Trinidad & Tobago (pictured) will host Ecuador in the second leg of their intercontinental playoff for a place in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup on December 2, 2012. (Photo: Mexsport)
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – With history beckoning, Trinidad & Tobago will be gunning for outright victory on Tuesday, when it hosts Ecuador in the second leg of their intercontinental playoff for a place in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
A draw with goals will see the South Americans qualify, while a second straight scoreless stalemate will trigger extra time and, possibly, penalties. Trinidad head coach Randy Waldrum, however, is hoping to avoid all these scenarios.
“We have to expect a win,” said Waldrum. “We want a victory. Anything short of that will be a disappointment for everybody involved. But even so, this team has done extremely, extremely well.
“Because of how the first stage tied 0-0, I think you’ll see a game that will be fairly open. A tie with goals scored works for them, but a tie with no goals scored, and we still have to play more.”
The Houston Dash manager also believes that both teams will mix attacking prowess with an abundance of caution as they press for the ideal result at Hasely Crawford Stadium.
“If they (the Ecuadorians) had won by multiple goals, they could come and sit in a bit,” Waldrum added. “So, I think you’ll see them try to go get the game, and I think you will see from us, obviously, try to go get the win.”
“I think you will see both teams be smart about going and feeling each other out a bit early on. But, I don’t think you’ll see either team really sitting back.”
The road has been a long one for the Soca Princesses. They battled their way to the final four at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship in the United States last October, falling on penalty kicks to Costa Rica in the semifinals and losing to Mexico in the match for third place.
After undergoing intense preparation over the past week, the Caribbean champion is understandably champing at the bit.
“We’re ready,” Waldrum concluded. “We’re kind of at that point where we are just anxious to get into it.
“It’s undoubtedly the biggest women’s football match in T&T’s history.”
