Tim Grainey is on site following the Gold Cup.
EXCLUSIVE: Trinidad and Tobago's National Team are through to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup - the regional championship tournament - with two veteran United Kingdom based players as key influences.
T&T defeated Cuba 2-0 on Sunday, July 12 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, their second consecutive win in the tournament after a 3-1 win over Guatemala in Chicago on July 9.
Combined with Mexico's 0-0 draw with Guatemala in the nightcap in Arizona, the undefeated Strike Force lead the four team group with six points to Mexico's four and one game remaining. Both goals against Cuba came in the first half from Sheldon Bateu (KV Mechelen of Belgium) in the 17th minute and Andre Boucaud in the 42nd minute. Andre Boucaud was born and raised in England and has spent his entire professional career in the lower divisions, but has been a key in midfield for Trinidad and Tobago (the home of his parents) since 2013.
Boucaud was first capped in 2004 but after six caps that year, he was not recalled for another nine years—spending much of his time in the Conference with Kettering Town, York City and Luton Town - until his recall in 2013.
Boucaud (30) spent three seasons with Notts County in League 1 joining Dagenham & Redbridge in League 2 last season.
After the game Boucaud, despite earning his second yellow card of the tournament and due to sit out the last group match versus Mexico, was ecstatic with the win.
"It was a great win, a fantastic win and pushed us through to the quarterfinals."
Boucaud has been an important defensive midfielder for former Canadian national team coach Stephen Hart since taking the post of his native country in June of 2013. Boucaud said of Hart: "I think Stephen is a great coach. Since he's come in, we've done extremely well with the resources he's had. I believe if we continue working hard and progressing, by World Cup time we will have a good chance."
Boucaud was out of contract with Dagenham & Redbridge at the end of the 2014-15 season, but just re-upped for two years. He explained: "In England you can't afford to turn things down because some players who have played a good standard of football have struggled to find teams."
Another U.K. based player who is instrumental in Trinidad & Tobago's revival - hoping to make the World Cup in Russia for the second time ever (after 2006) is forward Kenwyne Jones.
Now at Cardiff City, Jones was a member of that inaugural T&T World Cup team in Germany, playing in their first match against England. He went on to play in the Premier League with Sunderland and Stoke City. While on loan at the tail end of last season, Jones helped Bournemouth secure promotion.
The 30-year-old national team captain compared this squad to his 2006 World Cup side: "The team in 2006 was a more experienced, more aged squad than we have now. We have plenty of youth, which is a good thing that they get experience now in tournaments like this, putting us in good stead in the future. Jones said that he has one season left with Cardiff but it is now the transfer season and anything can happen."
Coach Hart said that he was not intimidated by the thought of playing regional power Mexico in their next match, admitting that his team was not at their level: "If you want to qualify for the World Cup, you must play and get a result against teams like Mexico."
He said their two tournament victories so far were: "Important for the people of Trinidad, for young players and for football in the country. It's important to get to the World Cup. I'm happy with the players. They believed in me and I showed faith in them and we were rewarded with the victory."
Trinidad and Tobago will play Mexico on Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina and then will meet a yet to be determined opponent in the quarterfinals next Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women's football. Get your copy today.
Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey
Photo Courtesy of Arianna Grainey
