ORLANDO, Florida, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago equaled their worst-ever result when they were savaged 7-0 by a second string United States, in an international friendly at Exploria Stadium here Sunday.
Fielding a side comprising eight new overseas-based players mainly from the Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League, T&T found themselves 4-0 down at the break and never recovered.
Jonathan Lewis (2nd, 55th), Jesús Ferreira (9th, 62nd) and Paul Arriola (22nd, 41st) all notched braces while Miles Robinson (52nd) got a single goal.
The visitors squandered their only opportunity to come away with some pride when goalkeeper Matt Turner saved Alvin Jones from the spot in the 66th minute.
For new head coach Terry Fenwick, the result proved a chastening welcome to the job and he said afterwards Trinidad and Tobago had lacked a “big attitude”.
“I can only think that for some of the senior players, it was too much – the occasion. We didn’t have the big attitude, the big strength,” the Englishman said of his side which managed just 27 per cent possession.
“We were very poor in the opening stages and it set the tone for the game. I didn’t see that experience coming through. I thought we crumbled very early.”
He added: “I expected more, I expected better. We just didn’t perform. It was like the occasion was too much.”
Lewis’s close range finish put the hosts ahead just after the opening whistle and Ferreira doubled the lead courtesy of Samuel Vines’s cross.
Arriola’s double strike before the interval thanks to assists from Ferreira then ruled out any chance of a comeback by Trinidad and Tobago.
The Caribbean side are in the early stages of their preparation for their opening FIFA World Cup qualifier next month, and are expected to play a couple more friendlies against fellow Caribbean Football Union sides to further enhance their preparation.
