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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve hopes an organised defence will give his team the chance of taking a major scalp next week, when they travel to Frisco, Texas to tackle Canada in a Copa America Play-Off.
The winner of the contest will meet Argentina in the 2024 Copa America opener and Canada’s roster includes the likes of Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies, Lille forward Jonathan David and Mallorca FC forward Cyle Larin.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Eve has his idea about how the Soca Warriors should approach the Canada fixture.
“We need to defend well—it’s like David against Goliath,” said Eve, at a press conference today. “It’s top players that they have. We have to be astute defensively but also offensively. We have to express ourselves so that we can come out with a victory.”
Eve announced his 23-man squad for the game today, which includes the Greece-based Garcia brothers, Levi and Judah. Levi, a 26-year-old forward, is a star figure for AEK Athens while Judah, a 23-year-old midfielder, represents AEK II.
“We’re very optimistic of Levi being fit and ready to play,” said Eve. “He’s been doing well in [the Greek] League. He’s gone through injuries but we’re very happy to see the form that he’s in.
(Copyright Daniel Prentice/ Wired868)
“[…] Judah had a back injury and then a groin injury, so he was not available for us. He is back playing, he’s scoring goals and we think that he can add goals from midfield.”
Atlanta United midfielder Ajani Fortune also returns to the Soca Warriors after absences that Eve said were often related to injury.
“Ajani had some injuries that affected him, also he was fighting for a place in [his] team,” said Eve. “We left him out sometimes by mutual consent, based on injury or a particular situation that was happening at his club.”
The Trinidad and Tobago coach explained that attacker Ryan Telfer and centre-back Kareem Moses are ruled out by hernia and knee issues respectively, while Canada-born striker Malcolm Shaw is without a club after leaving Canada Premier League side Atletico Ottawa.
Shaw’s item beat the opposing goalkeeper but was controversially disallowed for a foul.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
“Malcolm Shaw does not have a club at this point in time [and] is training with a lower-league team,” said Eve, “because there are some issues with him and his [previous] club.”
Eve also explained the omission of Denmark-based goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup.
“Nicklas had an operation on his finger and he’s only started back playing,” he said. “The way Denzil [Smith] has been playing, we thought it best to continue playing with Denzil.”
As security, Eve also has the veteran Police FC duo of goalkeeper Adrian Foncette and defender Robert Primus in his squad.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
“Foncette has been doing tremendously well in the local league, and Primus also,” he said. “These players would add that level of experience… There was a reason for us playing [Primus] in the two [games versus Jamaica], because we really wanted that left-sided centre-back.
“We wanted somebody with a natural left foot [and] who is playing at a high level, and I think that he’s shown that in the two Jamaica games.”
Eve suggested that he selected his 23-man squad with a specific skillset in mind.
(via Concacaf)
“[We looked at] the flexibility of the players, players being able to play multiple positions, based on the fact that we may want to change something during the game,” said Eve, “and also the level of competition that the players are playing in, at this point in time. Also, giving the players who brought us to this point the opportunity to finish the job.”
Trinidad and Tobago start their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in June and Eve suggested his squad might have some new faces by then.
“Football is a fluid thing,” said Eve. “We have some players out because they’re injured. We have some players out because they’re out of form, in our opinion. It’s what the team needs.
“We still have people like Dantaye Gilbert (Jong PSV in the Netherlands) and Molik Khan (Minnesota United FC 2 in the US). We have [Rio] Cardines and Justin [Obikwu], who has now gotten his passport—so he’ll also been in the pool from now on.
“We have those guys that we’re taking a look at.”
For now, the Copa America tournament has Eve’s full attention, though, as he aims to join fellow Concacaf nations United States, Jamaica, Mexico and Panama in the prestigious competition.
The local-based players and technical staff leave Trinidad on Monday for Texas, while they will be joined by the overseas-based players by Tuesday.
“We know how important the game [against Canada] is,” said Eve. “This would be one of the most prestigious tournaments, if we get the victory, to go and represent our country in.
“This will put us on a different level, on a different map. That would open up a lot of doors for our players.”
(Copyright AFP 2014/ Juan Mabromata)
(Trinidad and Tobago team)
Goalkeepers: 1.Christopher Biggette (Defence Force), 21.Adrian Foncette (Police FC), 23.Denzil Smith (Club Sando FC);
Defenders: 2.Aubrey David (CS Cartagines—Costa Rica), 3.Ross Russell Jr (La Horquetta Rangers), 4.Jesse Williams (Chattanooga FC—USA), 5.Robert Primus, 16.Alvin Jones (both Police FC), 6.Andre Raymond (GD Vilar De Perdizes—Portugal), 14.Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC—USA), 17.Justin Garcia (Defence Force);
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
Midfielders: 7.Noah Powder (Northern Colorado Hailstorm—USA), 8.Daniel Phillips (St Johnstone FC—Scotland), 12.Kevon Goddard (Defence Force), 15.Neveal Hackshaw (Oakland Roots—USA), 18.Andre Rampersad (HFX Wanderers—Canada);
Attackers: 9.Nathaniel James, 20.Kaïlé Auvray (both Mount Pleasant—Jamaica), 10.Real Gill (Northern Colorado Hailstorm—USA), 11.Levi Garcia, 23.Judah Garcia (both AEK Athens—Greece), 13.Reon Moore (Pacific FC—Canada), 19.Ajani Fortune (Atlanta United—USA).
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868
(Canada team)
Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau (Portland Timbers—USA), Dayne St Clair (Minnesota United—USA), Jonathan Sirois (CF Montreal);
Defenders: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich—Germany), Kamal Miller (Portland Timbers—USA), Alistair Johnston (Celtic—Scotland), Derek Cornelius (Malmo FF—Sweden), Moise Bombito (Colorado Rapids—USA), Joel Waterman (CF Montreal), Luc de Fougerolles (Fulham—USA);
Midfielders: Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC), Samuel Piette (CF Montreal), Stephen Eustaquio (Porto—Portugal), Ismael Kone (Watford—England), Mathieu Choiniere (CF Montreal);
Attackers: Cyle Larin (Mallorca—Spain), Jonathan David (Lille—France), Tajon Buchanan (Inter Milan—Italy), Liam Millar (Preston North End—England), Ike Ugbo (Sheffield Wednesday—England), Jacob Shaffelburg (Nashville SC—USA), Jacen Russell-Rowe (Columbus Crew—USA), Theo Bair (Motherwell—Scotland).
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Joel Bailey is an experienced sport writer with over two decades’ experience at the Trinidad Newsday.
How sad Indeed.
Facts are, Trinidad and Tobago exported footballers to Canada.
In fact the first Trinidadian to play in the FIFA WC Finals, did so representing Canada in Mexico 1986, two decades before the TT national team participated.