PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad & Tobago’s Soca Warriors managed to avoid defeat in the final game of their listless 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, when they drew 2-2 with Mexico on Wednesday night.
Kerry Baptiste scored on either side of half-time but Enrique Esqueda and Carlos Salcido responded within nine minutes of each other to grab a share of the points at the Hasely Crawford Stadium here.
The result saw T&T end their campaign at the bottom of the CONCACAF standings with six points from a solitary win, three draws and six damning losses.
In contrast, the draw snapped Mexico’s five-game winning streak, leaving them to finish second one point behind United States who topped the group.
Entering the game on the heels of a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Costa Rica last Saturday, T&T needed to rekindle pride and took the game to the Mexicans from the opening whistle.
Defender Dennis Lawrence’s point blank header was pushed away by goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa early on and Baptiste also threatened when he fired wide of his target soon after afterward.
T&T deservedly got on the scoresheet, however, when Gerardo Torrado handled the ball in the area and Baptiste converted from the spot in the 32nd minute, beating a diving Ochoa who guessed correctly diving to his right.
The goal energized the Trinidadians and though they dominated possession, failed to add to their lead, as the match went to the interval 1-0.
Mexico needed just 13 minutes after the break to draw level when Esqueda beat goalkeeper Marvin Phillip with a rocket from the right side.
Baptiste came up big for the home side again, however, when he got onto the end of Hughton Hector’s pass in the 61st minute to head T&T in front.
The partisan crowd’s celebrations were short-lived as Salcido’s header put Mexico back on level terms four minutes later.
Robert Primus almost crowned himself hero minutes later but his header crashed off the crossbar, ending T&T’s hopes of full points in their final encounter.
In San Salvador, Honduras beat El Salvador 1-0 to finish third and clinch the final automatic qualifying spot while Costa Rica drew 2-2 with the USA to enter a two-leg playoff against Uruguay, the fifth-placed finisher from South America zone.
