T&T veteran midfielder Carlos Edwards believes the team’s two-week training camp in Colorado, USA in preparations for the June 8th World Cup qualifier against the United States, is a exactly what is needed in order to give them a decent enough chance to pulling off a result.
Edwards has lined up against the US on more than five occasions in World Cup qualification and knows what it is to face them away from home. Edwards will travel to Colorado on Tuesday with the provisional squad to prepare for the encounter.
“I’ve had the opportunity to play against them maybe four or five times both home and away and it is always a situation where have a fair chance but the result is hard to come by. Even the last time we played them, we went there thinking that a result was possible but we conceded four goals,” Edwards said.
“The key to us getting a good result is strong preparation and I think by going there this early is definitely vital for us. The decision by Dennis (Lawrence) to go in there to help us settle early is a good step,” added the former Sunderland player.
Edwards looked ahead to the match itself, saying it would come down to the team that plays right to the final whistle.
“We have to take our A-game to Colorado. If we start well and weather the storm and enter the second half without conceding or at least level, we have it in us to pull it off.
We have to be patient but very cautious as well because once they get on top of us, then we could have problems. But now we have a squad with experience, obviously with some of the players knowing what it is like to play in the US, we have the skill and the desire that I think can take us through. A positive result will be brilliant for us at this stage of the campaign,” Edwards said.
Altidore anxious to face T&T.
With the June 8th World Cup qualifier fast approaching, American forward Jozy Altidore seems very excited to take the field at Dick’s Sporting Goods to face T&T.
“We know that now is the time to deliver and we are ready to do that,” Altidore told USA Today Sports.
The US suffered a frustrating start to this qualifying phase, losing at home to Mexico and 4-0 in Costa Rica, results that led to the firing of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Things quickly improved under Bruce Arena, with a 6-0 victory at home to Honduras in March being followed by a hard-fought 1-1 tie in Panama.
Altidore has a strong history against T&T, scoring a hat-trick in 2009 World Cup qualifying campaign, and then a double in the 4-0 win last year.
“We are moving in the right direction and we know these next two games are hugely important to what we want to achieve,” he said. “It is an exciting time. We are playing with more freedom and expression and we are ready to go.”