By JOEL BAILEY Thursday, September 10 2009

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WARRIORS STRIKER Cornell Glen grimaces after one of his many failed chances to score against the United States at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Portof- Spa...

RICARDO CLARK scored in the 62nd minute as the United States officially ended Trinidad and Tobago’s hopes of a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa last night.

The US won the crucial encounter 1-0 in the CONCACAF Zone Final Round Qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo which enhanced their chances of qualifying for the finals.

Clark, the son of a Trinidad and Tobago father, collected a fine ball from the left by Landon Donovan, who made a neat move on the right, and hammered a thunderous right-footed bullet to the left of the despairing goalkeeper Clayton Ince.

Trinidad and Tobago put up a valiant performance throughout but was undone by a well-organised American team, who inched closer to a spot in South Africa.

Trinidad and Tobago coach Russell Latapy made three changes to the starting line-up, from the team who were hammered 4-1 away to Honduras on Saturday – the suspended pair of Dennis Lawrence and Clyde Leon replaced Marvin Andrews and Densil Theobald respectively, while Hayden Tinto came in for Keon Daniel.

The United States tactician Bob Bradley only made two alterations to the squad that edged El Salvador, bringing in Oguchi Onyewu and Clark, who were suspended from that match, for Chad Marshall and Benny Feilhaber.

The visitors, who started the game in second spot on the standings, tried to assert themselves early but Trinidad and Tobago created the first attacking chance, as Tinto played a ball back to Clyde Leon who scooped a ball to Kenwyne Jones but the out-of-form forward lifted his right- footed effort overbar.

American forward Charlie Davies nearly put his team in front, as he made a bustling run down the centre but his low shot was gathered by goalkeeper Clayton Ince but Trinidad and Tobago, which needed a win to keep its slim World Cup chances alive, put some pressure on the American defence with a pair of opportunities.

Carlos Edwards weaved his way through the right and passed to Cornell Glen who quickly launched a ball to Jones but his header was well held by goalie Tim Howard .

Then Jlloyd Samuel’s throw to Glen saw the forward muscle his way past right-back Jonathan Spector and, after taking a while to decide what to do, sent his right-footed lob against the crossbar.

Jozy Altidore, who netted a hat-trick in the United States’ 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago in their previous match-up on April 1, tested Ince with a long-range blast before Trent Noel had a pair of free-kicks, from the left, the first was magnificently saved by Howard while the second went past the right post.

On the stroke of half-time, Donovan and Altidore teamed up on the left, but Donovan forced a kick-save by Ince and, as the second half got going, both teams took a while to find their footing before Clark thunderous blast silenced the crowd, which took up nearly half of the stadium’s 21,000 capacity.

Edwards nearly responded with a 30-metre shot, which stunned the alert Howard but both teams rang in the changes, with Altidore replaced by the defensive Feilhaber and Trinidad and Tobago bringing on Daniel and Kerry Baptiste for the tiring Tinto and the sombre Silvio Spann.

The US had a neat build-up in the middle, as Davies was picked out by Feilhaber, but his shot went overbar, while Jones headed Edwards’ right-sided cross straight at Howard.

Donovan, in the dying seconds, nearly doubled the scoreline as he sent his right-footer high, after a fine counter-attacking move between substitutes Brian Ching and Stuart Holden, but it did not matter in the end as the United States, as they did 20 years ago at the same venue, ended Trinidad and Tobago’s dreams of advancing to the sport’s most prestigious tournament.