Guatemala		Trinidad & Tobago
		Carlos Edwards (32')

FIFA World Cup™ Qualifier

Date	Venue	Location	Attendance
2005-03-26	Estadío Mateo Flores	Guatemala City, Guatemala	22506

Guatemala nets 5 to power past T&T

A 32nd minute goal by midfielder Carlos Edwards was all Trinidad and Tobago had to show in what can only be termed as a disappointing performance in a 5-1 defeat before a partisan crowd at the Mateo Flores Stadium, Guatemala City on Saturday night. Edwards’ strike from atop the penalty box came at a time when T&T seemed to be getting back in the match after Guatemala had grabbed opening goals through Guillermo Ramirez (17th minute) and Carlos Ruiz in the 30th minute. But there would be no come back for the Dwight Yorke captained team as the homeside demonstrated a stronger appetite for the three points by putting the game out of T&T’s reach on further occasions in the second match of the 2006 World Cup final qualifying round. Guatemala had the early cracks at goal in what appeared to be an evenly balanced contest in the opening 15 minutes. On four minutes, Freddy Thompson shot over bar and Ruiz did the same in the 11th minute. Kenwyne Jones, playing up front with Stern John, created T&Ts first opening when he forced his way past two defenders  on the right of the box only to have his effort blocked and cleared to safety after 13 minutes. Just when it seemed T&T had survived the opening stages of the game, tragedy struck. A give up in possession by John near the half line allowed Ramirez to pick up and move down the left flank before hitting  a feeble looking shot to goal which crept below Shaka Hislop on his right near post to send the Guatemalans ahead 1-0. The task of picking up points on the road got even longer for Bertille St Clair’s team when Ruiz made up for his earlier miss by collecting a left side pass by Ramirez and clinically hitting past a stranded Hislop after his defense failed to pick up on the Los Angeles Galaxy forward inside the box. Edwards then gave T&T renewed hope soon after. A left sided cross was partially cleared and Edwards got the loose ball atop the box before unleashing a right footer which took a deflection on its way into the top right corner. Dennis Lawrence, Brent Sancho, Nigel Henry and Anton Pierre started in defense but it was evident that there was too much vulnerability at the back. And Guatemala  made T&T pay again in the 38th minute as Ruiz headed home following  a short corner on the right. T&T came out in the second half well aware that only a quick goal would put them back in the game and turned their game up a notch. Jones went close when his acrobatic effort went wide of the mark from Anton Pierre’s cross in the  48th minute. A couple minutes later, Yorke combined well with Edwards who served from the right but John stretched his legs only to send the ball wide again. Jones then fought his way clear on the right but once again his ball inside failed to meet John. At that stage, it seemed as if T&T were destined not to score as St Clair would have been holding his head once more in the 60th minute. This time it was Yorke trying on goal but his one time left footed volley was deflected inches over bar. Soon after Yorke sent Eve wide on the right and a well directed ball into the box left John heading straight to goalkeeper Ricardo Foster.  Eve then tried on his own, squeezing past two defenders on the left before cutting across before hitting over bar. Up to then, the scoreline may not have been a true reflection of the match itself as T&T created openings but failed to make use and the home side realized that they were now playing against eleven men with their back to the wall. Striker Hector Sam came on for Leslie Fitzpatrick while Jones made way for David Nakhid as T&T tried to make something work in attack. But instead it was the Guatemalans who got it right as they went into attack. Dwight Pezzarossi was given enough time and room to move into the right of the box and nail his shot into the top right corner past Hislop for a 4-1 advantage. Eight minutes from the end John got another chance which he would normally put away on his day. Edwards had served nicely from the right but John’s effort was stopped by the ‘keeper. The Guatemalans completed their handful five minutes from time when Pezzarossi slotted home from close range following a break on the right.  T&T line up: Shaka Hislop, Nigel Henry, Anton Pierre, Brent Sancho, Dennis Lawrence, Leslie Fitzpatrick (Hector Sam, 58th) Dwight Yorke, Angus Eve, Carlos Edwards, Stern John, Kenwyne Jones (David Nakhid, 68th). Subs not used – Nigel Pierre, Silvio Spann, Clayton Ince, Marlon Rojas, Atiba Charles

LINEUP
1.	Neil Hislop
3.	Nigel Henry
13.	Dennis Lawrence
16.	Anton Pierre 39 '
5.	Brent Sancho
11.	Carlos Edwards
8.	Angus Eve
7.	Leslie Fitzpatrick
	48' Hector Sam
19.	Dwight Yorke (capt.) 64 '
14.	Stern John
15.	Kenwyne Jones
	68' David Nakhid
SUBSTITUTES
12.	David Nakhid
10.	Hector Sam
21.	Clayton Ince
4.	David Charles
2.	Marlon Rojas
9.	Silvio Spann
18.	Nigel Pierre
COACH
	Bertille St. Clair
SUBSTITUTIONS
48'	Hector Sam for Leslie Fitzpatrick
68'	David Nakhid for Kenwyne Jones
YELLOW CARDS
39'	Anton Pierre
64'	Dwight Yorke