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England Premier League forward Kenwyne Jones has been named among nine overseas-based players to represent the Trinidad and Tobago national senior football team in its first international game of 2013, which will be played against Peru on Wednesday 6 February from 8 pm at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva.
The 28-year-old Jones, a Stoke City employee and former World Cup 2006 player, has not represented the “Soca Warriors” since 15 November 2011. The powerful six foot two forward scored in his last two games for Trinidad and Tobago but could not prevent his country’s elimination from the 2014 World Cup qualifying series at the hands of Guyana.
(Courtesy Ross Kinnaird/ Getty Images)
Thirty-four-year-old Ipswich Town right winger Carlos Edwards, another 2006 World Cup survivor, and 23-year-old Racing Genk midfielder Khaleem Hyland are also set to return to national duty for the first time since Trinidad and Tobago’s short-lived 2014 qualifiers.
Darryl Roberts, 29, from Samsunspor in Turkey, and 31-year-old left back Jlloyd Samuel, who campaigns in Iran with Esteghlal, have also been summoned. Samuel, who was born in San Fernando, represented the England national team at youth level but switched allegiance to the land of his birth in 2009. He has only two international caps for Trinidad and Tobago.
Twenty-five-year-old Vancouver Whitecaps central defender Carlyle Mitchell and unattached 22-year-old playmaker Kevin Molino were also invited from Trinidad and Tobago’s 2012 Caribbean Cup squad along with 28-year-old North East Stars defender Seon Power, who is on trial in Thailand at present.
Twenty-two-year-old DC United midfielder Nick De Leon, who is the son of former local football icon Leroy De Leon but is also eligible to represent the United States, will also have the opportunity to make his international debut against Peru.
Peru has agreed to travel with its full strength team, which should include Bayern Munich attacker Claudio Pizarro, Corinthians striker Paolo Guerrero and Schalke midfielder Jefferson Farfan. Peru is second from bottom in the nine team South American qualifying group at present but is just four points off an automatic 2014 World Cup berth.
Tickets will go on sale next week from an outlet to be named at a cost of $100 for covered and uncovered stands. Children under 16 years are free.
The February 6 friendly will be the first of a home and away clash against the South American team and the Warriors are expected to travel to Peru in late June or early July before the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The Warriors will also head to South Korea in March for another testing exhibition match.
Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) president Raymond Tim Kee announced today that the Ministry of Tourism, which is led by former Sport Minister Manohar Ramsaran, has agreed to fund Peru’s visit at a cost of $500,000.
(Overseas invitees)
Nick De Leon, 22, DC United (United States)
Carlos Edwards, 34, Ipswich Town (England)
Khaleem Hyland, 23, Racing Genk (Belgium)
Kenwyne Jones, 28, Stoke City (England)
Carlyle Mitchell, 25, Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada)
Kevin Molino, 22, unattached
Darryl Roberts, 29, Samsunspor (Turkey)
Jlloyd Samuel, 31, Esteghlal (Iran)
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