The quintet of Kaihim Thomas, Real Gill, Justin Sadoo, Darnell Hospedales and goalkeeper Isaiah Williams will all be hoping to make impressive debuts when T&T senior men's football team coach Angus Eve and his Soca Warriors kick off their 2023 international calendar with a friendly match against Saint Martin at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on Sunday from 6 pm.
The match will serve as a part of preparations for the T&T squad towards the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) fixtures away to the Bahamas on March 24, and three days later at home to Nicaragua at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, on March 27.
Yesterday, coach Eve and his 25 man squad which is expected to be led by veteran captain and goalkeeper Marvin Phillip had their final practice session at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva and they will all be keen on a positive result today.
In addition to Phillip, the squad includes fellow experienced goalkeeper Adrian Foncette and the uncapped Isaiah Williams along with defenders, Joevin Jones, Alvin Jones, Isaiah Garcia, Jesse Williams, Leland Archer, Weslie John, Justin Garcia, uncapped Hospedales, Jameel Neptune, Ross Russell Jr; midfielders Kevon Goddard, Neveal Hackshaw, uncapped Sadoo, Michel Poon-Angeron, Nathaniel Garcia, Duane Muckette, Jabari Mitchell along with Thomas, John-Paul Rochford, Gill, Reon Moore, and Kadeem Corbin.
At present, the Soca Warriors sit in the second spot in the four-team League B Group A standings with nine points from four matches, one behind Nicaragua while the Bahamas is third with three points, and St Vincent and the Grenadines bottom of the table with one point.
This was after T&T went under to Nicaragua 2-1 in their CNL opener before winning their next three matches, 1-0 against Bahamas, and 2-0 and 4-1 over St Vincent and the Grenadines.
T&T's opponent today, who are coached by former Guadeloupe international Stephane Auvray, are not to be underestimated though as they had some impressive results last year including a 1-1 draw in the Concacaf Nations League C Group B three-team series with St Kitts and Nevis, and drawing 0-0 and losing 3-0 to Aruba to sit bottom of their pool with two points from three matches.
Their biggest result was a 2-0 victory over the Bahamas in a friendly in March 2022 and they will also be using the match as part of their preparations for their final Concacaf Nations League encounters against St Kitts and Nevis on March 23.
Admission to the match is $40 for adults while children are free.
T&T senior men's squad:
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip, Adrian Foncette, Isaiah Williams.
Defenders: Alvin Jones, Isaiah Garcia, Jesse Williams, Leland Archer, Weslie John, Justin Garcia, Darnell Hospedales, Jameel Neptune, Ross Russell Jr.
Midfielders: Kevon Goddard, Neveal Hackshaw, Justin Sadoo, Michel Poon-Angeron, Nathaniel Garcia, Duane Muckette, Jabari Mitchell.
Forwards: Joevin Jones, Kaihim Thomas, John-Paul Rochford, Real Gill, Reon Moore, Kadeem Corbin.