Mon Nov 16, 2015 12:20 pm
Captain Kenwyne Jones: Patience was key
Monday, November 16 2015
TRINIDAD AND Tobago captain Kenwyne Jones gave a thumbs up to all the members of the national men’s team on their opening 2-1 victory over Guatemala in Guatemala City on Friday night.
Jones and Khaleem Hyland were the goal-scorers for the Stephen Hart-coached squad, in their 2018 FIFA World Cup Concacaf Zone Fourth Round Qualifier.
The forward said he was satisfied with the way in which the team held itself together and is anticipating better momentum as the campaign continues.
“First of all I have to give the entire team and staff credit. I think we have a task in mind (on Friday).
“Coming away to a place like Guatemala is always difficult for us.
“We know that we had to be patient and soak up a lot of pressure and if we got the first goal we would be able to score more because Guatemala would have to push and we could play them on the counter.
“We executed the perfect away performance,” said Jones.
He continued, “we had a little team meeting before and I expressed to the team that we are a different group.
“Of course there is a history of teams coming to Guatemala and not doing so well, but I do believe in the entire squad.
I believe that the work we’ve been doing for the last three years had all culminated to this point.
We had no reason to fear and not believe in the way we could play and not have confidence in our talent.
It was just about us going out and playing as a unit and making the game about us.” About his goal, Jones said, “the goal came at a great time after Khaleem’s effort went in so sweetly.
Funny enough as we broke, Joevin got the ball and two or three Guatemalan players went to him and I just peeled off the back and he lifted his head and gave me a beautiful ball.” Hyland was also ecstatic with the win but warned that the “Soca Warriors” would not get carried away.
“We want to thank the Lord for this day. I think it was a great fighting effort from the whole team. We knew we had to weather the storm and we did great to come away with the result.
“The coach changed around things a bit. We were losing the battle a bit and we wanted to go a bit more solid in midfield. It was a great pass and I took my opportunity.
I saw the far post so I just placed it. Before the game Sheldon (Bateau) told me don’t go for power, but just place it, “ Hyland said.
“The win is very important.
The journey has just started and this just one hurdle we’ve passed and now we have to keep focused and go back home and give the public another good performance and something more to celebrate,” he added.
Goalkeeper Jan Michael Williams noted, “it was was unfortunate that we conceded that late.
“But overall I will take this result.
“We dug deep and I am really pleased to see how the boys pulled it off in extremely difficult conditions which is what we were prepared to face.”