Trinidad and Tobago no stranger when it comes to breaking Canadian soccer hearts

The numbers favour the Canadian men in Saturday's high-stakes Copa America qualifier with Trinidad and Tobago in Frisco, Texas.

Canada is ranked 50th in the world, compared to No. 96 for Trinidad. And the Canadians' all-time record against Trinidad is a commanding 7-2-2.

But the Soca Warriors have broken Canadian soccer hearts before.

On Sept. 3, 2000, before a sun-drenched crowd at Port-of-Spain's Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad thumped Canada 4-0 to end its bid to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. Current Trinidad coach Angus Eve provided the final nail in the Canadian coffin, scoring in the 90th minute to complete the rout.

"I had some good times as a player against them. We had some bad times (too)," Eve said Friday.

Canada had been dealt a tough hand in the penultimate round of CONCACAF qualifying, placed in a group with Mexico, Panama and Trinidad. And Canada found its back to the wall ahead of the game in Port-of-Spain, having opened the round by losing 2-0 to Trinidad in Edmonton, drawing 0-0 in Panama and losing 2-0 in Mexico City.

The World Cup qualifying elimination, with two games remaining, came just six months after coach Holger Osieck's team shocked the soccer world by winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The game was front-page news in Trinidad with fans packing the stadium hours in advance. It was a cultural event as much as a sporting one.

Twenty-four years later, Trinidad midfielder Andre Rampersad is hoping to trigger more celebrations back home.

"If we can get through this game Saturday, it's going to be huge for Trinidad and Tobago football, putting Trinidad and Tobago on the map," he said.

Eve called the Canada game "an opportunity that we don't want to miss out on because we may never have this chance again "

"It's a massive game for us," he added.

Also an opportunity to change the news cycle back home, Trinidad has been rocked by violence recently with 10 people killed in a period of just over 48 hours.

"Our country's normally a really beautiful place," said Eve. "And we want to represent the people and represent the beauty of our country.

"So we are taking this game as an opportunity to represent every person who has fallen in the last couple of years, based on the type of violence that is going on in our country."

Rampersad, who is captain of the CPL's Halifax Wanderers, says a 2-1 win over the United States in November was a "big confidence-booster" for his team.

"Going into this game against Canada, of course now we know we can actually beat a big team. So yeah, that's going to help us, for sure."

"Everyone is ready to go. Everyone is excited," he added. "I think guys are confident."

The Soca Warriors are led by midfielder Levi Garcia, who plays in Greece for AEK Athens.

"He's a great leader," said Rampersad.

He pointed to Garcia's performance in a 6-0 loss to the U.S. last July in Charlotte at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

"Even though we were down and out, getting smashed, he was still trying his best," said Rampersad. "And that's all you can ask in a great leader. He's definitely shown that by example."

Gacia also makes those around him shine. He set the table for Rampersad's lone national team goal to date, sending in a low cross that Rampersad flicked home with a nifty backheel in a 4-1 loss to Jamaica that preceded the U.S. Gold Cup defeat.

Canada and Trinidad fell into Saturday's play-in after losing CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals to Jamaica and the U.S., respectively.

Making the Copa is considered crucial for Canada, a valuable opportunity to play elite teams as it starts its buildup towards the 2026 World Cup. Plus 2026 co-hosts Mexico and the U.S. are already qualified as Nations League quarterfinal winners, as is No. 44 Panama.

No. 15 Mexico and the 13th-ranked U.S. meet in Sunday's Nations League final in Arlington, Texas.

The Canada-Trinidad winner slots into Group A at this summer's Copa America alongside top-ranked Argentina, No. 33 Peru and No. 42 Chile. No. 54 Costa Rica plays No. 78 Honduras on Saturday, also in Frisco, to decided the sixth CONCACAF guest team in the 16-team field.

Canada won 2-0 the last time it met Trinidad, in August 2012 in Lauderhilll, Fla. Canada was ranked 79th at the time while Trinidad was No. 80.

The Soca Warriors are coming off a pair of friendlies against Jamaica, losing 1-0 on March 1 before playing to a scoreless draw two days later.

Rampersad is joined on the Trinidad squad by CPL newcomer Reon Moore, a forward who signed with Pacific FC earlier this month.

---

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 22, 2024.