Caribbean Cup Debutants Brace for Swedish Baptism of Fire

If the team he coaches is a confident as Leo Beenhakker, then Trinidad and Tobago are set to give Sweden a rough ride in their first Group B game on Saturday. The Caribbean team coach believes that his players know him so well he does not need to tell them his side for the match in Dortmund that will kick-off T&T's first ever World Cup.

"They know who will start, I don't have to tell them, and they are not stupid," Beenhakker told reporters. "All they have to do is work out who is wearing which bib in training."

The Dutchman said he chose his first 11 last week but would not reveal it.

"Sorry but I have no bibs, so I can't let you work it out," he said.

Things may not be so clear cut, however. Beenhakker will have to make wholesale changes from the side that could only manage a 2-1 victory against German third division side St. Pauli on Monday.

One thing that's certain is captain Dwight Yorke's role in his country's first World Cup finals. Beenhakker expects a lot from the 34-year old Yorke, who will play between the midfield and the main striker. The European Cup winner, a champion with Manchester United in 1999 and once a pivotal striker is now enjoying a new lease of life as provider for striker Stern John.

"Dwight is a key player," he said. "He is crucial not just when we have the ball but when we don't have the ball. Football is like tennis, you must not allow any unforced errors, so you need to keep the ball. But if you do lose the ball it must not be in a crucial area."

Yorke himself carries the air of a player who has seen it all and done most of it.

"We are going to compete," he recently said of his team's chances. "We have a fifty-fifty chance like everybody else. We have been in situations where we were perhaps the better team and didn't get the results. It's eleven versus eleven and we are in Germany with that mentality."

Beenhakker and his team are looking to make the most of their first appearance at the World Cup after the small island nation waited 40 years to get to one.

"I think a lot of people will be surprised at what we will be able to do at the World Cup," he said. "This is a very good squad of players."

T&T coach hopes to make the wait worthwhile

The experienced Marvin Andrews in defense is expected to be the rock that many Swedish attacks will break against while goalkeeper Shaka Hislop brings a wealth of experience to the team between the posts after a career played almost exclusively in the high tempo English Premiership.

Sweden's midfield and defense will not only have to contend with the burly Stern John driving at them from the front and Yorke's late arrival from his deep lying position behind the front man but will also have to deal with the marauding runs of the lively Chris Birchall in midfield who will be allowed to roam freely.

The danger of a floating T&T midfielder may play into Sweden's hands, however. Swedish coach Lars Lagerback has assembled a team built to attack and against a team fielding a fluid center, players like Freddie Ljungberg, Daniel Anderson and Christian Wilhelmsson could overwhelm an overstretched T&T midfield on the break.

Given the opportunity, Sweden's rapid midfielders will tear down the flanks and send over crosses to the double aerial threat of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrik Larsson. Sweden's strikers are the focal point and most dangerous aspect of the Scandinavian team and with both players enjoying a spell of good form, T&T's defenders will have to be wide awake for the whole 90 minutes.

Barca star Larsson ready for one last hurrah

Larsson, another 34-year-old enjoying a new lease of life, is ready for what he believes will be his last World Cup after coming out of international retirement to help Sweden qualify in style.

"I feel as fit now as I did 10 years ago," said Larsson, the 2001 Golden Boot winner who has 34 international goals. "The older I get the stronger I get. The game against Trinidad & Tobago is very important for us and we must go out and do our very best. The goal must of course be that in the long run we can go all the way to the final. If you don't think that then you don't have anything to play for in a tournament like this. We are more or the less same players in the squad compared with four years ago which means more experience which is good for everyone in the squad."

Free-scoring Swedes hope to add to impressive goal tally

Lagerback's team had the highest goals per match ratio of any European World Cup qualifier, scoring 30 times in their 10 matches while conceding only four goals. His hopes are that this rich vein of attacking form can be tapped in the tournament itself and for Sweden's stinginess in defense to continue.

"The most important thing, especially at the beginning of the match, is not to let them score. It's up to us to play our game with a high tempo," he said.

Sweden's hopes of progressing are high. In Japan/Korea in 2002, they came out on top in a tough group which also featured England, Argentina and Nigeria. With England on the agenda again this time, Sweden will look to capitalize with wins against the unfancied Trinidadians and Paraguayans.

Sweden have only one major injury doubt going into Saturday's opener with midfielder Tobias Linderoth nursing a slight thigh problem which has kept him out of the last two training sessions. He is expected to return to the side to face Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday.

Trinidad & Tobago (4-4-2):

1-Shaka Hislop; 6-Dennis Lawrence, 4-Marvin Andrews, 3-Avery John, 8-Cyd Gray; 7-Chris Birchall, 9-Aurtis Whitley, 11-Carlos Edwards, 15-Kenwyne Jones29-2); 14-Stern John, 19-Dwight Yorke

Coach: Leo Beenhakker

Sweden (4-4-2):

1-Andreas Isaksson; 3-Olof Mellberg, 4-Teddy Lucic, 5-Erik Edman, 14-Fredrik Stenman; 6-Tobias Linderoth, 9-Fredrik Ljungberg, 21-Christian Wilhelmsson; 19-Daniel Andersson; 10-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 11-Henrik Larsson

Coach: Lars Lagerback