Yorke's suspension cut in half to 2 matches

JAMES Fuller

Trinidad and Tobago captain Dwight Yorke's four-match suspension for his red card last month in a World Cup qualifier was halved to two qualifiers on Thursday.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation successfully appealed the original ban to FIFA's disciplinary committee in Zurich.

Federation spokesman Shaun Fuentes said the news was a timely boost for the team ahead of Saturday's World Cup qualifying match with Honduras at Hasely Crawford Stadium.

"It's a great boost for the whole camp knowing that their captain will be back so much sooner now and hopefully will serve to lift the players for Saturday," Fuentes said.

Yorke was red-carded for receiving his second yellow when he complained to the referee after the CONCACAF qualifier at El Salvador last month finished 2-2. Yorke was also fined $4,200.

Trinidad's federation said Yorke "complained to the referee for the safety and security of his players in view of the fact that missiles were being hurled onto the field" and that Yorke denied using obscene language.

Yorke will still miss this weekend's match plus next week's against the United States. He will be eligible to return for the qualifier against Costa Rica on June 6.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad AP