Eve to try different Warriors line-up for 2nd Reggae Boyz friendly

 Trinidad and Tobago’s Kaihim Thomas (L) evades Jamaica’s Alex Marshall during a friendly match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, on Friday. - Daniel Prentice
Trinidad and Tobago’s Kaihim Thomas (L) evades Jamaica’s Alex Marshall during a friendly match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, on Friday. - Daniel Prentice

Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men’s football team have another go at the Reggae Boyz, for the second time in three days, in a friendly contest at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar on Sunday, from 4pm.

The Angus Eve-coached TT squad hope to fare better this time around having lost the opening match 1-0 at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Friday.

Both matches are being used as preparation for TT’s single-game playoff against Canada, on March 23 at the Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The winner advances to this year’s Copa America tournament and will be grouped alongside FIFA World Cup winner Argentina and two-time Copa champions Chile and Peru.

So far, no other official practice match is scheduled for TT ahead of the playoff.

In Friday’s friendly, which comprised mostly locally-based players from TT, five foreign-based youngsters and five senior team debutants, a 58th minute goal from Jamaican teenager Kahiem Dixon separated the two at the final whistle.

Despite expressing satisfaction with the team’s first performance, in the post-match press conference on Friday, Eve said a different line-up will be used for the second match.

Eve’s men comprised mainly of TT Premier Football league tier one players, three Jamaica-based players – Nathaniel James, Kaile Auvray and Josiah Trimmingham – and two new foreign-based recruits, Canadian League One midfielder Kai Garvey (Simcoe County Rovers FC) and English League Two forward Justin Obikwu (Coventry City).

Also getting a run for the first time was Under-20 forward Michael Chaves (QPCC), Shervohnez Hamilton (Club Sando), Rhondel Gibson (Eagles FC), Liam Burns (AC Port of Spain) and Kai Moos (Club Sando).

Garvey, on debut for TT, said, “It felt like a dream come through, walking out the stadium into the grass, I couldn’t stop smiling thinking about my family watching me. It’s a lot of hours to get an opportunity like this so I just thank God.”

“I feel as though we really did well in the first half. It’s a fight in this climate and weather. We had plenty of chances, unfortunately we didn’t put them away and in the second half we paid the price. But we move on to the next game. I love the fight of the players. It’s a very big community here.”

Unlike the first match, which was a closed-door affair, Sunday's outing is open to the public with a $50 admission fee.

TT’s 26-man squad

Goalkeepers – Denzil Smith (Club Sando), Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Christopher Biggette (Defence Force)

Defenders – Alvin Jones (Police FC), Jamal Jack (Club Sando), Justin Garcia (Defence Force), Robert Primus (Police FC), Josiah Trimmingham (Montego Bay FC), Shervohnez Hamilton (Club Sando), Ross Russell Jr (La Horquetta Rangers)

Midfielders – Duane Muckette (AC PoS), John-Paul Rochford (ACPoS), Justin Sadoo (Defence Force), Kaile Auvrau (Mount Pleasant), Kai Moos (Club Sando), Kevon Goddard (Defence Force), Liam Burns (AC PoS), Nathaniel Garcia (Defence Force), Michel Poon Angeron (AC PoS), Kai Garvey (Simcoe County Rovers), Rhondel Gibson (Club Sando), Kaihim Thomas (Defence Force)

Forwards – Nathaniel James (Mount Pleasant), Jem Gordon (1976 Phoenix FC), Justin Obikwu (Coventry City), Michael Chaves (QPCC)

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"Eve to try different Warriors line-up for 2nd Reggae Boyz friendly"

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