Thank you for joining us here for the first match of this Gold Cup Doubleheader. My name is Afshin Zahraee. See you over at the next LIVE!
Please don't forget to head on over and check out our coverage of Mexico vs. Cuba Live right here: https://www.vavel.com/en-us/soccer/511829-mexico-vs-cuba-live-result-stream-of-2015-gold-cup-soccer-scores-0-0.html
The local Chicago Fire player and Trinidad and Tobago Midfielder/Defender Joevin Jones has been named Man of the Match.
90+5': The final whistle blows as Trinidad and Tobago have handily defeated Guatemala 3-1.
90+3': Trinidad and Tobago have all men behind the ball as they anchor down to hold for victory.
90': Fourth official Mark Geiger has indicated five minutes of stoppage time.
90': This Guatamalan attack is ferocious but a story of too little too late.
89': Marco Pappa plays a pretty through ball into the area and goalie Jan Micheal is alert to come out and dive on it. He and Carlos Ruiz are both down in pain after their collision.
88': MISS!! Ball is played in to Marco Pappa who gathers it at the top of the box, takes a few dribbles, and drills it inches wide of the left post. Carlos Ruiz also inches away from tapping it in.
87': Edgar Chinchilla goes down in the box. Referee John Pitti quickly tells him to get up and play on.
85': Guatemala pushing forward but their attacks continue to be turned away in the final third. Trinidad and Tobago are content with dropping back and clearing the ball right now.
80': YELLOW CARD!! Andre Boucaud is shown a yellow for Trinidad and Tobago for time wasting. This is Trinidad and Tobago's fourth yellow card of the match.
80': Trinidad and Tobago are making a substituion. Lester Peltier comes on for Joevin Jones.
77': A dangerous attack from Guatemala has come up just short. Jose Contreras' pass across the box is JUST missed by Carlos Ruiz, who would have had an open net tap in. Trinidad and Tobago are on their heels.
76': A shot from Willis Plaza from just outside of the box is caught and handled easily by keeper Ricardo Jerez.
74': YELLOW CARD!! Another yellow card to Guatemala. This one is issued to Wilson Lalin for a dangerous challenge.
73': YELLOW CARD!! A yellow card is issued, this time to Guatemala's Carlos Ruiz.
73': A Marco Pappa corner harmlessly flies across the box untouched and goes out of bounds on the other side of the field. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago's Daniel Cyrus is slow to get up.
70': Play continues as Guatemala makes their final substitution. In comes Forward Edgar Chinchilla for Midfielder Kendel Herrarte.
69': Sheldon Bateau is down on the ground and being tended too after Marco Pappa's hand unintentionally caught him in the face on a collision.
67': YELLOW CARD! Trinidad and Tobago's Khaleem Hyland has been shown a yellow card for a dangerous challenge.
66': Guatemala break out on a counter attack and Carlos Ruiz finds Kendel Herrarte whose cross is come out and met by Jan Michael.
65': Guatemala have been energinzed and found new life since cutting into the Trinidad and Tobago lead. Their runs are now more pacey and crisp. Trinidad and Tobago need to be careful.
62': GOAALLL!!! Guatemala has finally found the back of the net. Minor Lopez makes his mark felt as he flicks a header forward to Carlos Ruiz who buries it past Jan Michael. Trinidad and Tobago now leads 3-1.
60': MISS!! Kendel Herrarte blasts an ambitious shot from about 30 yards out. Jan Michael doesn't even move as it flies wide right of the Trinidad and Tobago goal.
59': A ball is played in by Kendel Herrarte. Jan Michael gets a touch of the ball to deflect it wide of an oncoming Guatemalan forward.
57': Ball is played in to Kenwyne Jones but a fantastic defensive effort by Carlos Mejia, who is much shorter than the aforementioned Jones clears Guatemala from danger.
56': The offensive substitution seems to have paid off for Guatemala as they've come out with a renewed sense of attack. They still have a deep hole to dig out of in just over half an hour.
52': Jose Contreras plays a tricky ball on the ground across the box and Marco Pappa's effort goes just over Jan Michael's hand and the crossbar.
51': YELLOW CARD! Radanfah Abu Bakr is shown a yellow card caution for his hard foul.
51': Minor Lopez is taken down by Radanfah Abu Bakr. Advantage is played as the ball goes off the hand of Shelden Bateau and Guatemala have another dangerous free kick just outside of the top right corner of the 18 yard box.
49': Guatemala are awarded a free kick from 25 yards out but Carlos Ruiz sails one well over the bar much to his teammates' shagrin.
46': We are back under way. Guatemala with one substituion, bringing on Forward Minor Lopez for Midfielder Jonathan Marquez.
The teams are back on the pitch.
Halftime: Trinidad and Tobago 3, Guatemala 0.
46+1': The halftime whistle mercifully blows for Guatemala as they shockingly go into the locker room down 0-3 to Trinidad and Tobago in this Group C opener.
43': Kenwyne Jones lays the ball off for Khaleem Hyland, whose shot just outside of the box is deflected wide left by a defender for a corner as a Trinidad and Tobago fan just outside the press box yells, "Let's get one more before half!"
42': Guatemala are finally able to get the ball to their playmaker, Marco Pappa, but he is immediately closed in on by Joevin Jones and Aubrey David. Trinidad and Tobago have targeted to shut him down as soon as he touches the ball.
39': Guatemala has no answers for Trinidad and Tobago's powerful forwards. The Soca Warriors have been closer to a fourth goal than Guatemala to their first.
37': A cross finds Kenwyne Jones and his shot is richocheted wide after a tremedous stop from Ricardo Jerez. Off the corner and after some pinball action in the box, Kenwyne Jones and Ricardo Jerez collide again and the ball goes just wide. Jerez is down with the medical team looking at him.
36': A great chance for Trinidad and Tobago goes just wide! Joevin Jones slotted a pass to Atualla Guerra and his effort barely misses the target.
35': Guatemala finally found a way to counter but Daniel Cyrus took down the attacker and forces referee John Pitti to show the first yellow card caution of the night.
32': A Marco Pappa free kick aimed for Carlos Ruiz is waffleboarded away by Trinidad and Tobago. They speed down for a counter attack but Atualla Guerra's pass for Cordell Cato is just overshot.
28': As the ball is played back to the Guatemala center backs, Enoc Vasquez looks incredibly shaky getting the ball away.
27': Guatemala needs to find a way to stop the bleeding. They are being bossed by the Trinidad and Tobago midfield and can't string together more than 3 or 4 passes. Meanwhile. the Soca Warriors look sharp.
26': GOOOAAALLL!!! Trinidad and Tobago finds the net for a third time within the first half hour! Chicago Fire local player Joevin Jones' pass to Cordell Cato is met by keeper Ricardo Jerez. The rebound trickles back to Jones and he buries it.
24': A pacey run down the left wing and cross by Kendel Herrarte finds it's way right into the hands of keepr Jan Michael. Trinidad and Tobago come back the other way and a long volley meets the leg of Kenwyne Jones and his effort goes just high and wide. Great end to end action!
23': A long throw in for Trinidad and Tobago finds Atualla Guerra holding the ball up in the box, but it's defended out by Guatemala for another Trinidad and Tobago corner.
20': Guatemala are pushing up but Trinidad and Tobago have taken a strong defensive shape with two walls of four holding strong in front of keeper Jan Michael.
15': ANOTHER GOAL FOR TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO!! Cordell Cato is played through, dribbles around keeper Ricardo Jerez, and slots it into an open net to put Trinidad and Tobago up 2-0.
11': GOAL!!! Sheldon Bateau gets on the end of the corner and puts it home for Trinidad and Tobago. The assist goes to Khaleem Hyland. It's 1-0 Trinidad and Tobago early in this one!
10': Guatemala's most threatening chance to this point on a corner is blown dead on a foul by Carlos Ruiz. Trinidad and Tobago come the other way and win another corner.
9': The crowd here is sparse and late arriving but very loud as each attack is thwarted away by good defensive play. Corner kick coming for Guatemala.
6': Kenwyne Jones works hard to get position in the box, but his cross is ricocheted aside for a corner kick. The corner leads to a great chance for Radanfah Abu Bakr but his header just goes wide.
4': Guatemala tries to play a ball over the top to Marco Pappa but he is ruled to be offsides by assistant referee Eric Boria.
2': The Soca Warriors get an indirect free kick in a dangerous area but the pass is overplayed and Guatemala fends it aside.
1': Trididad and Tobago get us started and we're under way in Chicago!
Here is the starting eleven for Trinidad & Tobago: (4-4-2) Michael; Bateau, Cyrus, David, Abu Bakr; Cato, K. George, J. Jones, Hyland; Guerra, K. Jones.
Here is the starting eleven for Guatemala: (3-4-3) Jerez; M. Hernandez, Lalin, Vasquez; Cincotta, Aparicio, Marquez, Herrate; Contreras, Pappa, Ruiz.
Kenwyne Jones leads the Soca Warriors out for warm ups. They will be wearing their red tops with black shorts tonight.
Guatemala has taken the field for warm ups. It looks like they will be wearing their white tops with a light blue sash across with white shorts.
How do you see our match Trinidad and Tobago - Guatemala Live going? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below.
Second place in Group C seems up for grabs and this showdown will go a long way in determining such. Trinidad and Tobago's best finish in the Gold Cup came in 2000 when they snatched third place, while Guatemala's best results was fourth place in 1996. While neither are expected to make it nearly that far this time around, a shot at history for the aforementioned nations begins tonight at 6pm central on Fox Sports 2.
Keep an eye on the defense for Guatemala. They do not have much international experience averaging just 13.8 cap between them. Their most experience player is 23-year-old Elias Vasquez of Real Salt Lake. He has 29 caps for the national team.
This will likely be the last international run for Carlos Ruiz who will turn 36 this year. The greatest Guatemalan player of all time is closer to the end of his career but look for him to still have a huge impact for the team.
Fans of the LA Galaxy should watch this Guatemala team with intent. 10 of the 23 players on the squad play for national giant Comunicaciones, who will square off with the Galaxy in this edition of the CONCACAF Champions League.
Seattle Sounders midfielder Marco Pappa and national team legend Carlos Ruiz have ended their international boycott and are of obvious importance to a side struggling for attack. Players that may impress if other teams latch on to these stars include Jose Contreras of Comunicaciones and new recruit Stefano Cincotta.
Argentine manager Ivan Franco Sopegno can defend the defeats as he has been experimenting with different players and formations in preparation for this year's Gold Cup. The Guatemalan Press has criticized the manager for doing such, making this tournament important for a side that did not qualify for the 2013 edition.
Meanwhile, Guatemala are coming off a 4-0 defeat in a friendly against the tournament hosts, USA. Additionally, Los Chapines have been disposed of by Uruguay and Mexico 5-1 and 3-0 respectively in other lead up friendlies. All is not gloom and doom, though, as Guatemala advanced in World Cup qualifying after a 1-0 aggregate win against Bermuda.
Another young player to keep your eye on is Joevin Jones of the Chicago Fire. He has earned 40 caps at age 23 and will be playing in front of his ‘hometown’ tonight in Chicago. He is a player with pace that could stretch the Guatemala defense.
Keep an eye on this Trinidad squad, with Stephen Hart turning to the youth in his player pool, we could see them make another run in World Cup Qualifying in the next two cycles. Their defense is led by 24-year-old Daniel Cyrus who stands at 6-foot-3. Despite his young age, he has 41 caps for the Soca Warriors. He currently plays his football in Vietnam for Ha Noi T&T.
An interesting note about the Trinidad squad, they do not have any players older than 30 on the team. Goalkeeper Marvin Phillip is the oldest player on the team at 30 years old, Jan-Michael Williams and Kenwyne Jones are the other players at the tri decade mark.
Ataulla Guerra is arguably the one that pulls the strings in midfield and can really steer the Soca Warriors to a successful tournament if he can put aside timidness and inconsistencies in play. The tall midfielder is very mobile and can use both feet really well. His vision and assertiveness could go a long way in determining the outcome of the match.
"I think both Corbin and Winchester need to learn how to use their qualities better," Hart has said. "They are the type of players that have good pace and energy."
Head coach Stephen Hart will also need contributions from up and comers Rundell Winchester of Portland Timbers and goal-scoring threat midfielder Kadeem Corbin.
Trinidad and Tobago enter the match not having scored a goal in the 2015 calendar year, which comes as a bit of a shock considering the prowess of Cardiff striker and team captain Kenwyne Jones. The goalless drought includes matches against Jordan, Curacao, Panama, Jamaica, and Cuba. As a matter of fact, the last time the Soca Warriors scored was against French Guyana in November of 2014.
This match will be the first of a doubleheader tonight with the second match featuring the two other nations in the Group, Mexico and Cuba. The group has a clear favorite in Mexico and a likely group stepping mat in Cuba, making this match extremely important for qualification to the quarterfinals.
Good afternoon and welcome to VAVEL USA’s live coverage of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Our match tonight comes to you from Group C as Trinidad vs Tobago live squares off with Guatemala live from Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. My name is Afshin Zahraee and I will be your host for tonight’s action