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The United States Men’s National Team looks to build on its performance against Guyana, as it takes on Trinidad & Tobago on Saturday, June 22, in Cleveland, Ohio.
T&T enter the match in desperate need of points, after losing their opening Gold Cup game 2-0 to Panama. The Soca Warriors have been in poor form recently, with a 0-4-1 record in their last five games.
T&T holds a 3-18-4 all-time record against the USMNT; however the last time the two teams met T&T famously won 1-0, ending the USMNT’s 2018 World Cup qualification dreams.
Trinidad & Tobago Roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Adrian Foncette (Police FC/TRI; 11/0 (caps/goals)), Marvin Phillip (Central FC/TRI; 67/0), Gregory Ranjitsingh (Orlando City SC/USA; 0/0)
Defenders (6): Daneil Cyrus (Al-Orobah FC/SAU; 75/0), Aubrey David (Saprissa/CRI; 43/1), Curtis Gonzales (Defence Force/TRI; 28/0), Alvin Jones (Oklahoma City Energy/USA; 14/1), Carlyle Mitchell (St Ann’s Rangers/TRI; 35/2), Mekeil Williams (Oklahoma City Energy/USA; 22/1)
Midfielders (12): Cordell Cato (Oklahoma City Energy/USA; 28/2), Levi Garcia (Ironi Kiryat Shmona/ISR; 16/2), Kevan George (Charlotte Independence/USA; 42/0), Neveal Hackshaw (Indy Eleven/USA; 9/0), Akeem Humphrey (Club Sando/TRI; 1/0), Khaleem Hyland (Faisaly/SAU; 80/4), Joevin Jones (Seattle Sounder/USA; 71/8), Nathan Lewis (Lansing Ignite/USA; 20/2), Kevin Molino (Minnesota United/USA; 42/18), Duane Muckette (Memphis 901 FC/USA; 1/0), Leston Paul (Memphis 901 FC/USA; 17/0), Jamal Williams (W Connection FC/TRI; 12/2)
Strikers (2): Lester Peltier (Al-Orobah FC/SAU; 38/6), Shahdon Winchester (W Connection FC; 23/5)
Coach Dennis Lawrence typically deploys a 4-5-1. Expect his starting XI to be similar to the one used against Panama. The Soca Warriors will likely play defensively and look to catch the USMNT on the counter.
Projected Lineup:
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Marvin Phillip is the clear #1 and is a solid shot stopper, with quick reflexes. He played well in the 2-0 loss against Panama and will to need to have a similar performance.
Expect Daneil Cyrus and Aubrey David to feature as centerbacks. The 6’3” Cyrus is dominant in the air and an excellent tackler. However, he struggles with his positioning and often looks to dribble after winning tackles when he would be better off passing.
David is also 6’3” and similarly dominant in the air. David is far stronger, yet slower and worse on the ball than Cyrus.
Mekeil Williams will likely get the nod at left back. Williams is a good passer and excels at intercepting passes. His greatest flaws are his subpar crossing and tendency to overcommit to tackles.
Look for Alvin Jones to get the nod at right back. Jones, the younger brother of Joevin Jones, is a solid crosser of the ball and is a surprisingly dangerous scoring threat from distance. While he is quite gifted offensively, for a defender, his 1 v. 1 defending is poor and he often finds himself out of position due to joining the attack.
Khaleem Hyland should feature as a defensive midfielder. Hyland is a hard-tackler, with decent dribbling ability, and a powerful shot. However, he is slow as molasses and has a rather limited passing range.
Expect Kevin Molino and Kevan George to feature as central midfielders. Molino will likely play as a #10, in front of George.
Molino is the most talented attacking player on this roster and is a pin-point passer. He is also a good crosser but puts in little defensive effort. It’s unclear if he’ll be at his best, as he just returned from an ACL tear in May.
George will likely drop into defensive midfield where his excellent positioning and exceptional skill at intercepting passes will be useful. His primary flaws are that he receives too many cards and offers nothing offensively.
Look for Joevin Jones to earn the nod at left midfield. Jones is lightning fast, a solid crosser, and a good 1 v. 1 defender. While talented, he is very inconsistent and is a rather poor finisher.
Nathan Lewis has a good chance to start at right midfield. Lewis was T&T’s most dangerous attacker against Panama and is a crafty dribbler who makes dangerous runs. However, his finishing is shockingly poor.
While normally a left winger, Levi Garcia will likely continue to feature as the Soca Warrior’s lone striker. Garcia is an excellent set-piece taker and talented dribbler, but he loses the ball far too easily due to his lack of strength and is a poor passer.