TTFF NEWS - Under 20s move on to Nigeria after 2-0 loss in Seoul

Trinidad an Tobago’s National Under 20 footballers leave Seoul bound for Nigeria on Tuesday morning still without a win on their international warm up tour but would have been on the move with their heads up after an improved and gritty showing in a 2-0 defeat to South Korea’s National Under 20s at the Training Centre on Monday evening.

 

Goals on either side of the half by Cho Young Hoon in the 35^th and Han JAe Man in the 80^th meant that the junior “Soca Warriors” suffered their fourth defeat in as many matches since in Asia but the run of play on Monday didn’t leave head coach Zoran Vranes totally disappointed.

 

“Yes it’s another defeat but I felt we were a lot better today. We had a good chance to get a better result but it didn’t turn out that way. I’m not disappointed by the way the boys played. We are doing better in every game,” Vranes told TTFF Media.

 

His statements may appear a bit overdone but the display by the visitors really should have warranted at least a draw against a team that has already beaten T&T’s first match opponents (at the FIFA U-20 World Championship) Egypt by a 4-1 margin just under a month ago.

 

Five minutes into the action  Choi Jung Han had Glenroy Samuel saving low and the hosts seemed intent on picking up an early advantage. But on 12 minutes T&T responded. After breaking down a play at the back, Sean De Silva picked out forward Juma Clarence with a long diagonal pass out on the left and he found himself in a one on one with the advancing goalkeeper but over pushed before the ball was cleared.

 

T&T were enjoying a fair amount of possession and though skipper Leston Paul was not as involved as much in the centre, his men around him were gutsy and aggressive enough to ensure that a lot of the play was happening in Korea’s half.

 

But the good work in the early stages was spoilt when the Koreans picked up the pace and threaded a few good passes, switching from left to right atop the penalty area and Young Hoon clinically placed his right footer past Samuel for a 1-0 lead.

 

Right back Curtis Gonzales was putting in endless work both on the defensive and with his overlapping runs. His cross found Jean Luc Rochford on top the area but his one time effort was deflected just over for a corner in the 36^th minute.

 

Six minutes into the second half, centre back Mikeil Williams reached up well to meet a right side corner but his powerful header was unluckily blocked by teammate Trent Lougheed on the far post.

 

Vranes made five changes in the 60^th, introducing Daniel Joseph, Marcus Joseph, Qian Grosvenor, Jevon Morris and goalie Andre Marchan. That changed T&T’s momentum somewhat but Korea couldn’t manage to capitalize.

 

Instead Molino had a near post header saved in the 80^th . A minute later though, poor marking allowed Jae Man to head home a right side corner on the near post. T&T almost got a consolation item a minute from time but Morris’s lifted his attempt from 20 metres out  just over bar.

 

“Two easy goals but the performance was better Our boys are realizing more that they can compete with these teams and it’s showing up in these games. It’s taking time but we are continuing to work well and improve our play. I was glad that the guys who came on in the second half responded very well. We are understanding more and more that we have to run harder and play with more intensity,” Vranes concluded.

 

T&T leaves on Tuesday morning for Nigeria where they will play three more matches before heading back to Port of Spain on May 14.