COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – While Sunday’s match against Mexico in Estadio Azteca looms as a battle between CONCACAF powerhouses, the US national team’s match against Trinidad & Tobago on Thursday night (8 pm ET | FS1, UniMas, UDN) will be a battle in its own right – and not just because every Hexagonal match has the high stakes of a World Cup berth in the balance.
“We certainly understand the significance of this game,” US head coach Bruce Arena said in Wednesday afternoon’s pre-match press conference. “We believe we have to win the game. I believe our opponent would be glad to walk away with a point, and would certainly be elated with three points.”
He added that the game would be challenging, noting the Soca Warriors “will come in here organized and try to frustrate us, perhaps try to take advantage of set pieces with their good size.”
It also helps that several of the key players for the visitors have been logging quality minutes of late against capped USMNT players in MLS. Forward and captain Kenwyne Jones has seen increased playing time for Atlanta United since Josef Martinez suffered an injury during international duty back in late March. Kevin Molino, following a breakout 2016 season for Orlando City, has emerged as Minnesota United’s most dynamic attacker in the team’s debut MLS campaign. And Joevin Jones has started all but one of the Sounders’ matches this season, and is currently tied for the team lead in assists.
US captain Michael Bradley, familiar with Trinidad’s physical play from past international encounters, knows they’re not to be overlooked.
“We’ve stressed for 10 days that the focus has to be Trinidad,” he said. “They’re a good team. They’re dangerous in their own ways. We are not in any way looking past tomorrow night.”
“Obviously, Kenwyne Jones is a handful and we all know him well,” Bradley continued. “We would imagine they’ll be pretty determined to keep things tight and make things hard on us, and then when they win balls, they’ll try to play it up to him. He’s strong, he holds things well, he does a really good job of making contact first.”
He also complimented Molino and Joevin Jones, who he knows well from MLS as well as CONCACAF, for being “good on the dribble with their speed and their technical ability. They can put you on your back foot.”
While Trinidad & Tobago currently sits sixth in the Hex standings, they’re only one point below the fourth-place US team and fifth-place Honduras – a fact that’s not lost on Arena.
“They won a game against Panama,” said Arena, referring to the team’s 1-0 home win March 24. “They’re right back in the hunt. I would have to think they believe if they’re playing against the United States and get a result, they’re still positioned to qualify for the World Cup.”
“I think we’re going to play compact as a team and make it difficult for them,” Joevin Jones said after practice yesterday. “I think it’s going to be a difficult game for both teams.”
“The only thing on our minds is three points,” added Kenwyne Jones. “It’s important to us, and we know it’s important to the US, too. But I think it’s more important to us.”
Though Arena’s encouraged by what he’s seen from his group in training, he’s still looking for the team to improve from its most recent outing, a 1-1 friendly draw against Venezuela in Rio Tinto Stadium last Saturday.
“We were a little bit sloppy, certainly in the attack, and we didn’t create the kind of chances that we’re capable of creating,” he said. “There are a few changes we’ve made that will certainly make it look better tomorrow night. I’m hopeful that the slight adjustments we’re making are going to produce some increased opportunities in goal.”
