King: We were naive against Bolivia

Trinidad and Tobago men's football team interim coach Derek King admitted that his team was naive in their friendly clash with Bolivia on March 15, and felt three mistakes eventually cost them the game in a 3-0 loss at the Ramon Tahuichi Aguilera Stadium, Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 

TT were under the pump early in the friendly, which fell outside the Fifa international match window, with goalkeeper Jabari Brice making at least three saves before the deadlock was eventually broken in the 23rd minute with a header from Bolivia captain Luis Haquin. With the visitors facing incessant pressure in the first half, the busy Juan Godoy made it 2-0 in the 38th minute, before Fernando Nava scored the home team's third in the 51st minute. 

A bit too late: Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Jabari Brice retrieves the ball in vain after Bolivia netted the opening goal in their March 15 friendly. Photos courtesy TTFA

TT set up defensively in what resembled a 5-3-2 shape, with the centre back trio of Darnell Hospedales, Alvin Jones, and Jesse Williams having to deal with numerous crosses in the area. In midfield, the pair of Shervohnez Hamilton and captain Andre Rampersad found the going tough and struggled to connect with playmaker Joevin Jones to give TT any semblance of control. 

When his team did have the ball, King felt they weren't brave enough. 

"In the first half, we were a bit naive. In the sense that we didn't put down the football and play," King said, at the post-match presser.

"I told the guys that Bolivia at home will always be difficult, a team that's preparing to play their playoff game (to try and qualify for the World Cup). For the first 20 minutes, I told them we had to stay in the game." 

King said the first goal was a soft one to concede, but he appeared to cut his team some slack due to the inexperience of some of the players at this level. 

Trinidad and Tobago's Alvin Jones (L) and Shervohnez Hamilton try to contain Bolivia forward Juan Godoy. 

"All in all, I think the guys did well. It's a very young team we brought here. You want to win all the games, but it's a really young team. Five players made their debuts today as well. We saw some positives in the game coming from the younger players," he said. 

The five players to debut for the visitors on the day were: Brice; Elijah Cordner; Jaheim Faustin; Addae Paponette, and 18-year-old defender Adam "Toka" Pierre, who had a relatively decent showing at centre back after coming on late in the first half. Brice and Paponette both started. Paponette was a non-factor in a striking role as TT rarely got into promising positions in the final third, with Brice arguably being one of the reasons why the score wasn't more lopsided. 

The newcomers aside, it's not to say the TT starting XI was lacking experience. Brothers Alvin and Joevin Jones have over 160 caps between them, while the trio of Ross Russell Jr, Ryan Telfer, and Rampersad all have north of 20 caps for the national team. 

Trinidad and Tobago men's team interim coach Derek King gives instructions to debutant Addae Paponette (L) during the friendly against Bolivia. 

After being appointed as the team's interim coach on March 6, King said he had just three days to prepare the team for the friendly. And though the scoreline may not reflect such, he maintained that the outing wasn't an exercise in futility. 

"I think we came up against a well-prepared team. Players playing with professional clubs, especially in the Bolivian league," the interim coach said. "What you saw there were guys playing at the international level for the first time. This was a good game for us to expose the younger players and show them the physical demands of international football. 

"They did well. We have plenty to work on. As I told them, when you make a mistake, it will cost you. We made three mistakes, and they cost us the game as well." 

It remains to be seen how many players will be retained for TT's upcoming games in the Fifa Series against Venezuela and Gabon on March 27 and 30, respectively.