Brent Sam netted a second-half hat-trick as T&T Soca Warriors continued their build-up towards their 2022 Concacaf Qatar World Cup Qualifying opener against Guyana with an 8-0 spanking of Tobago’s Orange XI at the St James Police Barracks in Port-of-Spain, Saturday.
Former T&T Pro League top goalscorer Marcus Joseph had opened the scoring from the penalty-spot for national coach Terry Fenwick before ex-Real Salt Lake player Alvin Jones doubled the lead from a well-struck free-kick.
Another ex-USA-based player, midfielder Duane Muckette curled in T&T’s third item into the far corner off a Joseph feed at the top of the 18-yard box while the lanky Hashim Arcia made it 4-0 before the half-time interval.
Two minutes into the second-half Sam got his first from another penalty-kick conversion to push the scoreline to five before Reon Moore made it 6-0 followed by a late brace from the lanky Sam to complete his treble and an 8-0 thumping.
Saturday's match replaced two postponed matches against the same Orange XI which were due to be played in Tobago this weekend at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet but were cancelled due to travel problems by the national team.
Speaking after the warm-up match, Fenwick who has been in training with his players in preparation for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers which will begin with an opening encounter against Guyana on March 25 in the Dominican Republic, said he was happy for the opportunity to play the match and thanked the Orange XI management team led by Marcus Joseph for providing his team with that chance to get in some valuable match practice.
“We were hoping to do the trip over there but couldn’t get a flight and they have come across with a very competitive side and did some good things in the game and we will need to go back over there and reciprocate that appreciation.
“We have lined up so many friendly games that have gone under the bus and we got to play somebody and we got a World Cup qualifier coming up on the 25th and this is part of our preparation leading into it.
“We would like other games absolutely, and we are speaking to the Normalisation Committee on a regular basis, they have got our schedules with games with teams that are confirmed as we are awaiting feedback on that, stated Fenwick, a former England World Cup defender.
With regards to Caribbean rivals Jamaica recruitment of a number of top England-based players, Fenwick said: "It’s outstanding."He added, “We are also trying to bring in top quality players that are also all over Europe and North America, but it has been difficult because everything has gone through the Commissioner of Police as far as passports, so we are trying to do our bit but we are not getting a lot of support."
Fenwick's men will play out of Group F of the qualifiers with only the top team advancing to the second round. The other countries in the group are Puerto Rico, St Kitts and Nevis and the Bahamas.
Following the team's opening match against Guyana, the "Soca Warriors" will be away to Puerto Rico (March 28) in their next encounter; away to the Bahamas (June 5), and home to St Kitts and Nevis (June 8).
Teams
T&T: Marvin Phillip, Jesse Williams, Leland Archer, Justin Sadoo, Gary Griffith III, Hashim Arcia, Shackiel Henry, Duane Muckette, Marcus Joseph, Jamal Jack, Michelle Poon Angeron, Joshua Alexander, Jelani Peters, Alvin Jones, Sean Bonval, Reon Moore, Brent Sam, Molik Khan, Adrian Foncette Denzil Smith.
Orange XI: Devaughn Daniel, Omarr Charles, Pretha Duncan, Javon Williams, Jeremayer Bristol, Oshun George, Jokiah Leacock, Nicholas Alfred, Antonio Pantin, Kersh Lancey, Kylou Brathwaite, Miguel Alfred, Trevor Alleyne, Sherwin Lovell, Ancill Noray, Jariel Arthur, Jahiem Harry, Keon Samuel, Daniel Richards, Tyrell Waheed, Kareem Warner, Mickaeel Jem-Gordon.