nigel.simon@guardian.co.tt
Minnesota United midfielder Kevin Molino and Seattle Sounders defender, Joevin Jones are set to return to the T&T Soca Warriors fold after he was named in coach Dennis Lawrence preliminary 40-player roster submitted by the the T&T Football Assocaition, one of 16 participating member associations for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup which runs from June 15 to July 7 as announced by Concacaf yesterday.
The 28-year-old Molino's last of 43 appearances in national colours, which have so far yielded 18 goals, came back in 2017 against Grenada, a 2-2 draw, in which he scored a last minute equaliser at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva after which he was out of the team due to a second knee injury.
Two matches into the 2018 Major League Soccer season, Molino tore the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in his left knee and missed the rest of the season and only made his return for the club recently, featuiring
It was the second major injury for the Carenage-born 27-year-oldwho first endured the first major injury of his career in May 2015, back when he was embarking upon his first MLS season with Orlando City, that time tearing the ACL in his right knee before taking about nine months to recover.
The 27-year-old Jones only recently resigned with the Sounders from Germany Second Division club, Darmstadt where he spent two seasons.
His last of 71 outings outing with the Soca Warriors came last November in a 1-0 loss to Iran in Tehran after which he missed the previous clash with Thailand,, and then the Wales encounter due to personal reasons.
In addition to Molino and Jones, coach Lawrence selected 27 other foreign-based players inclusive of capatin Khaleem Hyland of Saudi Arabian club Al Faisaly, Daneil Cyrus and Lester Peltier both of Al-Orobah FC in Saudi Arabia, Sheldon Bateau (Sarpsborg/Norway), Aubrey David (Deportivo Saprissa/Costa Rica), Cordell Cato (OKC Energy/USA), Levi Garcia (Ironi Kiryat Shmona/Israel), Kevan George (Charlotte Independence/USA), Joevin Jones (Seattle Sounders/USA), Nathan Lewis (Lansing Ignite/USA), Duane Muckette (Memphis 901/USA), Leston Paul (Memphis 901/USA), Triston Hodge (Memphis 901 FC/USA), Neveal Hackshaw (Indy Eleven/USA, and Willis Plaza (Chrchill Brothers/India), as well as goalkeeping duo, Nicklas Frederup (HB Koge/Denmark), and Gregory Ranjitsingh (Orlando City/USA).
Despite no local professional football being played, Lawerence still selected 12 locally based players in the preliminary squad headed by veteran goalkeeper Marvin Phillip of Central FC, and including fellow goalkeeper Adrian Foncette (Police FC), Curts Gonzales, Judah Garcia, Dylon King and Reon Moore, all of Defence Force, W Connection trio, Jomal Williams, Shahdon Winchester and former India-based Marcus Joseph, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers pair, Carlyle Mitchell and Ross Russell Jr, Akeem Humphrey of Club Sando and Justin Garcia,
The 40-man pool includes all 22-players who were part of the national team which went under to Waler 1-0 in their last frindly international back at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground, on March 20 and in accordance with the competition regulations, the submitted roster will serve as the basis for the final 23-player lists for each team which must be named by the first week of next month.
Two players who may consider themselves unlucky not be named are striker Rundell Winchester of Honduran club, Platense FC, and England-born defender, 34-year-old Justin Hoyte of MLS's FC Cincinnati.
Prior to playing in the Gold Cup, T&T will play two friendly internationals with the first being away to Japan on June 5 before facing Canada in a closed door match in Los Angeles on June 11, ahead of its opening Gold Cup encounter.
At the Gold Cup, T&T will open its Pool D campaign against Panama on June 11 followed by the USA on June 22, and Guyana on June 26.
After the official announcement, only injury-related changes will be allowed, up until 24 hours before each team’s first match and any injury replacements must come from the preliminary 40-player roster.
The 2019 Gold Cup will be the biggest-ever edition of the event, with more participating nations (16 up from 12 in 2017), more host countries (three, including first-time matches in Costa Rica and Jamaica, and more stadiums (17 up from 14 in 2017, eight of which are in contention to become a 2026 FIFA World Cup venue).
The 15th edition of the continental championship will kick off on Saturday, June 15 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, with Canada and Martinique marking the start of Group A action. The second match of the day will feature a matchup between seven-time Gold Cup champions Mexico and Cuba.
Group B will debut in the tournament on Sunday June 16, in Costa Rica’s Estadio Nacional, marking the first-time the tournament is played in Central America. Costa Rica and Nicaragua will face-off in Group B’s evening match, while Haiti and Bermuda will open the day’s doubleheader.
In Group C, the seeded nation, Honduras, will travel to Kingston, Jamaica, to take on the Reggae Boyz, marking the first time the tournament is played in the Caribbean, while Curaçao and El Salvador battle for early group dominance.
Group D, will see USA begining their title defense in Minnesota’s Allianz Field against Guyana, who will be making their Gold Cup debut, while Panama takes on T&T.
In the knockout rounds, Houston’s NRG Stadium and Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field will host two quarterfinal matches each, on June 29 and 30 respectively.
The winning teams will move on to State Farm Stadium in Phoenix and Nissan Stadium in Nashville for the Semifinals. The grand final is scheduled to be played on July 7, in Chicago’s iconic Soldier Field.
T&T 40-man preliminary Gold Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Adrian Foncette, Nicklas Frederup, Marvin Phillip, Gregory Ranjitsingh, Jan-Michael Williams.
Defenders: Leland Archer, Sheldon Bateau, Daneil Cyrus, Aubrey David, Justin Garcia, Curtis Gonzales, Triston Hodge, Alvin Jones, Keston Julien, Carlyle Mitchell, Kareem Moses, Ross Russell Jr, Mekeil Williams.
Midfielders: Cordell Cato, Judah Garcia, Levi Garcia, Kevan George, Ataulla Guerra, Neveal Hackshaw, Akeem Humphrey, Khaleem Hyland, Joevin Jones, Dylon King, Nathan Lewis, Kevin Molino, Reon Moore, Duane Muckette, Leston Paul, Kathon St Hillaire, Jomal Williams.
Fowards: Shahdon Winchester, Akeem Roach, Willis Plaza, Lester Peltier, Marcus Joseph.