24-man squad named to play for Trinidad and Tobago against US

Seventeen overseas-based members have been named in Trinidad and Tobago's 24-man squad to face the United States in a global friendly at Exploria Stadium in Orlando on 31 January.

The friendly is Terry Fenwick's first game as a national trainer, and he has chosen seven home-based players to go with the 17 overseas-based players.

US-born champion Michael Deshields and Canadian-based midfielder Fredrico Pena are among the players charged up for the first time.

Pena, who was born in Port-of-Spain, plays for the Canadian Premier League club Valour FC and has also spent a year each at the academies of Belgian clubs KAA Gent and Standard Liège.

Also called up are US-born player Jonathan Jimenez, 23, who plays for the USL club Rio Grande Valley FC Toros and has also performed for USL League sides Lakeland Tropics and Portland Timbers Under 23s.

Former National Under 17 and Under 20 defender Noah Powder (Real Salt Lake) and former National Under 17 player Ajani Fortune (Atlanta United's Academy) have also been drafted into the T&T squad.

Among the more familiar names are goalkeepers Marvin Phillip and Adrian Foncette, as well as Alvin Jones, Duane Muckette, Neveal Hackshaw, Ryan Telfer, and Andre Fortune.

"It's a great opportunity and life for so many young players in Trinidad and Tobago who have not performed competitive soccer for over a year. It's a chance for them to make a name for themselves in a shop window. It's a great opportunity for everybody involved," Fenwick told media on Wednesday.

He added: "We have a few players from North America who we know are of a good quality playing in quality leagues, but there is nothing like witnessing them live and getting the chance to work them a bit on the training pitch. This will be the first time I am coinciding with them, so I am looking forward to this. We have a new guy from Canada, and it's a great chance for him and us. We need players of this caliber on our side.