T&T “Soca Warriors” coach Dwight Yorke has named Spartak Moscow-based Levi Garcia among 17 overseas-based players in his 26-man squad for this country’s Concacaf Gold Cup home and away preliminary round series against Cuba.
The Cubans will host the first leg on March 21 in Santigo from 4 pm before the Soca Warriors return home for the second leg at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain, Couva on March 24 at 7 pm.
In addition to Garcia, who is yet to feature under Yorke, the overseas contingent selected for the two matches includes goalkeeper Denzil Smith (AV Alta FC/USA), defenders Darnell Hospedales (Montego Bay Utd/Jamaica), Josiah Trimmingham (Montego Bay United/Jamaica), Andre Raymond (Dunfermline Athletic Scotland), Alvin Jones (Deportivo Real Sociedad/Honduras), Aubrey David (CSD Municipal/Honduras); midfielders Stefen Yeates (York United/Canada), Daniel Phillips (Stevenage/England), Ajani Fortune (Atlanta United/USA), Nathaniel James (Portland Heart of Pine/USA), Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC/USA), Andre Rampersad (HFX Wanderers/Canada), Wayne Frederick II (Colorado Rapids/USA), Tyrese Spicer (Toronto FC/Canada), Dantaye Gilbert/Holland), and Real Gill (Hunstville City FC/USA).
Among the locals named in the squad, Defence Force striker and former US Major League Soccer’s Kevin Molino, Police FC’s Joevin Jones, goalkeepers Marvin Phillip (AC PoS) and Jabari St Hillaire (Defence Force), Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Kaihim Thomas (Defence Force), Brent Sam (Defence Force), and Isaiah Garcia (Defence Force).
However, Isaiah Leacock of Defence Force, the leading scorer in the T&T Premier League after 11 matches with 11 goals, one more than strike partner Molino, misses out because of US Visas issues as the team is expected to leave for a four-day camp on Sunday.
Last December, Yorke in his debut match as head coach of the Soca Warriors saw his team fall to a 3-1 loss while they were also beaten 1-0 by host Jamaica on February 6, before both teams played to a 1-1 three days later, also in Jamaica.
The matches in the preliminary round of the Gold Cup feature the four 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal losers, the third and fourth-placed teams from the 2024/25 Nations League A cycle, the top two Nations League B runners-up, and the four Nations League play-in winners.
The preliminary results were determined via Concacaf’s rankings of the 14 participating teams after the conclusion of Fifa’s November window. The Soca Warriors are ranked fifth, with Costa Rica, Jamaica, Honduras, and Guatemala ahead of them. Cuba is ranked tenth.
The four 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League semifinalists are Canada, Mexico, Panama and the US, who will go directly into the 2025 Gold Cup group stage for the June 14-July 6 tournament.
For the Soca Warriors, their preliminary tie will be a rematch against a Cuba team they met twice in their 2024/25 Concacaf Nations League A campaign. T&T played to a 2-2 draw against Cuba on October 10 before earning a 3-1 win at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago on October 14 as they gained their place in Nations League A for another cycle.
In the other 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup preliminary matchups Costa Rica faces Belize, Jamaica meets St Vincent and the Grenadines, Honduras plays Bermuda, Cuba, Guatemala battles Guyana, Martinique clashes with Suriname, and Nicaragua tangles with Guadeloupe.
So far, Haiti, El Salvador, Curacao, USA, Panama, Dominican Republic, Canada, Mexico and guest team Saudi Arabia are the confirmed teams in the main draw of this year’s Gold Cup which begins on June 14 and ends on July 6.
Mexico is the defending champion, having won its record-extending ninth title in 2023 after defeating Panama 1–0 in the final on July 16 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
T&T Gold Cup preliminary round squad
Goalkeepers: Marvin Phillip (AC PoS), Denzil Smith (AV Alta FC/USA), Jabari St Hillaire (Defence Force).
Defenders: Darnell Hospedales (Montego Bay Utd/Jamaica), Josiah Trimmingham (Montego Bay United/Jamaica), Jamal Jack (Club Sando FC), Andre Raymond (Dunfermline Athletic Scotland), Alvin Jones (Deportivo Real Sociedad/Honduras), Aubrey David (CSD Municipal/Honduras).
Midfielders: Joevin Jones (Police FC), Stefen Yeates (York United/Canada), Daniel Phillips (Stevenage/England), Natahniel James (Portland Heart of Pine/USA), Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Shannon Gomez (San Antonio FC/USA), Andre Rampersad (HFX Wanderers/Canada), Wayne Frederick II (Colorado Rapids/USA), Kaihim Thomas (Defence Force), Ajani Fortune (Atlanta United/USA),
Forwards: Kevin Molino (Defence Force), Levi Garcia (Spartak Moscow/Russia), Tyrese Spicer (Toronto FC/Canada), Dantaye Gilbert/Holland), Real Gill (Hunstville City FC/USA), Brent Sam (Defence Force), Isaiah Garcia (Defence Force).