It literally rained goals at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva yesterday, as Trinidad and Tobago’s Marcus Joseph, Attaulah Guerra, Nathan Lewis and Ryan Telfer combined in a 15-0 rout of 209th-ranked Anguilla in an international friendly.
Joseph led the way with a beaver-trick as national coach Dennis Lawrence had more than a smile on his face as his team broke a 14-match winless drought as they prepare for Honduras in their second match of the Concacaf Nations League on November 17.
But although Lawrence’s winless horror had now come to an end, the quality of the opposition may not have given the Soca Warriors enough of a decent preparation ahead of the tougher Honduran outfit.
Ryan Telfer opened the scoring in just the ninth minute of play. He waited patiently to slap home Lewis’ right side centre before the start of the Joseph show.
Joseph got his first item in the 13th minute when he was found unmarked and hammered in from another Lewis cross. His other goals came in the 26th, 30th, 32nd and 47th minutes.
Telfer and Lewis both had braces in 9th and 20th and the 19th and 39th minutes, while Guerra also scored twice in the 15th and 42nd.
T&T led 10-0 in the first half but could only manage five goals in the second with Aaron Lester (61st), Darius Lewis (75th), Matthew Woo Ling (78th) and Jomal Williams getting on the scoresheet.
Debutant Woo Ling got a ball from Lester and with the goal at his mercy, curled it past Ryan Laddie in the Anguilla goal.
Earlier, Darius Lewis, another debutant, benefitted from a goal-mouth scrimmage before he fired past the hopeless Anguillan custodian.
After the match, Lawrence said he was pleased overall with the mentality of the players and how they executed in order to get the required result according to their discussions before the match.
The former TT defender said the players pushed themselves on the night. While he didn’t want to single out any particular player, he said he was impressed with debutante Woo Ling and Darius, saying it’s now for them to make the switch to senior international football.
He said the team now looks forward to their friendly with Ecuador before the face the Hondurans. The team will be joined by a few other players, Daniel Carr and Rundell Winchester among others, ahead of the next match.
Score
T&T 15 (Marcus Joseph 13th, 26th, 30th, 32nd & 47th, Ryan Telfer 9th & 20th, Nathan Lewis 19th & 39th, Attaulah Guerra 15 & 42nd, Aaron Lester 61st, Darius Lewis 75th, Matthew Woo Ling 78th, Jomal Williams) v ANGUILLA 0