Warriors experiment ahead of World Cup qualifiers

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Head coach Stephen Hart could continue to experiment with formations against Nicaragua today as he tries to find the right combination for Trinidad and Tobago’s campaign in the World Cup qualifiers starting next month.

Last Friday in Panama City, Hart employed a two-man strike force against the hosts, with Jonathan Glenn and Kenwyne Jones playing alongside each other for the first time.

Trinidad and Tobago head coach Stephen Hart.

Stephen Hart
Stephen Hart

Keron Cummings was shuttled out right instead of playing in his central role, in new formation Hart said he wanted to trial in view of the upcoming qualifiers.

“I wanted to see how we would play with two strikers up front and we were hoping Cummings would come in from the right side on his left foot,” the Trinidad Guardian quoted Hart as saying.

“It’s something we said, well okay look, we don’t have a lot of time with the two World Cup games coming up, so let’s see how it looks.”

Offensively, the new formation seemed to pay dividends as the Soca Warriors came away with a 2-1 win, courtesy of goals from captain Kenwyne Jones and Abu Bakr.

And while the team struggled initially to cope defensively, Hart said these issues were sorted out as the game progressed.

“We solved the problem in the second half and we did much better,” he said.

“We created a lot of chances and if we scored those chances especially away from home, the crowd would get on the home team and they would feel it a lot more.”

T&T take on Nicaragua at the Hasely Crawford Stadium at 7 pm in their final international before they kick of their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign against Guatemala on November 13, in the fourth round of the CONCACAF leg.

They have been installed in Group C which also comprises United States and St Vincent and the Grenadines.