Brian Haynes (left) and John Wall
(Photos: TTFA)
While pleased with aspects of their team’s display in the first warm-up contest, Trinidad and Tobago’s Under-20 Men’s Head coach Brian Haynes and his Jamaican counterpart John Wall are optimistic of a more efficient display from their respective units when the two teams meet again on Thursday.
The young Soca Warriors edged the young Reggae Boyz 3-2 in the first contest at the University of TT, O'Meara Campus recently, with Lindell Sween, Levi Jones and Michael Chaves on target for the hosts, while Jahmani Bell and Demarion Harris, pulled things back for Jamaica.
That contest, both coaches believe, not only provided the impetus needed to finalize selection of their respective squads for next month’s Caribbean phase of the Concacaf Under-20 Men’s Championships, as they only had a few training sessions prior, which doesn’t necessarily assist in highlighting the true competitive nature and, by extension, cohesiveness of the teams.
Haynes expressed satisfaction with the progress of his players, especially as he explored different combinations.
"As far as I am concerned the exercise was good. Nobody's hurt, thank God. The guys worked hard and the main group, the group that started, they did what we wanted them to do, and I thought the guys that came in did a good job as well,” Haynes said.
"I commend the Jamaica team for coming down and giving us a good game, because this is what we need and this is what they need and hopefully this propels us to keep playing at the level I know we can,” he added.
Still, no performance is ever perfect, and as such, Haynes said the objective remains to strengthen their flaws in all areas to ensure that the young Soca Warriors not only prove more formidable in the next game, but also against their more illustrious opponents in future fixtures.
Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica will lock horns in the second warm-up encounter on Thursday at Larry Gomes Stadium at 4:00 pm.
For the upcoming tournament, Haynes’s side will host Group D which includes Canada, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines with only the group winner set to progress.
"There are things we have to work on, but right now I am really happy with the result for the boys,” Haynes noted.
Wall echoed similar sentiments, even as the young Reggae Boyz held Police FC’s youth team to a goalless stalemate in another encounter.
"The whole idea of these games is to create relationships and a common understanding on our game model. So, there are instances where we are kind of pleased with what we saw and for me it’s the bigger picture of getting ourselves ready and competitive for the tournament,” Wall shared.
"One of the core non-negotiables that we have is that no matter what, we don’t give up because we are playing for our nation which is a big responsibility. So, there are areas we need to improve on with regards to our pressing, counter-pressing and some other technical things in that region,” he reasoned.
Wall’s side will contest Group F with Bermuda, Grenada and Martinique in St Kitts and Nevis in the upcoming tournament.
After round-robin play in the Concacaf qualifying opening round between February 23 and March 2, the group winners will progress to the Championship round to join the six pre-seeded nations – United States, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic –ranked in that order.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Lay's named official FIFA World Cup 26 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 sponsor
Lay’s, a brand that has been bringing people together for generations, is building on its commitment to celebrating soccer fandom by becoming an Official snack of both the FIFA World Cup 26™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. The exciting new partnership brings together two titans – the world’s favorite chip brand and the world’s biggest and most popular single sporting event for men and women – to spread the joy of the game to millions of fans worldwide. As Official Sponsor, Lay’s, alongside an iconic portfolio of food brands including Doritos®, Cheetos®, Tostitos®, Ruffles®, Quaker® and Gamesa®, will bring fans closer to the game than ever before with exclusive experiences, merchandise, consumer activations and more.
“Partnering with FIFA marks a significant milestone for our business and ambition to embed Lay’s and our extended portfolio of food brands deeper into football culture,” said Jane Wakely, Chief Consumer and Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer, International Foods – Lay’s. “Football is one of the world's biggest passion points, and this historic partnership allows us to bring the excitement and reach of the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup together with the joy and fun of our iconic brands across the world.”
On announcing the deal, FIFA President, Gianni Infantino said: “We’re delighted to extend this partnership with Lay’s and strengthen our collaboration as we head into a historic period for FIFA and the wider soccer community. After being involved in the last FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup, we’re proud that Lay’s has shared in our trust, vision, and ideas for the development of the global game and has joined us on this journey into the future. Together, we will create special experiences for fans worldwide.”
The FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the first edition to feature 48 teams and to be hosted across three countries – United States, Mexico and Canada – while the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will be held in South America for the first time in 2027. With the two tournaments set to make history, Lay’s is joining the hype by rewarding soccer fans in new and unexpected ways. The brand will break new ground in 2026 by recognizing and rewarding the “Fan of the Match” at every match, spotlighting those in the stands whose passion and energy bring the beautiful game to life, and providing them with one-of-a-kind experiences.
Additionally, Lay’s, and the full portfolio of food brands, will engage fans on a global scale via in-store and digital promotions leading up to the FIFA World Cup 26™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. The brands will also be prominently featured on the pitch during every match through LED stadium display board exposure, press conference backdrops, as well as products sold across concession stands. Going beyond the stadiums, Lay’s and the iconic food portfolio will deliver immersive consumer experiences at FIFA official fan zones across host cities.
Lay’s has established a strong legacy with FIFA and the world of soccer fandom. The brand has led massive culture-defining initiatives, including the No Lay’s, No Game platform, which has created viral moments with soccer mega-stars like David Beckham and Thierry Henry. The legendary duo, earlier this year, stunned an entire stadium of 75,000 cheering fans as they orchestrated an epic hunt for Lay’s. The brand additionally launched the instantly iconic Oh Lay’scampaign which took the traditional “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé” mantra and put a Lay’s twist on it with the help of the G.O.A.T., Lionel Messi.
Gasperini wary of Arsenal ahead of Champions League opener
Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledges Thursday's Champions League meeting with Arsenal will be a difficult challenge for his Atalanta side following a mixed start to their Serie A campaign.
Atalanta sit eighth in the Italian top flight with two wins and two defeats from their first four games of 2024-25, having beaten Fiorentina 3-2 in a thriller on Sunday.
La Dea twice trailed to goals from Lucas Martinez Quarta and Moise Kean, only to fight back for victory with Mateo Retegui, Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman scoring.
Gasperini led Atalanta to Europa League glory last season, and they are preparing to step up to the revamped Champions League, with Arsenal the visitors for their first league-phase match next week.
Gasperini knows the Gunners will provide a huge test, telling DAZN: "It's not just their aerial power, it's the way they run and move the ball. They have fantastic dynamism.
"Arsenal are a great reference point in England, they dominated the Premier League last season along with Manchester City and Liverpool.
"We have never played against them and I think they will be a big test for us because of their intensity, quality and pace.
"We’re not used to teams with those characteristics, this could be a problem for us."
Gasperini also expressed frustration with the recent international break, noting that it had complicated efforts to prepare the team for their European campaign.
"Having the break for international duty was not helpful, as so many of them left again straight away," he said.
"I think first of all this team needs to find solidity, get those mechanisms running smoothly."
Newcastle's comeback triumph a 'big step forward', says Howe
Eddie Howe believes Newcastle took a huge step in the right direction as they continued their strong start to the Premier League season with a comeback victory over Wolves.
Mario Lemina had given the visitors a half-time lead, but two goals in five minutes from Fabian Schar and Harvey Barnes saw the Magpies move up to third in the early-season standings.
Having taken 10 points from their first four games, Newcastle have now made their best start to a Premier League campaign since the 1995-96 season, when they won each of their opening four matches under Kevin Keegan.
Newcastle's powers of recovery have been evident already this season, with the Magpies picking up four points from losing positions so far, with only Manchester City (six) recovering more.
And with rumours of unrest behind the scenes at St. James' Park circulating, Howe acknowledged the magnitude of the triumph as they aim to return to the Champions League places this year.
"Massive win for us. Away from home, we have questions to answer and that is a big step forward for us," Howe said.
"I think we are stepping forward in terms of our performances. I think it was a step in the right direction.
"We can improve in lots of different aspects and that is what we are going to be working on this week. We are a really tight-knit group and we have to remain that way."
But the shift in momentum during the encounter at Molineux came after the break, when Howe made three changes to try and alter his side's fortunes.
Alexander Isak and Sean Longstaff were among those to be replaced, making way for goalscorer Barnes and Sandro Tonali, with the Magpies head coach detailing the reasons behind his decision.
"I wasn't totally satisfied and the lads know they have to perform. We have the ability to make those changes," Howe stated.
"I have to credit the players who came on. Everyone played their part and it is a massive win.
"I got the sense [of urgency] at the start of the half and then there was bit of a lull and Fabian's goal injected confidence.
"It took a moment of real class from Harvey and then we had cramp and all of those battling qualities at the end to get over the line."
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