T&T take On Tajikistan in King’s Cup opener
T&T TAKES ON TAJIKISTAN TODAY IN CHIANG MAI
Trinidad and Tobago’s senior men will try to make it four victories in a row in international football action when they face Tajikistan in the opening match of the King’s Cup 2022 at the 700th Anniversary Chiang Mai Stadium in Thailand from 6:30am TT Thursday.
T&T, under head coach Angus Eve are coming off consecutive back to back wins over St Vincent/Grenadines and another over Bahamas in Concacaf Nations League action in June.
The current 19-man squad in Chiang Mai sees the return of Columbus Crew midfielder Kevin Molino who has been missing since Gold Cup 2021 due to injury. But he is back and fit again while Finnish-based defender Anthony Herbert is the new kid on the block. The Garcia brothers, Levi and Judah of AEK Athens are also in the mix while Danish-born goalkeeper Nicklas Frenderup is also back for the first time since Gold Cup 2021.
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We’ve been here before. Both times we lost,” Eve recalled at Wednesday’s Pre-game Press Conference at the Chiang Mai Stadium. “But it’s an honour and privilege for us to be here, to be invited to play in such a prestigious tournament.
“We are very confident coming into this tournament because we have been doing very well in our Nations League,“ Eve stated. “On the day we are trying to put in a good performance for the people and try to win the tournament.”
Bateau added: “We are definitely ready. We have been here before, we have lost two times, so now we want to improve on the performance and the results.
Eve also confessed that the build-up to the tournament had not been ideal. Following almost two days of travelling, the majority of the Trinidad and Tobago team assembled at the Kantary Hills Hotel in Chiang Mai. Eve worked with just 16 players – USA-based Kevin Molino and Alvin Jones were only due to arrive a day before the match.
There was one adjustment, with Scotland-based midfielder Daniel Phillips being ruled out of the King’s Cup with a calf strain and will not be replaced by another player, leaving Eve with a 19-man squad.
Eve was able to conduct an 80-minute training session at the Nice Place Sporting Club training facility on Tuesday evening.
“We didn’t go heavy with them because for obvious reasons – the boys fly too long,” stated Eve, who will make the best of an imperfect situation.
“We already took the game and we came here. So, we have to put in the work,” stated Eve.
T&T Squad in Chiang Mai
SQUAD:
Ajani Fortune (Atlanta FC), Alvin Jones (Madison FC), Andre Fortune (Nomme Kalju FC), Anthony Herbert (Haka FC), Aubrey David (Liga Deportivo Alajuelense), Jesse Williams (Pittsburgh Riverhounds), John-Paul Rochford (Sure Sports FC), Judah Garcia (AEK Athens)
Kareem Moses (Vaasan Palloseura), Kevin Molino (Columbus Crew), Leston Paul (Memphis 901), Levi Garcia (AEK Athens), Marvin Phillip (Deportivo Point Fortin), Neveal Hackshaw (Indy Eleven), Nicklas Frenderup (Ranheim), Noah Powder (FC Tulsa), Reon Moore (Club Social Y Deportivo), Sheldon Bateau (KSK Beveren).
