Preview

It was finally time for the big showdown between the two who were battling it out between themselves to join Costa Rica at Italia ’90. USA had looked to be in a good position after winning the first of their three matches in hand on the Trinis, beating El Salvador 1-0 on neutral ground in Honduras back in September. They could, however, only follow up with successive 0-0 draws in Guatemala and then at home to the El Salvadorians, and so they have arrived in Port of Spain needing to win in order to qualify for their first World Cup since 1950, and importantly to gain experience on the global stage ahead of the 1994 tournament, of course staged in the United States. This subsequently means that a draw is sufficient for today’s hosts in order to secure their first ever passage through to a World Cup. 

Pos	Team	Pl	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1	Costa Rica	8	5	1	2	10	6	11
2	Trinidad&Tobago	7	3	3	1	7	4	9
3	USA	7	3	3	1	5	3	9
4	Guatemala	6	1	1	4	4	7	3
5	El Salvador	6	0	2	4	2	8	2

It did seem like a disadvantage to the hosts that their previous qualifier had taken place as long ago as September 3. That’s more than two and a half months with no competitive action, although they’d had plenty of time to prepare themselves for a very likely ‘finale’. Manager Everald Cummings had made use of a core of players throughout the qualification, keeping his back four more or less intact every time, and with only a small number of changes in positions further up field. Like USA, they had only lost once, and for both this one defeat had come away to Costa Rica by a single goal margin. 

For their previous game, the 2-1 home win against Guatemala, customary right-back Brian Williams, the man so easily recognized with his long ponytail, had been suspended having accumulated two yellow cards during the course of the qualification campaign, and Dexter Lee had been his replacement. Williams is back in the starting line-up again now that he’s served his suspension. The other three are all familiar faces. Michael Maurice continues his run in goal, having ousted Earl Carter after the third qualifier. 

In Cummings’ expected 4-3-3 formation, there is something of a surprise inclusion in the shape of Paul Elliott-Allen, while Hutson Charles probably would have been expected. We know the latter is on the bench, and he’d started all of their seven previous qualifiers. Young guns Russell Latapy and the imposing Kerry Jamerson, who is one of three players on two goals during the course of the campaign, remain as had been expected for the other two midfield berths, while now 18 year old Dwight Yorke has kept his place in the front three along with Philibert Jones and the strong Leonson Lewis. Yorke, by the way, is now a feature with Aston Villa, having only just signed for the English first division giants.

To the US team, it had been crucial that big centre-back Steve Trittschuh had come through the home game against El Salvador without a booking to his name, as it would’ve meant a suspension for today. The same was the case for holding midfielder John Stollmeyer, but despite receiving no warning during that game two weeks earlier, USA’s third since Trinidad&Tobago had last been in action, the man with the gigantic throw is having to be content with a place on the substitutes’ bench today, like Charles for the hosts after having started each one of the seven group stage qualifiers until now. 

Bob Gansler had clearly not been entirely satisfied with USA’s most recent efforts, their two goalless draws with Guatemala and El Salvador, and so had made no less than four changes since that dreary home game two weeks ago. Young goalkeeping sensation Tony Meola kept his place in goal ahead of previous pick David Vanole, while Jimmy Banks has been dropped for the seasoned John Doyle on this occasion. It must have been a tight call, as Banks had been one of the more impressive US players in that poor home showing against the El Salvadorians. Maybe the management team felt that Doyle could be more useful here due to the general height of the opposition’s players. Desmond Armstrong, who had returned from a long injury lay-off for that match and featured as their right-sided option, had been scrapped for Paul Krumpe. The latter had started all three of USA’s matches at the 1988 Olympic Games football tournament, but not featured for even a single minute during the group stage of their World Cup qualification campaign. 

Coming in, possibly to inherit Stollmeyer’s role as the defensive midfield man, is Paul Caligiuri. The defender cum midfielder, who’s on the books of West German second Bundesliga club SV Meppen, also played all three of USA’s matches in South Korea, but has only featured for 45 minutes in the ongoing campaign, when he’d come on to the right in midfield in their 3-5-2 formation, replacing Phillip Gyau during the half time interval in the 2-1 home win against Guatemala, the only match where they’ve managed to score more than once in the seven previous outings. 

Trusted members of the team such as skipper Mike Windischmann, the team libero, and midfield work horses John Harkes and Brian Bliss are of course there, as are Tab Ramos and forward Bruce Murray, who is always full of effort, but who’s had precious little luck in front of goal. He had scored with that superb volley during the 2-1 home win against Guatemala, but that’s his solitary strike in seven. Their five goals so far have all come from different players. Hugo Pérez, the crafty midfielder, remains a non-starter since his starring role during the 1-0 win against El Salvador on neutral terrain in Honduras, but he’s at least among the five substitutes.

Up top, Eric Eichmann, who has often been prefered by Gansler as Murray’s companion, has been ousted for the returning Peter Vermes. Having suffered with chicken pox a month earlier, the Netherlands based striker, with two goals to his name in 11 appearances for Volendam so far in the 1989/90 Eredivisie campaign, is back in for his fourth start in the CONCACAF championship/group stage of the CONCACAF World Cup qualification. He’s yet to open his account. 

In addition to the 16 man matchday squad, Desmond Armstrong, Jim Gabarra and Ted Eck had all travelled and were present in the stadium. 

Referee is 42 year old Argentinian Juan Carlos Lostau, who had been the man in the middle for the scandalous Brazil v Chile World Cup qualifier on the same date as when Trinidad&Tobago had last been in action early in September. That was when the game was abandoned on 70 minutes following Chile goalkeeper Roberto Rojas’ claims that he’d been struck by an object thrown from the terraces, when he had rather cut himself with a razor blade which he’d brought on to the pitch, investigation had later revealed. 

The stadium is sold out. Official figures say of some 35,000 people crammed together. According to the two ESPN commentators, John Paul Dellacamera and Seamus Malin, the gates had been shut close three and a half hours prior to kick-off, as there was no more space available, while people had started turning up six and a half hours before the game started. That had been when the gates had opened. ‘Carnival atmosphere’ is an appropriate term for the vibe inside Trinidad&Tobago’s national stadium. A national holiday has been decleared for the next day, regardless of the outcome. 

Trinidad&Tobago (4-3-3)

Player	Notes	Age	Club
22 Michael Maurice		32
2 Clayton Morris (c)		27
3 Brian Williams		28
4 Dexter Francis		25
6 Marvin Faustin		22
10 Russell Latapy		21
11 Leonson Lewis		22
12 Paul Elliott-Allen	sub 75′	26
14 Philibert Jones		25
16 Dwight Yorke	sub 60′	18
17 Kerry Jamerson		22

Substitutes
x Erroll Lovell		27
8 Hutson Charles	on 60′	24
15 Maurice Alibey	on 75′	27

Manager: Everald Cummings

USA (3-5-2)

Player	Notes	Age	Club
20 Tony Meola		20
2 Steve Trittschuh		24
3 John Doyle		23
5 Mike Windischmann (c)		23
6 John Harkes		22
7 Tab Ramos		23
8 Brian Bliss		24
9 Peter Vermes		22
12 Paul Krumpe	sub 62′	26
15 Paul Caligiuri		25
16 Bruce Murray		23

Substitutes
1 David Vanole		26
4 Jimmy Banks		25
10 Eric Eichmann		24
11 Hugo Pérez		26
14 John Stollmeyer	on 62′	27

Manager: Bob Gansler

Tactical line-ups

Match report

First half: 

The build-up to this game had been going on for so long that one could only hope for the home side’s players that they were not mentally discharged already prior to kick-off. This was obviously an entirely new situation, something which appliled to both teams, so the pressure was on both sets of players. The incredible atmosphere with a packed crowd, where everyone was dressed in red, would hopefully provide an energy boost, and everything looked set for an exciting, decisive clash between two teams who both so badly wanted to represent their nations at Italia ’90. 

Trinidad&Tobago would perform the kick-off through forwards Philibert Jones and England based starlet Dwight Yorke. 

Right from the start there is a thick layer of nerves visible among the home side’s players, as they almost gift US striker Peter Vermes an opportunity after 35 seconds of play. They’re trying to stroke the ball around in their backline, though some passes are clearly jittery, and while you look to your captain to lead by example, it is uncharacteristically Trinidad&Tobago’s centre-half Clayton Morris who comes close to conceding possession inside his own area after bubbly passes from both Marvin Faustin and Morris’ centre-back colleague Dexter Francis. Thankfully, Morris has goalkeeper Michael Maurice coming to his aid before Vermes can nip in and steal the ball and put the Trinis skipper to shame. 

It takes two minutes for USA to have the first attempt, and although John Harkes fires yards over from the edge of the penalty area after Vermes had headed Paul Krumpe’s long and bouncing throw-in back into the midfielder’s path, one feels how the home side are just numb. Has the occasion got to them? So far, only Kerry Jamerson, the player at the base of their midfield core, and who had scored matchwinning goals in both fixtures against Guatemala, seems anything like himself. The US team would wish to capitalize on this dodgy opening from the home team. 

Trinidad&Tobago do begin to look at least a little bit more reassured as the first half progresses. Their start had been a hairy one, but once they are able to settle and maintain some possession, it looks like confidence is returning to their players. A pivotal figure in how they play is the imposing Jamerson at the rear of their midfield three. As we’ve learnt, manager Everald Cummings had dropped Hutson Charles for this game, and this brought repercussions even for Russell Latapy, who has often been at the heart of their creativity from his advanced role as the inside left among the midfield trio. With Paul Elliott-Allen, a left-footer, coming into the starting eleven, Latapy has had to switch across to the inside right role, usually occupied by Charles, and perhaps does it disturb his rhythm somewhat. 

It is the visitors who look a bit slow when Jamerson is given the opportunity to take his time, look up and measure a pass in the direction of the blisteringly quick Leonson Lewis along the left hand side of their attack. We see right-sided US stopper Steve Trittschuh struggle to keep up, but thankfully from his point of view captain Mike Windischmann is alert enough to block Lewis’ path onwards to goal with a tackle. If the visitors push their defensive trio too high up the pitch, Trinidad&Tobago could well take advantage by getting in behind them, but this must surely be something which Gansler and his assistants had addressed beforehand. Another Lewis foray sees the first threatening moment when he feeds the ball towards the near post, only for the steady Tony Meola to come off his line to claim before Yorke could get to it. Signs were, though, that the Trinis were edging their way into the contest with the game approaching the 15 minute mark.

The game is lacking in most areas: Quality, intensity and goalscoring opportunities. Granted, it is a warm afternoon in the island of Trinidad, but it is not like the players are totally foreign to the conditions. The pitch looks hard and uneven, as the ball suddenly makes unexpected little bounces here and there, which makes controlling it awkward. This in turn affects the quality, and misplaced passes, balls going astray and over the touchline are numerous. Not that the warning signs are out for the hosts yet; they will go through as long as it remains scoreless. 

The inclusion of Elliott-Allen in the Trinis’ midfield may well have had to do with him being a more defensive, probably more physical player than Charles whom he had replaced. Still, the way it might have contributed to slowing down the game of Latapy is an unwanted side effect. The little playmaker has yet to get going. He’s often been instrumental in their quick transitions from defence to attack, the way he carries the ball through midfield and into enemy territory. Yorke along the right hand side is also out of it; Jones through the centre is closely monitored. What little danger has been posed from the home side has come through the speedy Lewis on the left flank. 

Approaching the halfway stage of the first half, USA must feel that they are in with a good chance of getting the result which they need and want. Beforehand, they might have thought the intimidation factor could prove an overwhelming one, but it appears a little subdued even from the terraces, with the home side’s players languid showing so far reflecting among the fans. While Jimmy Banks had done well in their last game, the inclusion of John Doyle as the left-sided central defender on this occasion seems to have been a clever choice by the management team, as he has physicality as his major asset. Both Yorke and Jones struggle in battle with the blonde defender. And when Paul Krumpe assists Trittschuh along the US right hand side defensively to tag team Lewis, there are suddenly very few potential threats from the hosts. 

In midfield, Paul Caligiuri goes about the defensive role quietly, but has so far not made any significant mistakes. Taking over from Stollmeyer, who has had a few relatively average performances during the course of the qualification, he’s sound in possession and in his press play. Little Tab Ramos has so far not shone in an attacking capacity, rather focusing on giving chase off the ball, while the third member of the US central midfield, John Harkes, at least has been seen making runs off the ball and into the final third of the pitch, again towards the left hand channel. He’s got yet another work horse to his left in Brian Bliss, and the entire US midfield quintet is switched on so far, making it hard for the home side. 

Murray and Vermes up front for USA have also not had much luck hitherto, although they have both showed some quality at least in holding the ball up and bringing others into play. More fuel could be added to the debate regarding the lack of US fire power, though, as five goals in seven previous qualifiers has been a rather mediocre return. Both strikers, it should be added, contribute in pressing the opposition’s defenders, and so mounting from the back isn’t straight forward for Trinidad&Tobago. Even Jamerson feels the strength from the pair of American forwards in their press play. 

There is an interesting situation on the half hour when Lewis attempts to tread Jones through with a pass through the centre, but before the striker can get control of the ball inside the box, he’s brought to the ground by big Doyle, and on another day and with another referee, it could have brought about a penalty kick for the hosts. Mr Lostau, though, never even considers it, and it should be added that there are few shouts from the home side’s players. Replays seem to show how Doyle doesn’t connect with the ball, but there appears to be little doubt that he’s instrumental in Jones tumbling to the ground. Very close. 

As so often happens, when you’ve had a situation down one end of the pitch, then there’s a pivotal moment occuring at the other shortly afterwards. This certainly is the case here as USA win a throw on the left after a crunching Williams tackle on Harkes. The Trinis right-back has started the game well, and looks totally committed. Ramos throws to Bliss, gets the ball back, looks up and plays it in field to Caligiuri, who takes advantage of the bounce to get it past Jamerson, before he lets fly from all of 30 yards with his left foot, again from the bounce, and his spectacular half volley finds its way into the back of the net beyond the despairing dive of goalkeeper Maurice for a 1-0 US lead! Wow! Right out of the blue the visitors have scored their first goal since Pérez’ header to win them the game against El Salvador in Honduras. 

When you go behind in a crunch game, you’ll be wanting some sort of response: You’ll be looking to your leading players for inspiration. The trouble with Trinidad&Tobago on the day is that very few are performing to the peak of their capability, and those who are actually playing well are defenders (Brian Williams) or holding midfielders (Kerry Jamerson). The Trinis are attempting to change the fortune of important players such as Latapy and Yorke, neither of whom has yet ignited, and with both featuring along their right hand side in this match, this area has not been able to reproduce the signs of spark at times provided by Lewis along the left. Manager Cummings even tries swapping positions for his so far unsuccessful pair, with Yorke shifting into Latapy’s inside right midfield role, something which at least sees the youngster somewhat more involved, but Latapy still can’t find his game as the right-sided forward. 

USA have got the game right where they want it, and while they, too, are not playing the perfect game of football, they won’t be bothered as long as they have that lead which they had been looking for. And through to half time, there is no indications that the hosts have the means in their locker that it takes to get back on level terms. They are meticulous in their approach, not moving the ball particularly quickly between themselves, and more sideways than in the forward direction, typically giving the visitors plenty of time to organize and adjust. There’s a second wayward attempt from distance from left-back Faustin, there’s a poor shot from distance by Jamerson, and there’s a Meola catch right before Lewis’ foot, which strikes the ‘keeper unfortunately in the chest, but referee Lostau orders the goalkeeper back on his feet. At the other end, a Murray header over from a Ramos right wing corner is one of few American attempts goalwards. 

When the half-time whistle comes, some 45 seconds into time added on, señor Lostau seems to do everyone a favour. That interval chat from the management can’t come quickly enough for the Trinidad&Tobagans, while Gansler and his staff will stress that they’ll want the team to continue sitting tight in their 3-5-2 formation. 

Half-time score: Trinidad&Tobago 0, USA 1. 

Second half: 

The footage starts some 30 seconds into the final 45, and we learn that there’s been no changes for either team during the break. We see Peter Vermes chase a long ball forward with Clayton Morris, who challenges him and concedes a throw-in in the process, with the striker going down claiming a knock to his foot. These opening sequences could well be the template for how much of the second half will look, with the hosts needing to up the ante in search for a goal the longer it progresses. Pace might not be an extreme commodity within the US team’s ranks, though, with neither striker probably being able to outrun their opponents, so transitions is more likely to be about killing time in the channels rather than direct attempts at increasing their lead.

While there are at least some signs of optimism for the home fans, it must be said that Trinidad&Tobago are not as fluent or coherent as they had been earlier in the qualification. It could well be that the relatively long pause in play which they’d had since their previous outing has dented their spring a little. The external factors with regards to this game and how much it matters will of course have played a big role on the psyche of the players, too, and some seem to struggle to rid themselves of the handbreak. 

The second half and its opening quarter of an hour has much an expected look about it, with the home side having the bulk of the possession, but against an organized and very hard-working US team, their somewhat slow approach so far yields very little in terms of chances, and they were almost gifted a great opportunity by an obtuse Trittschuh back pass on 54 minutes, but Jones couldn’t get to the ball, which ran all the way through to its intended target Meola. The US ‘keeper is wearing a cap to shield from the sun in this second half. It was said about Caligiuri’s first half goal that Trinis custodian Maurice could have been struggling to see the ball all the way thanks to the intensity of the sunshine. 

It also comes as no surprise that USA play the ball into the channels when they seize possession inside their own half and make use of their forwards as outlets. Both Murray and in particular Vermes are strong in holding the ball up, and there’s also some energetic runs by the ever-busy Harkes in the forward direction. These forays into Trinidad&Tobagan territory help relieve the defence, and give the US players some breathing time before facing the next wave of attack by the home side. The outlook of the game is much like had been anticipated before the start of the second half. 

There is a first substitution of the afternoon when Trinidad&Tobago supremo Cummings decides to take off the ineffective Yorke and replace him with Hutson Charles, the man who scored that 88th minute equalizer when the two teams had met on American soil back in May. For spells during the first half, we had seen Latapy move into that right-sided forward position with Yorke taking a step back into midfield, possibly in an attempt to ignite both players, but they had featured in their original roles since the start of the second half. Charles has featured both as the inside right midfielder and wide right among the front three earlier in the qualification, and he’ll assume the latter role on this occasion. 

Not long after the hosts’ first substitution, there is a change in the US team as well. Paul Krumpe, who has not played a lot of football recently after a spell on the sidelines, and this is his first contribution during the qualification group stage, comes off with 62 minutes on the clock to be replaced by previous ever-present John Stollmeyer. The man coming on is at 27 the oldest player in the US team. As we’re aware of, he’d been utilized as the holding midfielder in Gansler’s favoured 3-5-2 formation, and since Caligiuri had been deployed as the right-sided alternative in the only 45 minutes of group stage qualification time he’d had until today, a switch of positions for the game’s only goalscorer so far could have been predicted. It turns out, however, that the management has decided to stick with the Second Bundesliga man in the anchor role, with Stollmeyer taking up the position wide right in the midfield five which Krumpe had left vacant through his exit. 

Trinidad&Tobago do not put the visitors under sustained periods of intense pressure. Their play is still lacking in penetration and clever play, and defending is not a particularly difficult exercise for USA so far in the second half. With just a quarter of the game remaining, the Trinis management will be hoping their players can click into gear and find that necessary opening to get back on level terms. So far, there is not a whole lot of indications that they will get their way. This is their one chance to get to the world stage, and it looks like some of their players have frozen when it has mattered the most. Since his arrival, Charles has also not been able to improve on matters, but he might be a better option featuring in midfield rather than among the front three. Is Cummings bold enough to withdraw his other young star, Latapy, to accommodate Charles into a midfield role? Elliott-Allen has at least tried, making some decent runs on the ball and towards the left hand channel, coexisting to an acceptable level with Faustin behind him and Lewis ahead of him. The latter, though, also appears to have found a cul-de-sac, unable to get back into his rhythm. 

USA continue to look comfortable as the game heads towards 75 minutes. Where’s the urgency from the Trinis? They look too laboured, like they don’t have a change of gear in them, and something unexpected was needed to shake the US defensive up, for the home side to be able to create a necessary opening. One of their better players throughout has been Jamerson, and on 71 minutes he goes on a strong run from his own half of the pitch and midway into American territory, before he releases Lewis in behind Trittschuh. However, rather than be daring and dart goalwards once he’s burst into the area, Lewis stops and checks, and it is all too comfortable for the visitors to get bodies back. This has been a pattern right through the game. 

Stollmeyer looks adept having been brought on to play along the right hand side, and he’s got some defending to do, coping relatively well with Lewis and Elliott-Allen, a combined effort with Trittschuh. The steady Windischmann, who is a terrific reader of the game and who positions himself effortlessly as the spare man of defence, is always there to shore up in case anyone gets past the first line of defence. There is no way through for Trinidad&Tobago. Manager Cummings now looks to throw the dice again in bringing on his second and final substitute. He’s been preparing the tall, lanky Maurice Alibey, and it is Elliott-Allen who comes off to accommodate him. 15 minutes remain. 

There still is no urgency, no switch to the next gear, no upping of ante from the hosts. It is like they are stuck in the pace which they set about from the start and that there is no next level to them. It is all so sedate and pedestrian, and the addition of Alibey into the mix hasn’t brought about a change to their game plan. Yes, he is tall, but Alibey hasn’t really stood out as an aerial player of a special format in previous qualifiers, and coming up against Doyle, who is having a solid game as the left-sided among USA’s three centre-backs, the Trinis’ second substitute has no business down that right hand side. The change had brought back regular order in the home side’s midfield, with Latapy back in his favoured inside left role, with the first substitute, Charles, now in that inside right position which we’ve seen from him before. But it doesn’t click into gear. It is like their players have no belief. The occasion must have got to them. 

Credit must go to USA for how dutifully they go about their tactical plan. Their players never fall for the temptation to deviate and step off the path which the management team has paved out for them, as they continue to sit tight with their central defensive trio, and where all five midfielders show such terrific workrate and spirit, aided by the two men up front, who give chase to every ball. Windischmann is clearly the organizer at the back, but on this occasion he was outshone by Doyle, who came into the team and performed impeccably from start to finish. Trittschuh had an important intervention a few minutes from time when the ball could’ve broken to Alibey deep inside the area, and Stollmeyer did well as a makeshift right-sided midfielder after coming on. Bliss battled well along the left all game, while Caligiuri was rewarded with the ‘matchwinner’ tag following his ‘shot heard around the world’. Then there were Harkes and Ramos, who never stopped running, never stopped battling. Ultimately, they deserved their win. USA are off to Italia ’90; the Trinis stay put. 

Upon the full time whistle, with captain Clayton Morris sportingly making sure he shook the hands of the three officials, you can’t not feel sorry for the home fans, who had come in such numbers and such fashion. Trinidad&Tobago had had a very good qualification campaign, but ultimately it hadn’t been quite enough to take them all the way through to a World Cup for the very first time. Still, they have a young side which could only keep improving. Brian Williams is their oldest outfield player at 28. Young talent such as Dwight Yorke and Russell Latapy are 39 years combined. Kerry Jamerson, 22, has been one of their most consistent performers in that deep-lying midfield role, and again had a fine game. While it wasn’t quite to be, they have every reason to be proud of themselves.  

Full time score: Trinidad&Tobago 0, USA 1. USA qualify for Italia ’90.