Justin Garcia called up as replacement in Soca Warriors Gold Cup squad

Defence Force's Justin "Shiggy" Garcia has been called up as a replacement for fellow central defender Josiah Trimmingham in the Soca Warriors' 26-man squad for the June 14-July 6 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Trimmingham, who plays for Jamaica's Montego Bay United, was slated to start the Soca Warriors' World Cup qualifier away to Costa Rica on June 10, but sustained a knee injury during the pre-game warm-up and was subsequently ruled out of the contest. On June 11, the TT Football Association confirmed that Trimmingham's injury was serious enough to rule him out of the Gold Cup as well.

TT lost 2-1 to Costa Rica in San Jose, but still clinched qualification through to the third and final round of qualifying by virtue of goal difference.

Teams are allowed to make changes to their Gold Cup rosters up to 24 hours before their first match. And with TT's first game scheduled for 6 pm on June 15 against hosts US in California, it presents an opportunity for the 29-year-old Garcia to return to the squad after featuring in the May 27-31 Unity Cup in London.

Garcia was a late substitute in TT's agonising 3-2 loss to Jamaica in their first Unity Cup match on May 27, while he played from the start in the team's heavy 4-0 defeat to Ghana in the third place playoff four days later. In the opening match against Jamaica, the usually reliable Garcia had a moment to forget in the latter stages as his defensive blunder caused TT to concede a stoppage-time penalty which gave their Caribbean rivals victory.

Prior to the Unity Cup, Garcia previously turned out for the national team in a pair of friendlies away to Jamaica in February. He was also a key member of the Soca Warriors squad as they made a run to the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, playing all seven games as the team eventually lost out to Canada in a Copa America playoff match last March.

On the domestic front, Garica, who was named the TT Premier Football League's (TTPFL) Player of the Season in 2023, helped the Army/Coast Guard combination to the 2024/25 league crown on the back of an unbeaten campaign. He played the first half of his club's First Citizens Cup semifinal against MIC Matura ReUnited at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on June 11, before being summoned to national duty by coach Dwight Yorke.

Garcia was expected to join the TT camp in Santa Clara on June 12. Apart from Concacaf giants US, the Soca Warriors are in a tricky group D in the Gold Cup alongside Haiti and guest team Saudi Arabia.