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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve announced four changes to his 23-man roster today, as the Soca Warriors prepare for their Concacaf Nations League A match window with games at home against Guatemala (13 October) and away to Curaçao (17 October) respectively.
Eve replaced midfielder Daniel Phillips and forward Brent Sam with Noah Powder and Tyrone Charles respectively, while the injured duo of right back Shannon Gomez and forward Malcolm Shaw gave way for Alvin Jones and Real Gill.
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Star attacker Levi Garcia was again declared unavailable due to injury while, according to the TTFA Media, goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup is nursing a shoulder injury and left back Keston Julien is still recovering from surgery.
The Soca Warriors can wrap up qualification for the quarterfinals with a win against Guatemala in Port of Spain from 9pm on Friday, although two points from their next two outings would do the trick as well.
“Our first remit in this rebuilding stage was basically to stay in the [Nations League] A; that was our first port of storm,” said Eve today. “And now that we have the opportunity to do something bigger, we’re going to try to grasp it with both hands.
“We’re in a place that nobody thought that we would have been in—winning the both matches in the first round. So we just want to keep on believing in ourselves and believing in the guys, believing in the staff and believing in the work that we have all been doing.
The Soca Warriors won 3-2.
Photo: TTFA Media
“And hopefully we can continue to make Trinidad and Tobago proud.”
Concacaf’s six top teams in the Nations League A will appear as guests at the 2024 Copa America competition. Former national coach Stephen Hart missed out on the 2016 edition of the competition when his Trinidad and Tobago team were defeated by Haiti in a play-off.
With relegation from the Nations League A no longer a concern, Eve is targeting a slice of history—if he steers the Warriors to the prestigious competition.
He urged Trinidad and Tobago football fans to support the effort of his players, who he said are improving every match.
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“I think what happens now is we have gotten a little bit of confidence [from the opening wins] and they believe they should be here,” he said, “without some of the senior players who have given the country so much.
“But these boys, this is their time to shine… I think these guys deserve your support by what they did and the effort that they gave.
“[…] They are embracing the responsibility they have to do something to make the country proud.”
Trinidad and Tobago team
(Tabulated as club; age; caps/ goals)
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Goalkeepers: Christopher Biggette (Defence Force; 27; 0/0), Denzil Smith (W Connection; 23; 3/0), Jabari St Hillaire (Defence Force; 23; 0/0);
Defenders: Aubrey David (Club Sport Cartagines—Costa Rica; 32; 75/1), Justin Garcia (Defence Force; 27; 13/1), Alvin Jones (Club Sando; 29; 43/3), Kareem Moses (FF Jaro—Finland; 33; 19/1), Andre Raymond (GD Vilar De Perdizes—Portugal; 22; 3/0), Ross Russell Jr (TLH Rangers; 31; 12/0), Jesse Williams (Central Valley Fuego—USA; 22; 8/0);
Midfielders: Michel-Poon Angeron (AC Port of Spain; 22; 10/0), Kevon Goddard (Defence Force; 27; 8/0), Neveal Hackshaw (Oakland Roots SC—USA; 27; 36/2), Kristian Lee Him (IFK Eskilstuna—Sweden; 29; 3/0), Duane Muckette (AC Port of Spain; 28; 19/1), Noah Powder (Northern Colorado Hailstorm—USA; 24; 16/2), Andre Rampersad (HFX Wanderers—Canada; 28; 7/1);
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
Attackers: Kaïlé Auvray (Mt Pleasant Football Academy—Jamaica; 19; 9/0), Tyrone Charles (AC Port of Spain; 34; 8/1), Nathaniel James (Mt Pleasant Football Academy—Jamaica; 19; 3/1), Reon Moore (Defence Force; 26; 21/4), Ryan Telfer (Miami FC—USA; 29; 22/9), Real Gill (Club Sando; 20; 2/0).
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