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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Derek King confirmed that the Soca Warriors will be without full backs Rio Cardines and Noah Powder for Sunday’s crucial Concacaf Nations.
Cardines has been recalled by his club, England Championship Division outfit Bristol City, and King admitted that the versatile 20-year-old flanker has been playing with an injury.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
“Rio has been playing with a groin injury,” King told the TTFA Media. “This is the second game we have had to take him out [before the final whistle]…”
Cardines and Powder join a list of unavailable players, which includes captain Levi Garcia, Tyrese Spicer, Dante Sealy, Nathaniel James, Josiah Trimmingham (all injured), Dantaye Gilbert, Daniel Phillips (both suspended), and Déron Payne (returned to his club).
Left back Andrew De Gannes was also substituted due to injury, during their 1-0 loss to Curaçao yesterday, while defender Justin Garcia came off with a hamstring concern against the Dominican Republic on 27 September.
King did not suggest that De Gannes and Garcia are unavailable for Sunday’s showdown with Curaçao from 6pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.
However, he was replaced before full time due to injury.
(via TTFA Media.)
“Since we started [the Nations League], we have lost at least seven to eight players from our initial squad—it is really unfortunate,” said King. “This is the first time Fifa has four games in one window. It is really difficult knowing you have lost some good quality players.”
On Sunday, Trinidad and Tobago must defeat Curaçao coupled with a Costa Rica loss against Haiti, with the two results combining to overturn Costa Rica’s +3 goal differential advantage over the Warriors.
King has not won a single match since he succeeded Dwight Yorke as head coach in March. But he has been here before.
Two years ago, as interim head coach after the sacking of then boss Angus Eve, King recorded a 4-0 loss to Honduras and successive draws to French Guiana and Cuba in the Nations League. Then, on the final match day against Cuba, he steered Trinidad and Tobago to a 3-1 win which kept the Warriors in League A.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Can the 46-year-old coach produce an encore against Curaçao?
He believes he can, with the support of a united dressing room and a patriotic public.
“We want that support,” said King. “We haven’t got any points as yet but it is important we get that 12th man on Sunday.
“[It is] very important, from staff to players, that we stick together as a unit and bring that positivity to the game on Sunday. We need that three points!”
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