Young Soca Warriors head coach Shawn Cooper is hopeful that his team can secure Trinidad and Tobago’s third FIFA Under-17 World Cup berth by overcoming Costa Rica in their decisive final group fixture at the Concacaf Under-17 Men’s qualifiers.

With both teams level on seven points, Costa Rica currently holds the top spot due to their superior goal difference, making Sunday’s clash at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto a must-win encounter for Trinidad and Tobago.

A victory would send the Twin Island Republic to another Under-17 World Cup following feats in 2001 and 2007, while a draw could see Costa Rica advance on goal difference or open the door for Guyana (five points) to snatch the qualification spot if they defeat the British Virgin Islands by a wide margin.

Despite his team’s emphatic 9-0 win over Sint Maarten in their penultimate group B game, Cooper believes they must significantly improve to stand a chance against the well-organized Costa Rican side.

“As I said, any number of goals (against Sint Maarten) would not have mattered; it's the performance of the team that matters. At the end of the day, we have to play Costa Rica, and it's a do-or-die situation,” Cooper emphasized.

Costa Rica, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Guyana in their last match, have a goal difference of +17 compared to T&T’s +11, meaning a draw will not be enough for the young Soca Warriors. Cooper acknowledged the challenge ahead but remains optimistic.

“(Costa Rica) are very dynamic, and they're a very well-oiled team. They look very experienced and well-prepared. It's going to be a tough game, but we're up for it,” he added.

Although Trinidad and Tobago ran riot against Sint Maarten, scoring five goals in a frantic 12-minute spell to end the match, their sluggish start and misplaced passes concerned Cooper. Josiah Kallicharan netted a hat-trick in that game.

"I thought we took too long to settle down, and then we didn't exploit the high line they were playing. We just tried to overplay and complicate the game," he admitted.

"Our general game has to improve. We can't play like this and go up against Costa Rica in the final game. We'll do what we have to do and see how it plays out," Cooper noted.

With the pressure mounting, Cooper hopes his players can rise to the occasion, implement their learnings from the tournament, and deliver a performance worthy of World Cup qualification.

"All in all, I think we have a good grouping and we're now starting to gel, and I hope we can cross the final hurdle," he concluded.