By JOEL BAILEY Saturday, September 6 2008

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TRINIDAD and Tobago's John Thomas tussles with Brazilian Fernando Sidimar while Carvalho Crystian, background follows the play. ...

FOR THE second successive night, Trinidad and Tobago were held to a goalless draw by El Salvador in their friendly football encounter on Thursday, this time at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Tunapuna.

Unlike their earlier meeting at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, Thurs-day’s game was an ill-tempered affair with referee Phillip Jordan forced to issue eight yellow cards in all —seven to the Salvadoreans.

Minor scuffles between the players and time-wasting by the Central Americans were more frequent than goal chances, in front of a handful of supporters at Tunapuna.

Midfielder Jean-Luc Roch-ford created the game’s first chance, as his short corner to Andre Ettienne on the right resulted in a cross into the penalty box, but another defender Sheldon Bateau’s header was collected, on the line, by goalkeeper Oscar Arroyo.

As El Salvadorean striker Lestor Blanco needed medical treatment in the 36th, tempers flared between players of both teams, with Jordan issuing a caution to the visiting captain Xevier Garcia.

Midfielder Jaime Alas tested national goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel with a 20-metre bullet, which was tipped overbar in the 43rd, while nine minutes later, a long-ball from Bateau met striker Jamal Gay who, in turn, fed forward Trent Lougheed whose curling right-footer narrowly missed the target.

National captain Leston Paul’s 77th minute freekick found fellow midfielder Marcus Joseph, but his effort was blocked by Arroyo, while, in the 90th, Lougheed got a ball from Gay whose header went wide to the keeper’s left post.

El Salvador caused a scare in stoppage time, as Alas dispossessed left-back Akeem Adams and sent a left-footed cross to Llmana, whose header trickled wide of the mark.

Trinidad and Tobago will host the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship which is tentatively scheduled for either January or February, with four teams advancing to the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Egypt.

Teams -

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Glenroy Samuel (Andre Marchand 67th); Curtis Gonzales (Marvin Manswell 72nd), Sheldon Bateau, Ronald Primus, Andre Ettienne (Akeem Adams 46th), Aubrey David (Mikel Williams 85th); Daniel Cyrus (Jeremiah Goddard 67th), Jean-Luc Rochford (Marcus Joseph 58th - Jamal Clarence 79th), Leston Paul (capt); Jamal Gay, Trent Lougheed.

EL SALVADOR: Oscar Arroyo; Alexix Mannvilla, Xevier Garcia (capt), Cesar Lopez, Juan Carlos Alas; Fabricio Alfano (Joso Rivill 88th), Hendy Escobar (Ricardo Orollana 46th), Jaime Alas, Justino Llmana; Jorge Moran (Nelson Rivera 81st), Lestor Blanco (William Miloovado 81st).