Trinidad and Tobago’s National Senior Team will now face Digicel Caribbean Championship holders Haiti in Wednesday’s friendly international at the Marvin Lee Stadium due to the inability of the full Panama team to arrive here. Initially, Panama’s Senior Team was scheduled to arrive on Monday but on Saturday it’s Football Federation President Ariel Alvarado regrettably informed the TTFF that only half it’s traveling contingent would arrive in Trinidad by Tuesday.
The TTFF immediately sorted another opposition and its special advisor Jack Warner received a guarantee from the Haitian Football Federation that its Senior Team will arrive here on Tuesday for the game at 6pm on Wednesday at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya. The match against Haiti in Port-Au-Prince on August 10 remains as scheduled. Meantime team captain Aurtis Whitley, back in the team after nursing a hamstring strain, is hoping to make a full recovery by the time the Cuba match comes around on August 20.
“Right now I’m feeling better yes but I want to ensure that everything is back in order for the game against Cuba. I would love to play in every match but sometimes you have to follow the instructions of the doctor or the physio so I had to rest up a bit. I will know for sure how good I’m feeling once I get some time out there on the pitch, ”Whitley told the TTFF Media. Defender Cyd Gray, who wore the armband in the 2-0 win over Netherlands Antilles, is also inching his way back to full fitness.
“Last game I didn’t expect to play all those minutes but I came through good which means my fitness may even be better than I thought. That’s a plus and I feel my level will improve with a couple more games which is why these upcoming friendlies are important,” Gray added.
The rest of the T&T team includes; Marvin Phillip, Cleon John, Makan Hislop, Gyasi Joyce, Keyeno Thomas, Radanfah Abu Bakr, Aklie Edwards, Khaleem Hyland, Christopher Birchall, Avery John, Densill Theobald, Kerry Baptiste, Anthony Wolfe, Cornell Glen, Andre Toussaint, Kevaughn Connell, Keon Daniel.