BACOLET, Tobago (CMC)

New Trinidad and Tobago coach Russell Latapy has not given up hope on the Soca Warriors qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals, although their loss to Costa Rica Saturday night has further damaged their already slender hopes.

The defeat, their second in four games, left winless T&T firmly at the bottom of the six-team CONCACAF play-off series but Latapy is hoping that a reversal form in the remaining games could lift them back into contention.

"Mathematically, we still have a chance of qualifying and it's important that all of us keep that in mind because only with that belief and that spirit will it be possible to make it happen," Latapy said after the game.

Some of Saturday's other results also appeared to compound T&T's woes as El Salvador, who had shared the bottom-of-the-points table with them, upset Mexico 2-1 to climb into third place on five points.

The Costa Ricans lead the table with 12 points, two ahead of the USA, who defeated Honduras 2-1.

Honduras are lying fourth on four points and Mexico (3) are fifth, just ahead of T&T.

T&T's Soca Warriors got the start they wanted Saturday evening at Dwight Yorke Stadium when Carlos Edwards gave them a 29th-minute lead, smashing in a low right-footer from outside the box.

But Alvaro Saborio drew Costa Rica level in the 40th minute and Celso Borges hit second-half goals in the 52nd and 68th minutes to secure Costa Rica's win after Collin Samuel had locked the game at 2-2 with a goal in the 63rd minute.