
Tags: Football/Dwight Yorke, Football/Trinidad and Tobago Soca Warriors, Football/Ajani Fortune
Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Ajani Fortune welcomes the challenge of facing Concacaf powerhouse United States head-on, as he believes a strong performance in their 2025 Gold Cup opener could set the tone for the tournament and beyond.
Though they have one eye on World Cup qualification, the Soca Warriors have switched focus for now and are ready to give of their best against the Americans at PayPal Park in California on Sunday, in what they hope will be a promising Gold Cup campaign.
"It's always a great feeling playing against the US because it shows how you match up against the bigger teams in the region. At the end of the day, we're going into the game with the belief that we can get a result that goes our way. No matter what, we'll work as hard as we can to put our best foot down and win the game," Fortune told TTFA media in a recent interview.
"This will be a good test for us, not just for the Gold Cup, but for the year, to know how we stand for the World Cup qualifiers," he added.
Ajani Fortune wins possession during a training session.
Fresh off securing a spot in the final round of the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, the 22-year-old says morale within the camp is high, even though they fell short in a 2-1 loss to Costa Rica in their final group stage contest. However, with the United States also wounded by a 4-0 friendly loss to Switzerland, Fortune is ready to play his part, as he believes the Soca Warriors pack enough quality to possibly rub salt in their opponent's wound.
"Every time you come into the camp and you play these international games, it comes with a different level of experience. I want to believe that every time I come into the team, I'm able to bring those experiences I need with me...now, the confidence is growing more and more," the Atlanta United player shared.
That said, Fortune pointed out that there is a tangible shift in the team's intensity and discipline since Dwight Yorke took the reins.
Soca Warriors head coach Dwight Yorke and his team in a tactical drill. (Photos: TTFA Media)
"One of the first things the coach brought to the table was saying he wanted a higher standard off and on the field, and you can sense the training sessions are always intense, and they always require us to be focused from start to finish. That's what you want as a player. That's something he has focused on, and I'm always happy to come in, train, and get better every time we go out there," Fortune noted.
The Soca Warriors will also lock horns with Haiti on June 19 and the visiting Saudi Arabia three days later, and Fortune knows that their Gold Cup form could act as a crucial measuring stick ahead of the decisive World Cup qualifying round scheduled to begin in September.
"I think it's very important that we focus on the Gold Cup that's ahead of us now. After that, we’ll need a different level of focus for the qualifiers," he ended.
LATEST STORIES
Asha James slams TTFA over inaction ahead of Women’s World Cup Qualifiers
- 2025-06-13 16:37:07
- Hits 991
Yorke set sights on World Cup Qualifiers after encouraging Gold Cup campaign
- 2025-06-24 13:40:55
- Hits 810
'I truly believe': Edwards backs Yorke to lead Soca Warriors to 2026 World Cup
- 2025-06-18 14:19:50
- Hits 436
Fortune embraces US challenge as Soca Warriors aim for strong Gold Cup start
- 2025-06-14 13:27:12
- Hits 326
TTFA's Edwards promises change with women's head coach appointment, programme revamp
- 2025-06-21 15:42:56
- Hits 227