Skipper Garcia to miss first Gold Cup Play-In match

Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Head Coach Derek King has named a 28-man squad for the upcoming Concacaf Gold Cup Play-In matches against Antigua and Barbuda on November 12 and 16.

The first leg will be played in Antigua before the teams meet again four days later in Trinidad and Tobago, with the winner advancing to the next stage of qualification for the 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup. The Trinidad and Tobago squad is scheduled to touch down in Antigua tomorrow and will continue preparation immediately.

King is still without a win since taking over the reins of the national team from sacked coach Dwight Yorke after the disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign. And only in September, he steered the country’s football team back to League B of the Concacaf Nations League with just a point, which left them second-from-bottom in a six-team group that also featured Haiti, Curacao, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua.

His squad sees the return of central midfielder Ali Kazim Nakhid, son of Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Sports David Nakhid, who plays for Al-Ittifaq FC in the UAE First Division League. Captain Levi Garcia, who picked up an injury during the Nations League, was also named to King’s roster, alongside Wayne Frederick II, Dantaye Gilbert, Daniel David, Andre Rampersad, Real Gill, and Steffen Yeates, to name a few.

King conducted a few training sessions at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo over the past week with a group comprising locally based players and a couple of the overseas-based players whose club seasons have ended.

“These are two very important matches for Trinidad and Tobago as we continue our quest to qualify for the Concacaf Gold Cup,” King said in a TTFA release.

He stated, “We face Antigua and Barbuda away in the first match before returning home for the second leg, and we understand the significance of both fixtures. Our focus is on preparing the team to be competitive, disciplined, and fully committed in both games. We want to approach these matches with confidence, a positive mindset, and a strong belief in our ability to achieve our objective.”

Nathaniel James returns to the squad following injury, while Ryan Telfer, Nathaniel James, Kathon St Hillaire, and Shervonez Hamilton have been recalled.

Levi Garcia will not be available for the opening leg in Antigua. King, however, indicated that the Greece-based player could return for the home leg on November 16.

King stated that, “We are still monitoring the situation with Levi. He is not available for the first match, but there remains a possibility that he can join us for the second leg. We will continue communicating with him and his club and make the appropriate decision.”

Daniel Phillips remains unavailable as he continues to serve a four-match suspension, while Tyrese Spicer has not been selected as he continues working towards a full return to fitness. Dante Sealy also picked up a lower body injury recently while on club duty.

King stressed that qualification will require a complete team effort across both matches.