Sport

Warner sacks TT coach

Trinidad and Tobago's Silvio Span (R) fights for the ball with Costa Rica's player Walter Centeno during their World Cup qualifying match in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad yesterday. - Reuters

PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD (AP)

BERTILLE ST. CLAIRE was fired as coach of the Trinidad and Tobago soccer team and will be replaced by an unidentified European coach, the head of the local football federation said yesterday.

Trinidad and Tobago are last in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, following a 0-0 tie with Costa Rica yesterday after losses against the United States and Guatemala.

"I am not dissatisfied with St. Claire. He did the best within his limitations, but it's time to move to a higher level and that time is now," Trinidad's soccer boss and FIFA vice president, Jack Warner, said in an interview with local TV6 following yesterday's game.

"I have already completed negotiations with a new foreign coach," Warner added. "He is European, highly respected and of international acclaim."

Warner would not say when the new coach will arrive in Trinidad, but assured his name will be revealed in the next few days.

He said the new coach will head May's training camp in preparation for June's qualifying match in Panama.

Costa Rica enjoyed long periods of possession and goalkeeper Alvaro Mesen thwarted the handful of efforts mustered by Trinidad, including a strong header by substitute Nigel Pierre in the 75th minute.

Twisting attempt

Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke also had a half chance blocked by a defender's leg on a twisting attempt and Stern John hit fierce drive directly at Mensen in the 90th minute.

The draw gave Costa Rica four points after three games and left it in the middle of the pack of the six-team standings. The top three teams are guaranteed places in the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany while the fourth-placed team will face off against an Asian side for another berth.

Trinidad remained in last place after a home loss to the United States and a 5-1 defeat by Guatemala on Saturday.

The match was played at a hectic pace from the start, but neither team had absolute control in the soaring heat at Hasely Crawford stadium.

In the 24th minute, Trinidad goalkeeper Clayton Ince raced off his line to block a close-range effort by Alonso Solis, who burst in on goal after a dummy run by Whayne Wilson.

Ince also blocked Wilson shortly after that.

Beside Pierre's shot, Trinidad's best chance came when defender David Atiba Charles ventured down the right flank with a swerving run and hit an accurate low cross, that a surprised Cornell Glenn couldn't handle, missing a stab at goal from near the penalty spot.