Shaka Hislop, Soca Warrior hero
What a stirring match! The 1501:1 underdogs taking on the 40:1 Swedes and that too reduced to 10 men, with Avery John sent off a few ticks after half time. The tiniest nation to qualiy for the World Cup! And I know they must be celebrating in Port of Spain, in Richmond Hill, in Brixton, and in Germany amongst the thousands of Soca Warrior fans. A good ole bacchanal must be going on there!!
Shaka Hislop was magnificent in goal. Carlos Edwards played his guts out. And Dwight Yorke kept his men calm and collected. Each T&T man dug in deep and kept the Swedish onslaught of Allbeck, Ibrahamovic, Ljungberg, and Larsson out. Sweden should have gone up by at least a half dozen goals. But they were denied time and time again by Hislop and his crew of determined defenders. An amazing feat for a player who did not whether he was going to play and at the last minute stepped in for the injured Kelvin Jack.
Like many of the T&T players Shaka Hislop has US credentials having led Howard University to a NCAA title in 1988. There must be many in the US high fiving his performance.
Leo Beenhakker looked like a proud father as he turned to face the cheering thousands, to acknowledge the moment.
Congratulations to the Soca Warriors! The tiniest nation with the biggest heart! at the WC.