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Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Dwight Yorke looks set to give 18-year-old flanker Rio Cardines his first senior international cap, as he included the Crystal Palace youth player in his 24-man squad for the Unity Cup invitational tournament.
Cardines, who represented Trinidad and Tobago at Concacaf Under-17 and Under-20 level, is one of two potential debutantes alongside 25-year-old Defence Force forward Isaiah ‘Bongo’ Leacock.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
The tournament, which includes Jamaica, Nigeria and Ghana, is played outside of the Fifa international match window and, as such, Yorke does not have access to his entire roster of players.
Yorke also recalled veteran Belgium-based defender Sheldon Bateau, who has over 50 senior international caps, and 28-year-old Defence Force attacker Reon Moore.
Bateau, 34, joins seven other players aged 30 or over in the Soca Warriors squad:
Goalkeeper Marvin Phillip (40), defenders Jamal Jack (37), Alvin Jones (30) and Jelani Peters (31), midfielders Kevin Molino (34), Joevin Jones (33), and Kristian Lee-Him (31).
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
The Soca Warriors face Jamaica on 27 May before moving on to play either Nigeria or Ghana in the Unity Cup third place play off or final at the Gtech Community Stadium in London.
The friendly competition will serve as warm-up for Trinidad and Tobago’s upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Saint Kitts and Nevis (6 June) and Costa Rica (10 June).
The Soca Warriors will then face the USA (15 June), Haiti (19 June) and Saudi Arabia (22 June) at the Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
(Trinidad and Tobago team)
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip, Jabari St Hillaire;
Defenders: Sheldon Bateau, Justin Garcia, Shervohnez Hamilton, Jamal Jack, Alvin Jones, Jelani Peters, Andre Raymond, Jesse Williams;
Midfielders: Dantaye Gilbert, Joevin Jones, Kristian Lee-Him, Kevin Molino, Duane Muckette, Daniel Phillips, Noah Powder, Kaihim Thomas;
Attackers: Rio Cardines, Isaiah Leacock, Isaiah Lee, Reon Moore, John-Paul Rochford, Brent Sam.
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