Showdown!

Golden Jaguars and Soca Warriors set for all-important qualifier

The highly anticipated 2014 World Cup Qualifier, Group B Clash between Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago kicks off this evening at 8:00pm at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

Both sides have increased the hype for today’s game with the local side as well as the Trinidadians underscoring  its importance for significant reasons.
The home side has maintained that this is their most important international fixture in recent years, as they seek to progress to the second round of World Cup qualification for the first time in the nation’s football history.

T&T on the other hand have emphasized that  tonight’s match is as big as when they  played Bahrain on November 16, 2005. Back then a goal from now retired defender Dennis Lawrence secured a 1-0 away victory in the Middle East capital of Manama and a 2-1 win on aggregate after the first leg in Port-of-Spain ended 1-1, to qualify as the smallest ever nation to play in a FIFA World finals in Germany in 2006.

Campaign fortunes
Guyana have been unbeaten in this campaign, thanks largely to the influx of foreign players such as England-based players Ricky Shakes, the Cort brothers Leon and Carl Cort and Alani Mounter and Canada-based  Julien Edwards and Taylor Benjamin.

Their presence has increased optimism that the Golden Jaguars can defeat the Soca Warriors for the first time in 13 previous encounters (10 losses and three draws).
Meanwhile,  while T&T had experienced a  2-1 defeat against Bermuda on October 7, they recovered to trounce Barbados 4-0 in the last round and currently have all their star players available for the game at Providence.

Players to watch
The presence of 34-year-old striker Carl Cort brings an added dimension to the Golden Jaguars attacking options. The striker who played for England Under-21 in 97/98 with the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard along with a host of premier league sides, most notably Newcastle United, along with regular forward options Shawn “Bubbly” Beveney and Gregory “Jackie-Chan” Richardson, can be expected to be the local team’s main source of goals tonight.

This trio will be supported by Guyana’s leading goal-scorer in the qualifying rounds, Vurlon Mills, who has netted twice in four games.

Cort’s experience may be key to penetrating a Trinidadian defence that will be marshalled by talented 22-year-old RC Genk of Belgium defender Khaleem Hyland, who while playing for that club just a week ago in the UEFA Champions League group, was lauded for his performances in a game versus Chelsea FC, where he kept star Spanish striker Fernando Torres quiet.

The other Cort brother Leon, who made his debut during Guyana’s away matches versus Barbados and Bermuda and impressed, also adds valuable solidity to the Golden Jaguars back-line. He played against Trinidad captain and star striker and Captain Kenwyne Jones in the championship league in England, before they both made the step up to the elite Premier League and along with veteran 37-year-old Charles Pollard, the duo will be hoping to form a solid defence to keep Trinidad’s main attacking option quiet.

Trinidad who are coached by the vastly experienced 73-year-old German coach Otto Pfister, who took Saudi Arabia and Togo to the 1998 and 2006 World Cups respectively have a few other notable players besides Hyland and Jones who are sure to test Guyana’s acumen. Veteran winger Carlos Edwards who played every minute of the Soca Warriors 2006 World Cup matches, goal-scoring record holder for Trinidad Stern John, LA Galaxy mid-field linchpin Christopher Birchall whose club teammate included England legend David Beckham and United States  record goal scorer Landon Donovan, along with hat-trick hero from the Trinidad victory against the Bajan’s Lester Peltier, will all attempt to kill the Golden Jaguars World Cup dream, while  keeping theirs alive.

Tickets for the game which begins at 8:00pm are on sale at the Kashif and Shanghai office for $1,000.

Guyana’s squad: Chris Nurse (Captain), Gregory Richardson, Walter Moore, Jake Newton, Ronson Williams, Charles Pollard, Anthony Benfield, Vurlon Mills, Kayode McKinnon, Dwain Jacobs, Travis Grant, Taylor Benjamin, Julian Edwards, Richard Reynolds, Alani Mounter, Dwight Peters, Ricky Shakes, Leon Cort, Carl Cort, Shawn Beveney, Chris Bourne. Coach: Jamal Shabbaz; Manager: Mark Xavier. Trinidad and Tobago’s squad: Kewyne Jones (Captain), Marvin Phillip, Jan-Michael Williams, Carlyle Mitchell, Seon Power , Akeem Adams, Andrei Pacheco, Anthony Wolfe, Julius James, Keon Daniel , Osei Telesford, Hughtun Hector, Hayden Tinto, Khaleem Hyland, Lester Peltier, Carlos Edwards, Kendall Jagdeosingh, Kevin Molino, Chris Birchall, Stern John. Coach: Otto Pfister; Assistant Coach: Anton Corneal.

GROUP B POINT STANDING