TT coach Lawrence awaits Panama test

TRINIDAD AND Tobago men’s football team coach Dennis Lawrence is welcoming the third international friendly to be played in a three-week period after the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) secured a match with World Cup-bound Panama on April 17.

The game will be played here at the TTFA Home of Football, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva and will be the first on home soil for the 2018 calendar.

Prior to that, TT travel to face Guadeloupe on March 23 and Martinique there on March 25.

Lawrence is currently overseeing the preparations of a home-based squad and has made one addition to the provisional squad, calling up national Under-20 midfielder and Shiva Boys Hindu College captain Judah Garcia.

Regarding the fixture in April against Panama, Lawrence said it would be good test for his squad which is expected to feature home-based players with the match being scheduled outside of the FIFA window.

“We’re obviously delighted to have obtained this fixture against a team that is going to take part in the upcoming World Cup,” Lawrence said.

“This should be a very good test for what is going to most likely be an all local based Trinidad and Tobago team as the game falls outside the FIFA window. It then gives us the opportunity to keep our footballers active in the meantime with the uncertainty of what’s going to happen with the Pro League and so we are looking forward to welcoming the Panama team to Trinidad next month,” Lawrence added.

Panama have two friendly games scheduled for late March away to Denmark and Switzerland as they prepare for World Cup action. They are in Group G of the Russia 2018 World Cup and will open their campaign against Belgium on June 18 followed by clashes with England on June 24th and Tunisia four days later.