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Sports: Upstart Trinidad and Tobago draw Sweden Black Habits Articles DORTMUND, Germany -- Shaka Hislop, Dwight Yorke and Trinidad and Tobago did more than just show up at the World Cup. Despite playing nearly the entire second half a man down, the Soca Warriors played like they belong on soccer's biggest stage.

Hislop turned aside countless chances from heavily favoured Sweden, and Yorke provided a steadying influence on a besieged defence to help Trinidad post the first real surprise of this World Cup, a 0-0 draw Saturday night.

As the final whistle blew, the Trinidad players mobbed Hislop in his goal. After the dejected Swedes left the field, Yorke led his teammates to the stands, where they applauded their fans who had waited years for this game.

Sweden held a decided edge in experience and world-class talent, as well as the one-man advantage after Avery John was sent off in the 46th minute. But the Swedes couldn't end their opening-match funk.

Sweden, which has more players on its current squad from the 2002 World Cup than any other team in Germany, is winless in seven opening matches sine 1958, with two losses and five ties.

Trinidad and Tobago, the twin-island Caribbean nation with a population of 1.3 million, was the smallest country ever to reach the World Cup and needed to beat Bahrain in a playoff just to get here.

T&T's next game comes Thursday against England, the small country's former colonial ruler. Sweden will play Paraguay Thursday in its second game in Group B. England beat Paraguay 1-0 earlier Saturday.

Coach Leo Beenhakker used a defensive game plan, with Yorke playing back near the goal instead of his usual attacking spot. T&T got even more defensive after John was sent off for receiving his second yellow card, both for hard tackles on Christian Wilhelmsson.

But Hislop stepped up with big save after big save, including a sliding stop of Marcus Allback in the 80th minute that left the Swedes totally frustrated.

Despite playing with 10 men, Trinidad and Tobago got its best chance of the game when Stern John sent sub Cornell Glen loose down the right side. Glen put a rocket of a shot off the crossbar.

Sweden came right back and Zlatan Ibrahimovic got another chance in front of the net, but Hislop made a great reflex save to deflect it out.

Ibrahimovic, Henrik Larsson and Freddie Ljungberg created numerous scoring chances for the Swedes. But Hislop frustrated the pro-Swedish crowd with his sparkling play and deliberate, time-wasting moves in the second half, when it became clear T&T would be content with a draw.

Hislop came through with two key saves late in the first half, deflecting a 25-yard shot from Wilhelmsson over the crossbar in the 40th minute and making a diving stop off a half-volley from Ibrahimovic about two minutes later.

Yorke, a prolific scorer during his heyday, was used mostly in a defensive role as Beenhakker wanted his steadying influence in the back to contend with Sweden's talented forwards.

With starting defender Marvin Andrews sidelined with a strained left knee, Trinidad's defence was shaky in the beginning. But Yorke and Hislop, two of the most experienced players on the team, did what they needed to deny Sweden.

With Stern John often playing as the lone forward for Trinidad, the Soca Warriors had few chances against Sweden's backup goalie Rami Shaaban, playing for the injured Andreas Isaksson.

© Associated Press 2006
Posted on Monday, June 12 @ 12:46:26 UTC by jcohen



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