ARLINGTON, Texas, CMC – Veteran goalkeeper Martin Phillip proved immense, pulling off a string of magnificent saves as Trinidad and Tobago defended stoutly to nullify powerhouses Mexico, and earn a nil-all draw and a point in the CONCACAF Gold Cup curtain-raiser here Saturday.
The Caribbean side were dominated in every department of the Group A fixture at the AT&T Stadium in north Texas, managing only 18 per cent of the possession and going without a single shot on goal, but they proved effective in the only area that mattered on the scoresheet.
In contrast, Mexico produced seven shots on goal, 15 corners, 31 crosses and 626 accurate passes, all of which went in vain even after seven minutes of injury time in the first half and nine at the end.
“We did our homework, we saw them play and the guys executed the game plan to a ‘T’,” said a hoarse T&T head coach Angus Eve.
“We’re very proud of what we did and it only augurs well going forward for us in the future.”
He continued: “We saw the Mexicans play against Nigeria and we came with a game plan to counter what they were doing, and I thought they would’ve changed something in the second half but they kept doing exactly what I thought they would’ve done.
“So we were pretty comfortable throughout the game and at the end we actually got one of the sucker punches we thought we could’ve gotten … but unfortunately [the player] couldn’t keep his composure.”
Mexico’s assault started from as early as the eighth minute when Rogelio Funes Mori had his header saved at close range by Phillip, before Hector Herrera was denied by uprights three minutes later from 23 yards out.
Phillip was again in action in the 27th minute, saving from the feet of Jesus Corona before centre back Jelani Peters cleared the follow up shot from Afrain Alvarez off the line.
After the break, Phillip dived low to deny Orbelin Pineda in the 52nd and was even more superb when he blocked Funes Mori right-footer from six yards, after Herrera produced a quality chip over the T&T defence.
Corona then launched a volley from 28 yards which was tipped around the post by an acrobatic Phillip in the 84th minute, to keep T&T in the game.
Mexico thought they had broken through when they scored in injury time but Jesus Gallardo was ruled to be off-side and Phillip underscored his side’s defensive effort when he again denied Funes Mori from point blank range with virtually the last kick of the game.
T&T face El Salvador in their next game on Wednesday at Toyota Stadium in Frisco.
