Sports
Roneil Walcott
Trinidad and Tobago men’s senior football team coach Dwight Yorke says the stakes are now as high as they could be as his team prepare to take on Curacao in their first game of Concacaf’s final World Cup qualifying round from 8 pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on September 5.
The team looked to be in high spirits as they went through their paces at the match venue on the eve of the encounter. On the sideline, as he engaged the media, Yorke reiterated the importance of hitting the ground running in Group B against the Dick Advocaat-coached Curacao team.
“If you’re not going to get the buzz or be excited about what is upon us tomorrow (September 5) which is a very crucial game. It’s a very critical stage for us. A World Cup campaign and we know what’s at stake. It’s high demand, high risk, high reward. The players understand that, and obviously, the country is behind us,” Yorke said. “So to have that support, I have no doubt and the confidence in the players that we’re ready to go.”
The top team in each of the three groups will qualify automatically to the 2026 World Cup which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US, with the two-best second-placed teams advancing to an intercontinental playoff.
In September 2023, TT defeated Curacao 1-0 in Mucurapo in a Concacaf Nations League A fixture thanks to a late winner from Nathaniel James. A month later, Curacao exacted revenge with a 5-3 win in Willemsted, Curacao. The visitors have looked a different team since then, and Advocaat has shown his influence on the squad by bringing in as many as seven new players for this fixture, including former Manchester United and Dutch youth player Tahith Chong.
Yorke expects Curacao to bring a certain quality to the fore, but expects his team to rise to the occasion.
“We’re coming up against a Curacao team that we totally have to respect…we know what type of football the Dutch bring to the party, but we need to be at our best,” he said. “As much as the respect is there for Curacao, it’s all about us. The onus is on us to make sure we get three points.”
Yorke said his team doesn’t feel pressured.
“We understand the expectation is high..it’s the highest honour representing your country, as well as the highest achievement in our sport, to be at the World Cup.
“There’s no hiding place for that or excuses from me and my players. I think the players have to rise with the expectation and embrace it and take on the challenge.”
Yorke said he and his staff have already settled on a starting XI. However, he doesn’t think there’s any room for complacency as he reckons he’s now overseeing his best team since taking charge of the national setup last November.
“Now, I feel the top 26 players are available. I think this could be the strongest team I’ve assembled to this point. It gives me a little bit of an issue, which is the right issue in terms of team selection,” he said.
“It’s not an easy call among these players so now we have a real competitiveness in the squad, not only in the XI, but knowing that the capability is coming off the bench because we’ll have to win some games off the bench as well.”
Yorke’s 26-man squad includes regular faces such as central midfielders Daniel Phillips and Andre Rampersad, star striker Levi Garcia, veteran goalie Marvin Phillip and captain and playmaker Kevin Molino. Impressive Major League Soccer wingers Dante Sealy and Tyrese Spicer are also in the squad.
Defenders Kobi Henry and Jerrin Jackie are the newest additions to the squad alongside lanky English-born striker Justin Obikwu, who debuted against Jamaica in a friendly in March 2024.
Yorke said the trio will certainly bolster his squad.
“We have been chasing these players for a while,” he said. “We’re delighted to have them on board and now they’re coming to play for TT. I’m sure when the fans come in they probably won’t be household names…I think they will be pleasantly surprised with the improvement in those areas. This is something that is ongoing and we’re trying to add and build the quality in this team.”
