Mexicans ask: "Can Trinidad cause an upset on Wednesday?"
Trinidad and Tobago’s national team will have one training session at the Azteca Stadium from 8pm (TT Time) on Tuesday on the eve of their 2010 World Cup qualifier against Mexico on Wednesday night in the Mexican capital.
Skipper Dwight Yorke would only respond: “It’s going to be a crucial game for both teams but the pressure is on Mexico to get a result at home. They are coming off a loss and so are we so both teams will be going all out to get something from this game. It’s always difficult to play at the Azteca Stadium but we are still very excited about the game.”
Latapy brought in defender Radanfah Abu Bakr and striker Devon Jorsling as replacements for Dennis Lawrence, who is out because of a family emergency while Scotland is out after picking up an injury in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Costa Rica. Avery John is also out injured and Cornell Glen out with two yellow cards. Kerry Baptiste, Densill Theobald and Khaleem Hyland were all added to the 19-man squad
Meantime, defender Marvin Andrews gave thanks to the Almighty for achieving a milestone of 100 international appearances on Saturday.
“It’s a great feeling for me to be able to play 100 times for my country and I must give thanks to God The Almighty. Without him I may not have been back out and I have to be thankful for a successful surgery and being able to achieve this wonderful milestone. I’ve played in Cup Finals and several big matches but this one was special in a lot of ways because to do something like this for your country is a wonderful thing” Andrews told TTFF Media.
“With God anything is possible and that is why I am still confident that we can get to South Africa. We played well on Saturday but we were unfortunate not to come away with the victory. Whatever God wants for us that is what he will give us and if he believes we shall be in South Africa then we will accomplish that feat. We just have to keep believing and working hard to achieve that.”
The Raith Rovers and former Glasgow Rangers defender also said that Lawrence was in his prayers at this time.
“Dennis is a good friend and everyone knows that we play together in the defence for Trinidad and Tobago. It’s a difficult time for him now and I pray to God that his mom has a successful and speedy recovery,” Andrews added.
Reporters here in Mexico claim that already it seems like a crowd of over 100,000 will turn up at the Azteca to try and spur their team on against the “Soca Warriors” which lost 2-0 when the both teams met in Mexico in 2005.
“If Mexico doesn't beat Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday then Javier Aguirre and his team are in real trouble” one headline read.
They already have mounting problems. A 2-1 loss on Saturday to El Salvador away was Mexico's third loss in four qualifying games -- all losses on the road -- and leaves the country with the very real possibility that it could miss its first World Cup finals since 1990.
Trinidad and Tobago is last in the six-team North and Central American and Caribbean region, seemingly the perfect opponent for Aguirre, who took over the team in April after leading it to the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, to get the qualification campaign back on track.
"I'm one who's convinced we'll be in the World Cup finals," Aguirre said. "There's still time. What's for sure is that six games remain and four will be at home and we have to put those points up."
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