Daniel’s free-kick sinks El SalvadorBy JOEL BAILEY Friday, March 21 2008
KEON DANIEL scored a 57th minute freekick to give Trinidad and Tobago a hard-fought 1-0 win over El Salvador in their friendly football international at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya on Wednesday night.
The first international match on the artificial surface, in front of a near capacity crowd of 5,000, was a competitive affair, but Daniel’s spot-kick decided the outcome.
His curling left-footed effort struck the post, rebounded off the body of goalkeeper Juan Gomez and trickled over the goal-line.
El Salvador, who was using the passing game to good effect as their midfield asserted themselves early, caused some nervous tension in the Trinidad and Tobago defence.
As early as the seventh minute, Ramon Aguirre was sent through on the right but his cross was held by goalkeeper Marvin Phillip.
The hosts responded two minutes later, as Daniel and American-born Randi Patterson combined for a good move on the left flank, with the stockily-built Patterson, on the left, feeding his teenaged co-striker Jamaal Gay in the box.
Gay, who was shielded by his marker, picked out the advancing Daniel but his weak, low right-footer was smothered by Gomez.
Both teams settled down, moreso the Salvadoreans whose quick movements bothered the TT midfield quartet of Daniel and Kerry Baptiste (on the flanks), captain Aurtis Whitley and Khaleem Hyland (in the centre).
Daniel and another newcomer, left-back Akeem Adams, were regularly tested by the fleet-footed El Salvador attackers, but Aguirre’s pair of crosses were denied by the alert Phillip.
In the 26th, Gay, who improved as the game transpired, intercepted a loose ball from the visitors’ defence and fed Baptiste on the right but the slimly-built midfielder drilled his right-footed half-volley overbar.
Forward Emerson Corleto nearly broke the deadlock in the 33rd, as he was given a delicately-chipped pass from Ramon Paredas but he was unable to hold his ground as the ball skidded out of touch.
The half-time break seemed to reinvigorate the hosts, who looked more focused and aggressive, especially in defence which was marshalled by Keston Williams and Makan Hislop.
Kern Cupid, who asserted himself confidently in the right-back position, found Patterson who, in turn, chested to a moving Baptiste, but the right-sided cross whizzed past the lunging Gay in the penalty box.
Two minutes later, in the 50th, the TT outfit earned their first freekick, with Whitley blasting his 30-metre drive overbar, but Daniel made amends seven minutes later, a deserved item as the El Salvadoreans were caught totally unawares.
The visitors tried a few substitutions, and they nearly equalled the score in the 69th as a long ball from Jose Mendoza was picked out by Salvador Perez, who broke the off-side trap, but skied his left-footed attempt.
And his replacement, Rudis Rivera also sent his effort overbar, in the 89th, after a wonderful cross from the left by Carlos Alfaro.
El Salvador will next play Venezuela in a friendly fixture on Sunday while the Trinidad and Tobago outfit will visit Jamaica next Wednesday.
Teams –
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Marvin Phillip; Keston Williams, Makan Hislop, Kern Cupid, Akeem Adams; Aurtis Whitley (capt), Keon Daniel, Kerry Baptiste (Silas Spann 76th), Khaleem Hyland; Randi Patterson, Jamaal Gay.
EL SALVADOR: Juan Gomez (capt); Marvin Leiva, Luis Campos, Ramon Aguirre, Jose Mendoza (Alfredo Manuel 70th); Oscar Campos, William Castillo (William Alegira 67th), Carlos Alfaro, Ramon Paredes; Emerson Corleto (Andres Mejia 60th), Salvador Perez (Rudis Rivera 81st).
