Despite missing three players due to national duties with the Soca Warriors at the 18th Caribbean Football Union Cup Finals in Jamaica, Central FC will be confident of reclaiming top spot in the Digicel T&T Pro League when it faces Police at Gilbert Park, Couva in a re-scheduled match from 3.30 pm.
The match is the lone encounter on schedule and will be a repeat of last month’s First Citizens Cup semifinal which the eventual champions Central FC won 3-1 on penalty-kicks after a 0-0 deadlock.
In that penalty-kicks win for the “Central Sharks”, midfielder Ataullah Guerra was the first to score his penalty while goalkeeper Jan-Michael Williams made two saves to secure his team’s passage to the final in which they edged Japs North East Stars 1–0 on a Leston Paul item to carry off the $100,000 prize.
However, today Guerra, Williams and Paul will not be among Central Sharks roster for coach Zoran Vranes as they are all in the Soca Warriors squad which leaves this morning for Montego Bay, Jamaica for the CFU finals which runs from November 11-18.
In addition, midfielder Jason Marcano, joined the list of sidelined players with a suspected case of dengue while pre-season midfield signings, Elijah Manners, is still recovering from a fractured fibula (calve bone) and Qian Grosvenor, from illness and will not be available.
It’s still early in the season but the problems for first year coach Vranes seems to be at its peak as left-back Keion Goodridge, yet to start this season, is recovering from an ankle injury, while utility player Kaydion Gabriel, who missed his team’s First Citizens Cup final triumph through card suspension a week ago, had a suspected case of dengue as well, and is listed as 50–50.
Commenting on his list of possible absent players Vranes said, “For us it’s tough. Can you imagine missing about eight starters. But despite everything we are expecting a good performance. Our players are looking forward to a good result.
It’s also a good opportunity for the players, who are getting starting roles to show what they can really do.” Reflecting on their previous meeting so far this season the Yugoslav-born former T&T Under-20 and coach said it was not an easy encounter.
“When we played Police two weeks ago it was a very close game and we are expecting the same on Sunday (today). They have a couple quality players, some former T&T national players and some very experienced.”
The Central coach also had the concerns about the playing surface at today’s venue adding: “The surface isn’t to a professional standard and the earlier day time temperature can be an additional problem, but we would see how best we can adjust to the conditions because we are professionals.
“We are challenging the league title so we must play under the present circumstance of not having a number of starters available.” Police, meanwhile, will be without goalkeeper Adrian Foncette, who gained his first senior national team call-up from national coach Stephen Hart as third choice behind Williams and Point Fortin Civic’s Marvin Phillip.
The quartet of defender Anton Hutchinson (ankle), midfielder Kurdell Braithwaite (illness) and brothers Jameel (groin) and Kareem (back) Perry are all sidelined but coach Richard Hood still sees every opportunity against one of the top teams as a plus. “I view it as very important because we want to establish ourselves as a top team in the League, and we can only do so by our performances against the better teams,” said Hood.
“We are not concerned too much about the venue or their Central supporters as the game is played on the pitch and our focus is on executing our game plan and neutralising what they do.” Following today’s match the league will take a two-week break to accommodate the CFU Cups Finals before resuming on November 25.
Standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
Jabloteh 4 2 2 0 4 2 8
Central FC 3 2 1 0 11 2 7
Caledonia 3 2 0 1 6 5 6
Defence Force 3 2 0 1 6 5 6
N/East Stars 4 2 0 2 4 3 6
W Connection 3 1 1 1 5 2 4
Police FC 3 1 1 1 5 6 4
Pt Fortin Civic 3 0 1 2 4 7 1
St Ann’s Rangers 4 0 0 4 2 15 0
Match:
Central FC vs Police, Gilbert Park, Couva, 3.30 pm.