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Trinidad and Tobago head coach Leo Beenhakker has called up Scottish-based striker Jason Scotland to join the squad as a replacement for Southampton’s Kenwyne Jones who damaged his ankle on Saturday and has been ruled out of Saturday’s 2006 World Cup qualifier against Guatemala.


Jones suffered the injury in Southampton’s 2-0 win over Crewe Alexandra on Saturday and is expected to be out for up to two weeks.

Beenhakker summoned Scotland who is riding high after scoring on debut for St Johnstone in their 3-1 loss to Airdrie United on Saturday. Scotland only got his work permit clearance last week shortly before agreeing to a new deal with the club.

Aside from Jones, there was also disappointing news for Scottish-based striker Collin Samuel who suffered a hamstring injury and was taken off in the 28th minute during Dundee United’s 1-1 draw with Inverness Thistle. He too has been advised to rest and a replacement will be named by Beenhakker for the upcoming match against the Central Americans.

But while the double blow means the need for a change up in Beenhakker’s selection, the Dutch-man could look forward to one of his returning men in Luton Town’s Carlos Edwards.

The former Defence Force star had been ruled out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and then the USA match with a thigh strain but has returned to full fitness and is fired up for the return fixture against the Guatemalans.  He was T&T’s lone scorer in the 5-1 loss in Guatemala City back in March.

“Right now I am really excited about coming back into the team. It was a downhill struggle for me since the Gold Cup and then to miss the USA match was a big setback. But now I’m playing again and the leg feels in good condition. The specialist has given me the all clear to resume full training and I have played one full 90 minute game and appeared in the second half as well for the Luton first team,” Edwards told TTFF Media on Sunday.

“It’s been almost two months since I last played with the national team and I’m anticipating a big return to continue from the Panama and Mexico games. The result in Guatemala didn’t do us any justice and if you look back at the match you could see that we had our chances but goals get you results and we didn’t take them. But this time’s it’s a different pot on fire and we must return the favour with a vengeance,” the former Wrexham man added.

He has a club match against Millwall on Monday and is scheduled to depart London with the other UK-based pros on Tuesday. On arrival home, he will engage in a light session later that evening at the Hasely Crawford Stadium with the rest of the team which begins preparations on Tuesday morning at the match venue.

Scheduled to come in today (Monday) is skipper Dwight Yorke who netted his first competitive goal for Sydney FC in their 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory in the Australian A-League on Sunday. Yorke netted in the 44th minute with a stooping header. Also coming in today will be Silvio Spann who is also coming off a goalscoring performance in Yokohama’s 4-3 loss to Japanese Division Two League leaders Kofu on Saturday, as well as American-based duo Avery John and Scott Sealy.