Soca Warriors to face N/Antilles on Thursday

Head coach Francisco Maturana, following his team’s 2-0 win over Guyana last week, has called up basically the same squad but has invited striker Andre Toussaint.

Five players of the six recent additions are however unavailable due to the close timing of the match and conflicting schedules with their respective clubs as they prepare for the upcoming season. Defender Cyd Gray, based here, is the only one available and has been included in the 18-man squad.

Maturana though will have the chance to see these unavailable players in a proposed match scheduled to be played here on July 27 and invitations will be extended to those players including Dwight Yorke, Chris Birchall, Avery John, Silvio Spann and Scott Sealy.

In the mix for Thursday’s match is striker Cornell Glen and midfielder Khaleem Hyland who is reportedly on the verge of securing a long term contract with English club Portsmouth.

“We have decided to go ahead with the match because every warmup match will play a part in our preparations. Of course the coach would have liked the opportunity to see some of the other faces but this we expect will happen later in the month.

“Cyd Gray will be back in the team and Mr Maturana will continue to monitor some of the other players we have in the current squad,” team manager David Muhammad told TTFF Media.

The Netherlands Antilles are coming off a narrow 1-0 defeat to Haiti in a second round World Cup qualifying encounter last month. They are also preparing for upcoming Digicel Caribbean Cup action.

TT 18-man squad

Goal Keepers: 1.Marvin Phillips - W. Connection; 2.Glenroy Samuel - Caledonia AIA

Defenders: 3.Makan Hislop - Utd. Petrotrin; 4.Kareem Smith - Utd Petrotrin; 5.Cyd Gray - Clico San Juan Jabloteh; 6.Akeem Adams - W.Connection; 7. Aklie Edwards - Defence Force; 8.Keyeno Thomas- Joe Public FC; 9. Radanfah Abu Bakr - Unattached

Midfielders: 10.Keon Daniel - Utd. Petrotrin; 11. Khaleem Hyland- Unattached 12. Attula Guerra - Clico Jabloteh FC; 13. Kerry Baptiste - Joe Public FC; 14. Akeil Guevera - N.E. Stars; 15. Anthony Wolfe - N.E. Stars; 16. Clyde Leon - W. Connection

Forwards: 17. Cornell Glen - Mau Pau FC; 18. Andre Toussaint - W Connection