Jones (left) and Molino last represented T&T in 2023.
Trinidad and Tobago’s interim Head coach Derek King will be without striker Levi Garcia but remains optimistic that his team will improve significantly in the goal scoring department in their crucial Concacaf Nations League fixtures against Cuba on October 10 and 14.
King, who was sweating over the fitness of Garcia, inevitably had to look past the AEK Athens striker. Garcia, who just returned from injury, was excused from international duty as requested by his club.
Still, King will have to make do with those available to him as the Soca Warriors face a must-win situation in both games to not only keep their quarterfinal ambitions alive but, more importantly, avoid relegation from League A.
They are currently at the foot of Group B with a point as Jamaica (four points) and Nicaragua (four points) occupy the top two positions. Honduras (three points), Cuba (two points), and French Guiana (one point) complete the standings.
“Levi has an injury at this point. We need six points, and so we are trying to get our best players on the park on the day,” King declared.
King’s final squad, which was named on Saturday, sees the return of former captain Kevin Molino and Joevin Jones, who both last represented the Twin Island Republic at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Toronto FC’s forward Tyrese Spicer has also been included in the squad, which departs for Cuba on Sunday.
After the October 10 fixture, both teams will fly back to Trinidad and Tobago for their final group fixture on October 14 to determine their fates in League A.
King expects Cuba to prove a tough opponent in both games.
“Cuba played slightly different in two matches. Away from home against Jamaica, they play with a back five. At home, they play with a back four. I think, they will be coming as well for three points, so we have to defend well, and, once we create our chances, we have to score our chances,” the caretaker coach shared.
King also explained the reason behind bringing former Inter Miami midfielder Jones, 33, and previously retired Molino, 34, into camp.
“With his [Molino’s] experience, a guy who played over 50 games for the country, played MLS (Major League Soccer) and stuff, I think sometimes there needs to be experience around the team.”
“I had a conversation with Molino; he’s been working hard, and so far he’s looking good. We’ll see how the final squad goes,” King said ahead of the final squad announcement.
“He [Jones] was not a hundred percent, but I think he did well. He knows he has to work on his fitness, and I think Joevin could bring a level of experience along with the younger guys that we have as well,” the tactician noted.
T&T Squad: Denzil Smith, Christopher Biggette, Adrian Foncette, Justin Garcia, Sheldon Bateau, Aubrey David, Alvin Jones, Tristan Hodge, Shannon Gomez, Ross Russell Jr, Noah Powder, Kevin Molino, Dantaye Gilbert, John Paul Rochford, Isiah Lee, Andre Ramparsard, Joevin Jones, Michel Poon Angeron, Kevon Woodley, Tyrese Spicer, Real Gil, Nathaniel James, Ryan Telfer
Real Madrid 2-0 Villarreal: Valverde and Vinicius stunners down high-flying visitors
Real Madrid went level on points with rivals Barcelona at the LaLiga summit following their 2-0 triumph over high-flying Villarreal on Saturday.
The hosts opened the scoring in stunning fashion when Luka Modric's short corner was dummied by Jude Bellingham for Federico Valverde, with the Uruguayan taking aim from distance and finding the bottom corner with the aid of a deflection.
But Villarreal, who had won back-to-back league games heading into the encounter at the Bernabeu, responded almost immediately when Nicolas Pepe's header rattled the crossbar before Thierno Barry nodded over.
Los Blancos had further chances to increase their lead, but Antonio Rudiger sent an effort over the bar before Bellingham's long-range effort sailed wide of the post.
But the victory was sealed 17 minutes from time with another sensational strike, this time Vinicius Junior tried his luck from long-range and curled a superb strike beyond the grasp of Diego Conde after being found by Valverde.
The result, however, was overshadowed by a nasty injury in second-half stoppage time to Dani Carvajal, with the Spaniard leaving the pitch on a stretcher and in tears after a collision with Yeremy Pino.
Data Debrief: Wonder goals save Los Blancos
Madrid's two strikes against Villarreal both came from outside the box, as many as they had scored in their previous 39 goals in LaLiga.
But Carlo Ancelotti's side were far from their very best at the Bernabeu. They managed to muster an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.47 compared to Villarreal's 0.62, with only two of Los Blancos' 11 shots on target.
Valverde, however, impressed for Madrid, creating the joint-most chances alongside Modric (three), while also completing more accurate passes (77) than any other player on the pitch.
Inter 3-2 Torino: Thuram hat-trick keeps Serie A champions within reach of top spot
Marcus Thuram plundered a hat-trick to propel Inter to a 3-2 victory over 10-man Torino in Saturday's Serie A clash.
The victory places Inter second in the league standings with 14 points, two behind leaders Napoli.
Visiting defender Guillermo Maripan was given a straight red card after 20 minutes for a late challenge on Thuram.
Inter swiftly made their numerical advantage count, with Thuram heading in from close range five minutes after the sending-off.
Thuram doubled Inter's lead in the 35th minute with another header from close range. However, Torino pulled one back a minute later, with Duvan Zapata taking advantage of a defensive error to finish from inside the box.
Thuram completed his hat-trick on the hour mark, being in the right place to tap in a rebound after Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic had saved a header.
Torino forward Nikola Vlasic converted a penalty four minutes from time after Hakan Calhanoglu had tripped Adam Masina in the area to tee up a grandstand finish.
However, the visitors were unable to mount a final push to find an equaliser.
Data Debrief: Three-goal Thuram does Torino damage
Thuram scored his second hat-trick while playing in the top five European Leagues (in all competitions), after his previous one for Borussia Monchengladbach against Oberachern in the German DFB-Pokal in 2022.
In doing so, he became only the third Inter player to score a hat-trick against Torino in Serie A, after Roberto Boninsegna in March 1974 and Edwin Ronald Firmani in December 1958.
'I back myself on penalties', says Everton's spot-kick hero Pickford
Jordan Pickford said he fancied Anthony Gordon would switch up his penalty routine after scoring his last two spot-kicks for Newcastle United.
Gordon was a livewire for Newcastle against Everton on Saturday, though the England international ultimately fluffed his lines in the biggest moment of the 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.
With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Gordon failed to beat his former club-mate Pickford from 12 yards after James Tarkowski had fouled Sandro Tonali.
The Goodison faithful were in a buoyant mood after seeing Gordon, who left Everton for Newcastle in 2023, squander his big chance, though the Toffees could not craft an opening at the other end, albeit Dominic Calvert-Lewin was perhaps unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty of his own.
Nevertheless, Everton held firm to make it three Premier League games unbeaten and secure their first clean sheet of the campaign.
Pickford and Gordon spoke on the pitch at full-time, and the England goalkeeper told Sky Sports: "He asked me why I went that way. I just said both his penalties before had gone right, so I fancied him going to the left, which he did.
"I back myself on pens, it’s the first one I’ve saved for Everton in a while."
It marked Pickford's sixth penalty save from 33 spot-kicks faced in the league during his time at Everton, and his first stop since a crucial one from James Maddison against Leicester City in May 2023.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have had two of their last three Premier League penalties saved (one goal), having scored 23 of their previous 24 spot kicks in the competition.
Asked if it helped going up against a player he knows well in Gordon, Pickford said: "I watched the game [against Man City] and he reversed it against Ederson, and he went the same way the game before so I just fancied him going goalkeeper's left.
"It hit me off my knee, straight off my beak [nose]. I don't think Ant executed it to perfection, he'll be disappointed, but I’m there to make the save and that’s what I’ve done.
"It's like trying to double-bluff each other – I've got the better of him, it’s a big moment and managed to get us a draw. Now we move forward."
Eddie Howe, meanwhile, said his team took "big steps forward" despite not getting the three points.
"I have to credit the players because it is a difficult environment to play in and it is a much better defensive display from us too. Big steps forward," Howe told BBC Sport.
"We stood up to the physical test and were technically very good. We are trying to break barriers and have an outstanding season. I think we are capable of more and we have some tough fixtures to come.
"Anthony handled the occasion very well. I think his all-round game was very good. He will be disappointed with the penalty. But credit to Pickford for the save."
This was just Newcastle’s third clean sheet in their last 32 Premier League away games – they had recorded three consecutive shutouts on the road before this run.
Since the start of last season, meanwhile, only Arsenal (21) and Liverpool (15) have kept more Premier League clean sheets than Everton (14).
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