Soca Warriors captain and Cardiff City striker Kenwyne Jones is among three changes to the T&T squad from its last international outing against Mexico on September 4, made by coach Stephen Hart for Thursday's international friendly in Panama City from 9.30 pm (TT time).
It will be the first of two matches for T&T during the Fifa international dates as it also faces Nicaragua at home five days later in preparation for its 2018 Concacaf Semifinal Round Group C World Cup qualifiers in November against Guatemala (November 13) and USA, four days later.
The 19-man squad which departs tomorrow was announced by coach Hart at a media conference held at the T&T Football Association's (T&TFA) office, Hasley Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, yesterday.
In addition to the 30-year-old Jones, who was excused for the Mexico match because he was in the midst of discussing his club future, Hart also recalled Russia-based defender, who was also in the middle of switching from KV Mechelen in Belgium to his new club, FC Krylia Sovetov, and former Under-20 duo right-back, Aikim Andrews of W Connection.
Also named to the squad is Barnet FC defender Gavin Hoyte who was also selected for the Mexico match but opted out of the team at the last minute due to club commitments.
Slovan Bratislava winger Lester "Corn Curls" Peltier was originally named in the squad by Hart, however, the T&TFA was then later informed that the T&T winger has a rib injury and will not be fit to travel nor play next week. A replacement is being looked at by Hart and will be announced in due course
The rest of the team includes experienced goalkeeping duo, Jan-Michael Williams and Marvin Phillip, Daniel Cyrus, Yohance Marshall, Aubrey David, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Joevin Jones, Kevan George, Khaleem Hyland, Andre Boucaud, Trevin Caesar, Jonathan Glenn and Keron Cummings, all of whom were part of the T&T team at the Concacaf Gold Cup in August where T&T bowed out to the Panamanians 6-5 on sudden-death penalty-kicks after 1-1 draw.
Missing out this time around and who were involved in the Mexico friendly are USA-based duo Cordell Cato and Rundell WInchester as well as Central FC pair, Willis Plaza and Marcus Joseph.
It will the third meeting between both teams for the year as the Central Americans won 1-0 back on March 27 at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva and while coach Hart will want his team to get a win, he was much more focussed on seeing how his players cope with having to play two international friendlies over a five-day period, the same pattern of play which will take place for its 2018 Concacaf Semifinal Round Group C World Cup qualifiers in November.
The T&T coach said, "The selection of the team for this match is part of our ongoing preparations for the matches, in November against Guatemala (November 13) and USA (November 17)."
Following the October 8 clash with Panama, T&T which also faces St Vincent and The Grenadines in its Group C qualifiers, will then return home and host Nicaragua on October 13 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium from 7.30 pm.
Nicaragua defeated Jamaica, 3-2 in Kingston, Jamaica in its Concacaf Third Round World Cup qualifier before losing 2-0 at home to be eliminated.
According to Hart, depending on what transpires in the Panama friendly, he will make the necessary changes for the next friendly encounter with Nicaragua if needed.
One player certain to be out the clash with Nicaragua though, is defender Justin Hoyte, who will return to his club after the first match.
In their last international outing, the the Soca Warriors squandered a 2-0 lead before drawing 3-3 with Mexico in Salt Lake City, Utah on September 4, less than two months after a 4-4 thriller at the Concacaf Gold Cup.
In the two other World Cup qualifying series, Group A will comprise Gold Cup champions Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Canada while Group B consist of Costa Rica, Panama, Haiti and Jamaica, the Gold Cup runner-up.
At the end of the series, the he top two teams from each group will progress to the Hexagonal Concacaf Final Round to be played from November 7, 2016 to October 10, 2017 at the end of which the top three teams will qualify to the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia while the fourth placed team will advance to a continental playoff with the fifth placed team from Asia.