Youthful Soca Warriors get set to face Guatemala in Pennsylvania

THE Soca Warriors will play Guatemala in an international friendly at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, US at 6 pm on Sunday.

A 22-man squad was selected for the Guatemala clash and following that match a national team will be chosen for the 2023 Gold Cup qualification tournament which will be held from June 16-20 in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, US.

TT held their final training session at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella on Thursday ahead of the Guatemala encounter.

TT left Trinidad on Friday morning for the US. An air hostess on board the flight wished the team all the best which led to applause.

The squad is filled with youngsters as coach Angus Eve wants to give them a chance to see how they perform at the international level.

Nathaniel James, Real Gill and Kaihim Thomas are three players on the squad who represented the TT Under-20 team last year. James has been on fire in the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) for Club Sando finding the back of the net regularly.

Eve encouraged the young players to capitalise on the chance.

“Take the opportunity. When they come by you have to take the opportunity. It does not matter if a player gets injured when you get an opportunity you have to go on the pitch and grasp it with both hands,” Eve said a few days ago during a training session.

Che Benny of AC Port of Spain and Ross Russell Jnr of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers have also been rewarded for quality performances in the local league.

Benny has been scoring and providing assists for his team-mates and Russell Jnr is an attacking wing-back and can be a threat going forward.

Goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, defender Alvin Jones, defender Sheldon Bateau and midfielder Michel Poon Angeron are some of the familiar faces on the team. Midfielder Kaile Auvray, who demonstrated quality in his debut for TT in a friendly against Jamaica earlier this year, has been included.

Levi Garcia and Joevin Jones are among those being rested for the Guatemala match but are expected to be in the squad for the Gold Cup qualifiers.

TT SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip (AC Port of Spain), Denzil Smith (W Connection).

Defenders: Sheldon Bateau (SK Beveren, Belgium), Alvin Jones (Club Sando), Ross Russell Jnr (La Horquetta Rangers), Josiah Trimmingham (Club Sando), Andre Raymond (Dumiense FC, Portugal), Justin Garcia (Defence Force), Jameel Neptune (AC Port of Spain), Samory Powder (Hudson Valley Hammers, US), Stephon Marcano (Ventura Fusion, US).

Midfielders: Daniel Phillips (St Johnstone, Scotland), Duane Muckette (AC Port of Spain), Kaile Auvray (Sporting Kansas, US), Real Gill (Club Sando), Justin Sadoo (Defence Force), Michel Poon Angeron (AC Port of Spain), Kaihim Thomas (Defence Force), Che Benny (AC Port of Spain), Kristian Lee Him (IFK Eskilstuna, Sweden).

Forwards: Nathaniel James (Club Sando), Kadeem Corbin (La Horquetta Rangers).