It has been years since T&T have ever beaten a team by nine (9) goals. As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time T&T won by such margin. Ironically, T&T did come close to such a scoreline in 1996 when it recorded an 8-0 victory over the same country (Dominican Republic) in a World Cup qualifier at the Queens Park Oval. Stern John was the hero then with his hattrick before an Angus Eve double then Yorke, Rougier and Latapy added to T&T's tally.
Now some 12-years later the current T&T team took it a goal further when San Juan Jabloteh's Cornell Glen and Swansea's Jason Scotland both scoring hattricks respectively to power T&T past Dominican Republic 9-0 in a friendly showdown at the Hasley Crawford Wednesday afternoon.
Scotland got his hattrick in the first half (29th, 32nd, 35th) while Glen who was a second half sub for talented United Petrotrin winger Keon Daniel picked up where Scotland left off and got his hattrick in the 51st, 69th and 73rd minutes. Before Glen's hattrick though, Dominican Republic's Federico Rodriguez also help the scoreline for T&T with an own goal.
Both strikers well definitely remember this game in particular as it would be their first hattrick in national colors. North East Stars striker Anthony Wolfe also got his name on the score sheet after a blistering 40-yard shot from Carlos Edwards which Dominican Republic substitute goalkeeper Santos could only parry and Wolfe was their to pick up the rebound in the 81st.
Dominican Republic's T&T based striker Jonathan Frias almost soured T&T's party in the 85th minute when defender Makan Hislop was poor in his clearance and the W Connection striker (Frias) was there to pick up the ball only for Clayton Ince to come up big with his save to deny the talented striker and keep a clean sheet in the process. But that didn't stop or, should I say slow down the T&T side from attacking.
The Warriors had one more bullet left in their chamber when Carlos Edwards who was growing in confidence especially in the second half and was causing all sorts of problems for Dominican Republic on the wing. In the 86th minute a perfect Edwards pass found Darryl Roberts and the Turkish based striker finished off the goal-scoring feast to make it 9-0.
The game would end as a great confidence booster for the Soca Warriors and between the T&T strike force they got 7 goals all together against Dominican Republic today and will surely need to continue such form if they are to make it into the next rounds. Up next for the Soca Warriors will be a sterner test no doubt when they face Guatemala at the Estadio Mateo Flores Stadium in Guatemala at 8pm. Then 4-days later they face the Mighty Americans in Port of Spain. Both World Cup qualifiers.
Trinidad & Tobago: - Clayton Ince; Avery John, Makan Hislop, Dennis Lawrence, Cyd Gray (Osei Telesford 65th); Christopher Birchall (Anthony Wolfe 70th), Keon Daniel (Cornell Glen 46th), Russell Latapy (Darryl Roberts 61st), Carlos Edwards, Dwight Yorke (capt) (Khaleem Hyland 46th); Jason Scotland (Clyde Leon 46th).
Unused Subs: - Keyeno Thomas, Aklie Edwards, Andre Toussaint, Marvin Phillip, Stern John (injury).
Dominican Republic: - Miguel Lloyd (capt) (Wellington Agramonte de los Santos 39th); Solangel Gonzales Miliano, Francisco Torres, Jan Carlos Berroa Reyes, Gilbert Ulloa (Jose Ruiz 50th), Jimmy Bautista, Rafael Flores, Federico Peralta Rodriguez (Jerson Luna Garcia 58th), Josan Diaz (Yan Carlos Sierra 83rd), Manuel Pena (Eric Lopez 74th), Jonathan Fana Frias.