Another spirited performance by an inexperienced Trinidad and Tobago's Soca Warriors outfit led to a 0-0 draw against the Reggae Boyz in the second game of a two-match series at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica on Tuesday.
T&T won the series on aggregate 1-0 after a Reon Moore strike gave the Soca Warriors the win in the first match on Saturday at the Catherine Hall Sports Complex in Montego Bay.
Both teams fielded mostly local-based players with many players making their debut for TT during the two-match series.
T&T head coach Angus Eve wanted to see what the local-based players were made of. Sheldon Bateau, Levi Garcia, Aubrey David and Duane Muckette were some of the missing players for T&T.
Jamaica dominated possession in the early stages of the match, but could not create quality chances on goal as TT goal-keeper and captain Marvin Phillip coped with everything the Jamaican attackers threw at him.
Dujuan “Whisper” Richards, 17, was at the centre of many attacks for Jamaica. Richards recently signed for English club Chelsea FC.
In the 12th minute, Richards won a free kick 30 yards from goal but the attempt sailed over the crossbar.
In the 22nd minute, a T&T attack showed some promise but the final shot from outside the 18-yard box went over the bar.
Jamaica quickly responded, but Richards’s shot from more than 30 yards out went wide. The final pass let down the Reggae Boyz on multiple occasions.
T&T started to show more prowess going forward as the first half progressed.
Moore demonstrated his speed with a quick turn just inside the Jamaican half. Moore eventually crossed it to El Salvador-based player Jomal Williams who laid it off to Matthew Woo Ling who shot wide.
The trio of Moore, Williams and Woo Ling were often at the centre of T&T’s attacks.
Jamaica continued to go forward more than T&T and in the closing stages of the first half both Collin Anderson and Richards got chances to give Jamaica the lead but it was still 0-0 at half-time.
Like the first half, the Reggae Boyz began the second half with intensity.
In the 50th minute, Demario Phillips’s effort from 25 yards out did not trouble Phillips. The crowd voiced their frustration as the match remained 0-0. Many people may have expected Jamaica to win the two-match series as the Reggae Boyz are ranked 64th in the FIFA rankings and the Soca Warriors are 104th.
The possession was more even in the second half as T&T did a better job keeping the ball. T&T made a few substitutions in the second half with Joevin Jones, Michel Poon-Angeron, Kaile Auvray and Justin Sadoo among those being introduced.
They showed energy when coming on as they went searching for the lead. One of T&T’s best chances was when Jones’s free kick in the 77th minute just outside the box narrowly missed the target. Moore continued to cause some problems for the Jamaica defence, but he could not find a breakthrough.
Jamaica also made multiple changes in the second half, but to no avail, as the match ended 0-0.
TEAMS
Trinidad and Tobago (4-3-3): 1.Marvin Phillip (GK) (captain); 16.Alvin Jones, 4.Josiah Trimmingham, 17.Justin García, 12.Jameel Neptune; 6.Kareem Riley (8.Michel Poon-Angeron 72), 18.Matthew Woo Ling (3.Joevin Jones 72), 7.Noah Powder (24.Justin Sadoo 72); 20.Jomal Williams (15.Kaile Auvray 64), 10.Kadeem Corbin (19.Quesi Weston 64), 13.Reon Moore.
Unused substitutes: 21.Denzil Smith (GK), 22.Adrian Foncette (GK), 2.Jelani Felix, 5.Andre Raymond, 9.Nathaniel James, 11.Jomoul Francois, 14.John-Paul Rochford, 23.Jesse Williams.
Coach: Angus Eve
Jamaica (4-3-3): 13.Jahmali Waite (GK) (1.Kemar Foster (GK) 57); 20.Dexter Lembikisa, 24.Jamoi Topey, 19.Adrian Mariappa (captain) (6.Richard King 46), 5.Ricardo Thomas; 17.Jahshaun Anglin (10.Ravel Morrison 46), 7.Lamar Walker (4.Tyler Roberts 67), 8.Demario Phillips; 18.Omari Hutchinson, 25.Collin Anderson (11.Jourdaine Fletcher 67), 12.Dujuan Richards (9.Trivante Stewart 82).
Unused substitutes: 23.Asher Hutchinson (GK), 2.Alwayne Harvey, 3.Dwayne Atkinson, 14.Sue-Lae McCalla, 15.Oshana Staple, 21.Delano McCoy-Splatt, 22.Fitzroy Cummings.
Coach: Heimir Hallgrimsson
SOURCE: T&T Newsday