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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Dwight Yorke has added Defence Force defender Justin ‘Shiggy’ Garcia to his 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup squad.
Garcia, 29, replaces 28-year-old Montego Bay United defender Josiah Trimmingham who sustained a knee injury during the warm-up before Tuesday night’s World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica in San José.
(via TTFA Media.)
Yorke used fullback Isaiah Garcia as a makeshift central defender in the first half in San José before introducing Darnell Hospedales at halftime, with the Soca Warriors trailing 2-0.
Trinidad and Tobago pulled a goal back but eventually lost 2-1 to the host nation.
Yorke’s Gold Cup squad is unusually top heavy with 11 attacking players, five fullbacks, four box-to-box midfielders, three goalkeepers and just two regular central defenders: Sheldon Bateau and, now, Garcia (J).
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Alvin Jones and Hospedales both have experience playing in a back three as well.
Garcia (J) was a regular under former head coach Angus Eve and started in Yorke’s first international outing, away to Saudi Arabia. However, an injury opened the door for Trimmingham and Hospedales and Garcia (J) was unable to dislodge them after a lukewarm performance at last month’s Unity Cup.
Still, Garcia (J) was Yorke’s first alternative when a space opened up as the iconic Trinidad and Tobago former captain chose him ahead of Jelani Peters, Jamal Jack and Aubrey David, who all auditioned for a place in central defence in the past six months.
Yorke has apparently opted to take 26 players to the Gold Cup, which is the maximum allowed by Concacaf.
The Warriors are in the United States at present where they are preparing for Sunday’s Concacaf Gold Cup opener against the USA at PayPal Park in California.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
At present, USA are in the midst of a four-game losing streak—unheard of in this millennium—under Argentine head coach Mauricio Pochettino, which includes defeats to Panama (0-1), Canada (1-2), Turkey (1-2) and Switzerland (0-4).
Yorke’s Warriors will set tongues wagging across the globe if they can hand Pochettino defeat number five.
(Trinidad and Tobago team)
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip, Denzil Smith, Jabari St Hillaire,
Defenders: Sheldon Bateau, Isaiah Garcia, Justin Garcia, Darnell Hospedales, Alvin Jones, Andre Raymond,
Jamaica rebounded to win the contest 3-2.
(via TTFA Media.)
Midfielders: Ajani Fortune, Wayne Frederick II, Joevin Jones, Kevin Molino, Daniel Phillips, Noah Powder, Andre Rampersad, Kaihim Thomas, Steffen Yeates,
Attackers: Rio Cardines, Levi Garcia, Real Gill, Nathaniel James, Isaiah Leacock, Isaiah Lee, Dante Sealy, Tyrese Spicer.
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