Toussaint Exacts Revenge Over Haiti as New Look Warriors Move into Digicel Shield

may.29.2007

Randy Bando reports...

HASELY CRAWFORD STADIUM - A smashing second period item by substitute Andre Toussaint gave the 'Soca Warriors' a revenge 1-0 victory over the Caribbean champions Haiti, after the 'Warriors' lost out to the French-speaking nation. earlier this year in the final of the Digicel Caribbean Cup.

The new look Trinidad and Tobago national senior team made up mainly of Pro League players secured their place in the Digicel Shield final against Mexico's Pan American squad.

The T&T started off the match full of intensity, which was well accepted by the die-hard local football fans who turned up at the Port of Spain venue to witness a good showing by the CONCACAF Gold Cup bound squad.

Just two minutes into the match Joe Public's Gary Glasgow slammed a decent effort out of nothing just wide of the Haiti goal causing the Hasely Crawford crowd to immediately come alive.

The crowd went on a high again when in the 8th minute Darryl Roberts the only foreign-based player in the current squad pounced on a defensive error only to be denied by brave goal keeping by goalkeeper Fenelon Gabart.

The Caribbean Champions had their chances, but wasn't able to pull off the results. In the 12th minute Chery Mones fed Fucien Brunel on the right flank, but a decently whipped cross flew across the face of the T&T goal with no one getting on the end of it.

The home team then suffered a scare when St John Roland tested the T&T goalie Marvin Phillip from distance, but the North East Stars custodian brilliantly got a hand to ball palming it into play before defender Keyeno Thomas cleared it to safety just before the 20 minute mark.

Haiti later lost their coach Luis Amelio Garcia for dissent against the match officials and was forced to retire into the stands by referee Ryan Small shortly before the half time whistle.

After the interval Haiti replenished their squad as they tried to take control of the match against a nation they had beaten back in January of this year for their Caribbean Cup title.

The fresh legs of Germain Peter, Romulus Turlien and Noel Fabrice surely brought some life into the Haitians attack. Just one minute into the second period they created an opportunity in front of the 'Warriors' goal, but Turlien failed to connect Fabrice's cross inside the area to the disappointment of the Haiti bench.

Haiti then took control of the match as T&T found themselves chasing the ball on many occasions as Coach Wim Rijsbergen looked to his bench and called on Superstar Rangers captain Errol Mc Farlane, W Connection's Andre Toussaint and Joe Public's Kerry Baptiste for resurgence when he replaced the worn out Gary Glasgow, Darryl Roberts and Silvio Spann.

Late in to the match Joe Public's Anthony Noreiga who was having a decent game all match at the back made a defensive blunder playing Fucien Brunel goal bound, but the Haitian forward failed to hit the target.

T&T then went ahead through a 76th minute stunner, which came courtesy a combined buildup by skipper Densill Theobald and substitutes Errol Mc Farlane and Andre Toussaint. In the end it was W Connection's Toussaint who brushed away his challenger to drill a low shot past goalkeeper Fenelon Gabart for the 1-0 lead.

Five minutes from time Errol Mc Farlane and Toussaint teamed up again in the Haitian area and got close to another item. Superstar Rangers ace forward Mc Farlane failed to connect only to see his attempt bubble on the wrong side of Haiti's upright after Toussaint played him through.

The new look 'Soca Warriors' led by Caledonia's Densill Theobald grinded out the aggression of the Haitians to the end to hold on to their 1-0 score line and their final spot on Wednesday against Mexico's Pan American team who had earlier defeated St Vincent and the Grenadines 8-7 on penalties.

GOAL SCORING SUMMARY

T&T 1 - 0 Haiti
T&T - Andre Toussaint 76'.

TEAMS

Match Referee-Ryan Small(Barbados)