MIAMI.- It hasn’t been an easy year for Trinidad and Tobago. After a falling short in each of their pre-tournament friendly matches, the Soca Warriors failed to get a victory in the Gold Cup, losing to Panama and the United States before drawing Guyana on the way out of the tournament. The Concacaf Nations League, however, gives them a chance to right the ship and show they still belong among the region’s best.

One of the most notable changes from the Trinidad and Tobago of old and today’s squad is the lack of proven goalscorers. Names like Stern John, Angus Eve, Kenwyne Jones and Dwight Yorke are gone, with players including Shahdon Winchester, Neil Benjamin Jr. and Willis Plaza looking to fill those shoes.

There are other goalscoring threats in the team, with Kevin Molino arriving in good form after several strong showings with Minnesota United and a plethora of talent in the United States second division with Kevan George, Ataullah Guerra, Leston Paul and Cordell Cato pushing to be included in the squad.

They’re all desperate to help the team get their first victory of 2019 and begin to return to the form T&T has shown in the past. From there, they hope, will be another World Cup appearance like the one islanders were able to celebrate in 2006.

The first step, however, is the Nations League with a doubleheader against Martinique. Get results in that series, and suddenly the doors are open once again to a successful tournament and a national team that harkens back to the best days of Trinidadian soccer.