T&T's senior men's footballers were held to a 0-0 draw by 186th ranked Belize in a friendly international at the Goal Project, Belmopan, on Friday night. Playing before 5,000 fans, the T&T side used the match as preparations for the upcoming Digicel Caribbean Cup while Belize is preparing for the UNCAF Cup which is its qualifying phase for the Concacaf Gold Cup next year. The Soca Warriors however, on the heel of a 3-0 defeat to Panama failed to take charge of the encounter and had to settle for the draw.
Latapy used W Connection's Matthew Bartholomew as a starting forward alongside Joe Public's Kerry Baptiste while Kareem Young?also got the start alongside midfielders Ataulla Guerra and Hughton Hector and Under-20 defender Jovin Jones. Honduran Jose de la Paz Herrera was in charge of the Belize team which included four Honduras-based players. Herrera guided Honduras to the 1982 World Cup. T&T will return home today to continue preparations but will not play earlier scheduled matches against Antigua/Barbuda and St Lucia.
They will now look ahead to the October 10 friendly against Jamaica in Kingston. Team manager David Muhammad added: "We had lost our two previous matches to Jamaica and Panama and while a draw is not actually an inspiring result, we are now looking ahead with optimism to the other matches. We have noted the negatives of this tour as well as the positives going forward. The entire team is fully aware of what is necessary on this journey towards greater achievement."
T&T Squad
Marvin Phillip, Jovin Jones, Makan Hislop, Carlyle Mitchell (Aklie Edwards 46th), Kern Cupid, Ataulla Guerra (Kevon Carter 55th), Kareem Young (Hayden Tinto 46th), Trent Noel (Daneil Cyrus 35th), Hughton Hector, Matthew Bartholemew (Devorn Jorsling 46th), Kerry Baptiste Jason Marcano 60th).?Subs not used: Jan Michael Williams, Densill Theobald, Keston Williams.