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The Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team could see two more overseas-born players make their competitive debuts this week, as coach Dwight Yorke named Lincoln City forward Justin Obikwu and Real Salt Lake II defender Kobi Henry in his 26-man squad for the upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifying window.
The Soca Warriors host Curaçao at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain on Friday 5 September before they travel to face Jamaica on Tuesday 9 September.
Obikwu and Henry are two of five additions to Yorke’s 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup squad, which collected two points from a possible nine to finish third in Group D—behind the United States and Saudi Arabia but one point better than Haiti.
Defender Jerrin Jackie, who plays at semi-professional level with CD Gouveia in Portugal’s fourth tier, was also included along with HFX Wanderers forward Ryan Telfer and Columbus Crew II winger Kaïlé Auvray.
All five are in Yorke’s setup for the first time this week, although Telfer (30 caps, 10 goals) and Auvray (17 caps, 0 goals) have represented the senior Soca Warriors team in the competitive arena before.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
Obikwu got two friendly caps under former coach Angus Eve while Jackie is a national youth team player. Henry, a former US youth international, is seeking his first Trinidad and Tobago cap.
Yorke said he retained 26 players for the upcoming match window, rather than 23, since three members of his current squad are trying to shake off knocks. He did not specify who his injury concerns were.
However, he said a thigh injury and back spasms forced the non-selection of Alvin Jones and Deron Payne respectively, who are both right backs.
Otherwise, Yorke is happy with his current squad. And, although he stressed that the door is not closed to players who were not on his shortlist, he was confident that he has the best players for the job.
“For far too long, we have had players selected […] for different reasons—but not for footballing reasons,” said Yorke. “We make football decisions. There is no curry favours.
“You will earn your right to be in the squad.”
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Yorke has repeatedly omitted veteran defender Aubrey David from his roster while there were no invitations to the likes of Triston Hodge, Leland Archer, Anthony Herbert, Luke Singh and Molik Khan either—although all play regularly at a higher level than some of his current picks.
At the Unity Cup, the Soca Warriors lost 4-0 to Ghana in the friendly exercise before a 5-0 defeat at the hands of USA at the Gold Cup.
The latter defeat saw Yorke’s stewardship heavily criticised for the first time. But the rookie coach described it as a learning curve and conceded he might have been too negative in his tactical approach to the game.
USA won the Gold Cup opener 5-0.
Yorke was pleased with his team’s reaction to the humbling defeat, as the Warriors still came within a whisker of advancing to the knockout stage—only for defender Justin Garcia to miss a late goal scoring opportunity against Saudi Arabia.
“What I do take away [from the Gold Cup] is after the defeat against America, it could have gone really pear-shaped,” said Yorke. “But it didn’t. And we got a draw and then another draw.”
Yorke, a former Manchester United star and Trinidad and Tobago’s 2006 World Cup captain, suggested that the “uptick” in support for the current national senior team also shows some belief in his methods from the general public.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
He noted that most of his competitive games thus far have been away. However, Trinidad and Tobago’s home record under his watch has been stellar to date, which he believes to be an asset in a qualifying competition that utilises a home and away format.
“When you look at [our] home games, [we have done] much better in terms of the numbers scored and conceded,” said Yorke. “Based on that, we are in good shape. Our home [results are] scored 10 goals and conceded two.”
The Soca Warriors played Cuba and Saint Kitts and Nevis in Trinidad during the earlier qualifying round. The likes of Curaçao and Jamaica—if not Bermuda—should be far more testing.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
But it is not exactly mission impossible either. Curaçao and Jamaica also struggled at the recent Gold Cup, with neither advancing beyond the group stage.
Yorke said he is well aware of the Dutch-speaking island’s strengths and is expecting a physical contest on Friday against a team looking to penetrate in wide areas.
He stressed that he has a lot of respect for Curaçao and their renowned football manager Dick Advocaat. But he thinks his Warriors, riding a wave of enthusiasm from an excited football public, can get a result.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
“I am really excited,” said Yorke. “It has been a long wait since the Gold Cup; well over two months. I am very excited about the prospect of Friday night.
“[…] I couldn’t be more excited to be here.”
The National Team’s training session this evening was interrupted by a loss of power after roughly an hour, which plunged the Hasely Crawford Stadium into darkness.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Yorke would hope his players provide a bolt of electricity to the venue—and Trinidad and Tobago’s World Cup qualifying chances—on Friday.
(Trinidad and Tobago team)
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip, Jabari St Hillaire, Denzil Smith;
Defenders: Darnell Hospedales, Kobi Henry, Rio Cardines, Josiah Trimmingham, Andre Raymond, Justin Garcia, Isaiah Garcia, Kaihim Thomas, Jerrin Jackie;
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Midfielders: Daniel Phillips, Kevin Molino, Wayne Frederick II, Andre Rampersad, Noah Powder, Steffen Yeates;
Attackers: Nathaniel James, Levi Garcia, Ryan Telfer, Tyrese Spicer, Dante Sealy, Justin Obikwu, Real Gill, Kaïlé Auvray.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
