Soca Warriors outclassed in Honduras

T&T’s senior men’s football team began its 2024 Concacaf Nation’s League League A campaign with a 4-0 pummelling by Honduras in their Group B opener at the Estadio Nacional Chelato Ucles in Tegucigalpa on Friday night.

Derek King’s first lineup in his first match as caretaker manager received rave reviews in the moments before kick-off in the Honduran capital.

King’s selection was a familiar one, bar the absences of Levi Garcia, Ajani Fortune and Michel Poon Angeron, organised in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

The squad included captain Aubrey David, between Justin Garcia and Alvin Jones in defense, Ryan Telfer as the main prong of attack, with Steffen Yeates and Reon Moore behind him, and a midfield comprising Andre Raymond on the left, Dantaye Gilbert, in his second competitive match for the Soca Warriors, alongside Andre Rampersad in the holding roles and Real Gill on the right side.

David and Telfer were the only surviving members of the 2019 team which suffered a 4-0 hiding at the same venue in 2019.

To its credit, T&T started the match the way many had openly mused it was capable of playing as observed by King in his post-match comments.

“I think the first 35 minutes we were organised defensively and going forward, putting together some passes, we created about two opportunities,” King weighed in.

Indeed Gill’s too-high effort from just inside the box in the 17th and Telfer’s deflected shot in the 18th were positive early signs.

Honduras used them as motivation to improve and a concerted period of pressure finally bore fruit for the hosts in the 39th. Anthony Lopez saw his shot blocked but Alexander Lopez’s effort looped off Andre Rampersad’s thrown frame into the back of the net.

The climb back into contention got that much steeper two minutes into first half time added on, the omnipresent Lopez teed up Kervin Arriaga, and, with the defense slow to respond he found the corner of Denzil Smith’s net on the half volley, 2-0 at the half.

Despite how the first half ended King, a long-term national assistant coach spanning several regimes and head coaches and a former club football coach of some repute and resume, was buoyed by his group’s approach.

“I think every time we put down the football and play and we come into the pockets, we created the chances,” he opined post-match. “And I think the players are more or less believing in themselves that they can compete with the teams in Concacaf.”

He applauded the whole squad for its application and further singled out Telfer and Gill for their work rate

Belief aside the T&T players continued to struggle with the physical demands made of them on Friday evening.

The opening half-hour aside, Honduras looked sharper with and without the ball, ending with 61 percent of the possession to T&T’s 39. What’s more, ‘Los Catrachos” were more incisive in exploiting the gaps between the lines, hard to catch for long periods, intuitive enough to smoothly pedal between top gear and brake when in possession, and far from gun shy.

As a result, the match became progressively ill-tempered but even that played into the host’s hands in front of 35,000 partisan spectators.

With energy levels waning, Honduras caught T&T watching once again, this time Edwin Rodriguez popped up at the far post to prod in Luis Palma’s cross to make it 3-0 in the 54th.

King’s late introductions of the Jamaican-based pair of Nathaniel James and Kaile Auvray, in particular, read like peeks in an old notebook, however, the damage had already been done.

A fourth in the 86th, curled into the far corner after David Ruiz-Ochoa took substitute Triston Hodge out of the frame was the final indignity.

With the result, T&T is bottom of the six-team Group B without a point, French Guiana is second to last having only shipped a single goal in their 1-0 opening defeat to Nicaragua.

Honduras is top, Nicaragua second and Jamaica third after drawing goalless with Cuba.

Having seen his team outclassed in all areas in his first 90 minutes King said rebuilding the group in the gap between Friday and Tuesday’s assignment against French Guiana at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago was essential work if the team is to recover from the setback.

“I think it’s important that we lift the guys, make sure all the players are ready, Tuesday is a very important game; we need three points and we’re playing at home,” King said.”This is international football; we have to stay focused, we have to stay disciplined and have the right attitude and once we organise in that way I think we will get three points.”

Results

T&T 0 vs Honduras 4 (Alexander López 39th, Kervin Arriaga 45th+2, Edwin Rodríguez 54th, David Ruiz-Ochoa 86th).

Teams

Trinidad and Tobago (4-2-3-1): 22.Denzil Smith (GK); 16.Alvin Jones, 2.Aubrey David (captain), 17.Justin Garcia, 6.Andre Raymond (3.Triston Hodge 60); 18.Andre Rampersad, 15.Dantaye Gilbert (19.Noah Powder 60); 12.Steffen Yeates (20.Kaïlé Auvray 65), 13.Reon Moore (9.Nathaniel James 60), 11.Real Gill; 7.Ryan Telfer (23.Kevon Woodley 71).

Unused substitutes: 1.Christopher Biggette (GK), 21.Aaron Enill (GK), 4.Daniel Phillips, 5.Leland Archer, 8.Isaiah Lee, 10.Duane Muckette, 14.Shannon Gomez.

Coach: Derek King

Honduras (4-2-1-3): 1.Edrick Menjivar (GK); 13.Maylor Nunez, 2.Denil Maldonado, 4.Luis Vega, 8.Joseph Rosales; 5.Kervin Arriaga, 20.Deybi Flores; 10.Alexander Lopez (12.David Ruiz-Ochoa 66); 16.Edwin Rodriguez, 9.Antony Lozano (captain) (11.Rubilio Castillo 66), 7.Luis Palma (17.Douglas Martinez 66).

Unused substitutes: 18.Marlon Licona (GK), 22.Luis Lopez (GK), 3.Raul Santos, 6.Juan Carlos Obregon, 14.Jesus Batiz, 15.Devron Garcia, 19.Carlos Pineda, 21.Bryan Rochez, 23.Jorge Alvarez.

Coach: Reinaldo Rueda

Referee: Tori Penso

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