the T&T penalty area while being marked right-back Aubrey David. Quioto’s feeble left-footed pass rolled along the T&T six-yard line and past four T&T defenders, before Elis stabbed home with the inside of his right boot at the far post.

Conceding such soft goals proved to be a crucial error and peeved Lawrence who said after the match, “The concern that I raised against Jamaica and I will raise again is that we cannot keep conceding goals so early in games. We were down two nil in 15 minutes and to climb that mountain is tremendous.”

Those goals all but deflated the Soca Warriors who could not muster more than a single shot on target from Cordell Cato in an opening 45 minute performance which Lawrence could not defend in any form or fashion.

“In the first half we were poor. Every time Honduras got into our box we looked like we were going to concede. It was just not a performance that anyone was expecting. Not what I expected, not what anyone expected. I don’t understand exactly what happened to the boys, if the occasion got to them but it wasn’t a first half that we expected, “ Lawrence explained.

He added: “I said to them that there was no point in giving up two goals and then trying to climb back in the second half. There was no point in playing for 45 minutes.”

T&T showed marked improvement towards the end of the first half and early in the second but any chances of a complete turn-around were dealt a heavy blow when substitute Alvin Jones who had come on at the resumption to replace David was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Alfredo Mejia in the 56th minute, leaving referee Guerro with no choice but to give the T&T full back his marching orders.

That came at the end of a frenetic three minute period for the host which came close to scoring twice, the best of which fell to Cato who did well to get on the end of a diagonal pass from Molino from the left but could not keep his shot on target.

Even with 10 men, T&T had its best chance of the match in the 64th minute when Molino, Jones and Hyland combined with a neat exchange of passes near the left corner of Honduras’ penalty area. Hyland’s hurried shot from just inside the area rolled wide but the midfielder felt the brunt of a late tackle by Emilio Izaguirre which compelled Guerro to point to the penalty spot as well as show Izaguirre a red card for his challenge.

Joevin Jones expertly converted the spot kick which gave the fans and team hope however, efforts to stage a comeback fell flat, leaving Lawrence to contemplate upon what could be a dead-rubber for the remainder of the Russia 2018 campaign.

“We all need to question ourselves and figure out why we performed in that manner. As I said to the boys, we’ve got to try and see if we can correct this quickly. We’ve got to pick our heads up as quick as possible and face what is coming in front of us,” said Lawrence.

T&T leaves today to face Panama in Panama City on Tuesday.

Results

T&T 1 (Joevin Jones 67-Pen) v Honduras 2 (Alexander López 7, Alberth Elis 16)

USA 0 v Costa Rica 2 (Marco Ureña 30, 82)

Mexico 1 (Hirving Bahena 53) v Panama 0

Teams

Trinidad and Tobago: 21.Jan-Michael Williams (GK) (capt); 2.Aubrey David (16.Alvin Jones 46th - Red 57), 5.Daneil Cyrus, 4.Sheldon Bateau, 3.Kevon Villaroel; 19.Kevan George; 7.Cordell Cato (18.Nathan Lewis 77th), 8.Khaleem Hyland, 10.Kevin Molino, 3.Joevin Jones; 20.Jamille Boatswain (9.Willis Plaza 56th).

Unused substitutes: 1.Marvin Phillip (GK), 22.Adrian Foncette (GK), 6.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 11.Tyrone Charles, 12.Carlyle Mitchell, 13.Hughtun Hector, 15.Curtis Gonzales, 17.Mekeil Williams, 23.Leston Paul.

Coach: Dennis Lawrence.

Honduras: 1.Luis Lopez (GK); 2.Felix Crisanto, 3.Maynor Figueroa (capt), 4.Henry Figueroa, 7.Emilio Izaguirre (Yellow 15 - Yellow 66 = Red 68); 20.Jorge Claros, 8.Alfredo Mejia, 10.Alexander Lopez (14.Boniek García 77th); 17.Alberth Ellis (23.Jhonny Palacios 68th), 9.Anthony Lozano (13.Carlo Costly 46th), 12.Romell Quioto.

Unused substitutes: 18.Ricardo Canales (GK), 5.Ovidio Lanza, 6.Carlos Discua, 11.Eddie Hernandez, 15.Carlos Sanchez, 16.Jhonny Leveron, 19.Oliver Morazan, 21.Sergio Peña.

Coach: Jorge Luis Pinto.

Referee: Fernando Guerro (Mexico).

Videos

Highlights - Trinidad and Tobago vs Honduras 2018 World Cup Qualifier

Post-Match Press Conference with Dennis Lawrence - T&T vs Honduras

Standings

P  W  D  L  F  A  -/+  Pts
Mexico  7  5  2  0  10  2  +8  17
Costa Rica  7  4  2  1  11  4  +7  14
United States  7  2  2  3  11  10  +1  8
Honduras  7  2  2  3  8  15  -7  8
Panama  7  1  4  2  4  5  -1  7
Trinidad & Tobago  7  1  0  6  4  12  -8  3

Upcoming Games (home team list. first)

Tuesday Sept 5th

Honduras v USA, 5:30
Panama v T&T, 9:30
Costa Rica v Mexico, 10:00

RELATED NEWS

T&T downed 2-1 in Couva.
TTFA Media.

Two costly first half defensive lapses left Trinidad and Tobago on the losing end in their latest 2018 World Cup Qualifying match played at the Ato Boldon Stadium on Friday night before 5200 fans.

Alex Lopez and Alberth Elis scored inside the opening 15 minutes as Honduras edged Trinidad and Tobago 2-1.

That result left TT on three points, with Honduras moving up to eight, after seven matches.

T&T actually had the first try at goal in the 3rd minute when Cordell Cato hit a low right footer which forced the Honduran goalkeeper to push wide of the left post. Lopez opened the scoring, capitalising on a defensive mix-up involving goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams to shoot home, from just outside the penalty box.

Then in the 16th minute, Romell Quioto took on his marker down the left and squared a ball which was missed by the entire T&T defence and Elis calmly tapped home from the six yard box at the far post.

The hosts had a chance to equalise a minute earlier when Sheldon Bateau met a freekick from Joevin Jones but his header hit the side netting.

National coach Dennis Lawrence looked to strengthen the back-line at the half, bringing on Alvin Jones at right-back.

But the second half substitute only lasted 12 minutes as he was sent off by Mexican referee Fernando Guerrero for a lunging tackle on Alfredo Mejia at the centre circle.

And Honduras’ Emilio Izaguirre was also sent off, in the 65th, for a second bookable offence – a foul on midfielder Khaleem Hyland. That foul resulted in a penalty which was perfectly converted by Joevin Jones to bring T&T back into it.

T&T had their chances in the second half, with Daniel Cyrus’ headed effort ruled out due to a soft foul on him as a he rose over a defender to butt the ball into the back of the net. Cordell Cato and Kevin Molino missed one-on-one chances too.

The United States was beaten 2-0 by Costa Rica in Harrison, New Jersey, and opened the door for Honduras to draw level on eight points in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying table.

Marco Urena scored twice for the Ticos in a victory against a  U.S. side that made critical mistakes that allowed Costa Rica quality chances on goal throughout the match.

Bryan Ruiz set Urena up for his first, and the San Jose Earthquakes striker left no doubt, beating Tim Howard at the far post to put his team up in the first half.

With the U.S. chasing a second-half equalizer, Urena struck again after sloppy play from Geoff Cameron gifted him another opportunity from which he left no doubt to put the game away in the 82nd minute.

Mexico has secured a spot in the 2018 World Cup courtesy of a 1-0 win against Panama at the Azteca.

Hirving “Chucky” Lozano scored for Mexico in the second half to break the deadlock with a resolute Panama team that actually had a last-gasp chance to draw level go begging in injury time before the final whistle.

Juan Carlos Osorio’s team faces Costa Rica on Tuesday in a game with implications for the rest of the teams in the Hex looking to follow Mexico’s lead on the road to Russia.

Honduras leave T&T in tatters.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).

ALEX LOPEZ and Alberth Elis scored in the first half as Honduras edged Trinidad and Tobago 2-1 in their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva last evening.

That result left T&T on three points, with Honduras moving up to eight, after seven matches. 

T&T paid for a lethargic start with Lopez opening the scoring in the sixth minute, capitalising on a defensive mix-up involving goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams to shoot home, from just outside the penalty box. 

Worse was to come in the 16th when Romell Quioto took on his marker down the left and squared a ball which was missed by the entire T&T defence and Elis calmly tapped home from the six yard box at the far post. 

The hosts had a chance to equalise a minute earlier when Sheldon Bateau met a freekick from Joevin Jones but his header hit the side netting. 

National coach Dennis Lawrence looked to strengthen the back-line at the half, bringing on Alvin Jones at right-back. 

But the second half substitute only lasted 12 minutes as he was sent off by Mexican referee Fernando Guerrero for a lunging tackle on Alfredo Mejia at the centre circle. 

And Honduras’ Emilio Izaguirre was also sent off, in the 65th, for a second bookable offence – a foul on midfielder Khaleem Hyland. That foul resulted in a penalty which was converted by Joevin Jones. 

T&T had their chances in the second half, with Daneil Cyrus’ headed effort ruled out due to a soft foul on him as a he rose over a defender to butt the ball into the back of the net. Cordell Cato and Kevin Molino missed one-on-one chances too. 

The venue was only halffilled, as it was the first time it was used for a qualifier, instead of the regular Hasely Crawford Stadium. 

T&T will now travel to face Panama on Tuesday.