Out-of-favour national players Kadeem Corbin and Ataulla Guerra both scored second-half doubles to lead Terminix La Horquetta Rangers past a stubborn Central FC 6-2 to regain the outright lead in the Ascension Football League Tournament on Friday night.
Playing the future match of a double-header at the Phase II Recreation Ground, La Horquetta, Rangers were gifted an early lead when Kwami Hughhew scored an own goal after only six minutes, but in the 33rd minute, Leonardo Da Costa got Central FC a shock equaliser to leave both clubs level at the half-time interval.
However, on the resumption, Rangers stepped up the pressure and doubled their lead in the 50th through Corbin, who quickly added a second two minutes later for a 3-1 cushion.
Former USA-based Guerra then joined in the scoring spree with his first and the team's fourth in the 55th minute while Aikim Andrews extended the advantage to 5-1 in the 62nd.
Guerra then completed his double with ten minutes left on the clock for a 6-1 score while Romario Burke got a late second item for Central with four minutes left.
With the win, Rangers moved to 26 points from ten matches, three ahead of 2019 winners Defence Force who had a chance to go top on goal-difference in Saturday night's late match against cellar-placed Moruga FC, while Police FC is third with 21 points and meets Central Soccer World at the St James Police Training Barracks, St James from 5 pm.
In Friday's opener, former national midfielder Hughton Hector also scored twice to lead Deportivo Point Fortin (PF) to a 6-1 spanking of Cunupia FC.
Hector got his goals in the 22nd and 49th minutes while Isaiah Hudson, Omri Baird, Andrei Pacheco and Ezekiel Kesar were also on target for the winners, and Kwasi Allan netted Cunupia's consolation.
The ten clubs are competing in two rounds of football on 18 match days for a winners prize of $100,000, with second place getting $50,000, and third $25,000.
The tournament was first played in 2019, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition was not held in 2020 and 2021, with this year’s competition being staged with a budget of $3.5 million, with $175,000 in prize money.
Friday's results:
Deportivo Point Fortin 6 (Hughton Hector 22nd, 49th, Isaiah Hudson 27th, Omri Baird 28th, Andrei Pacheco 66th, Ezekiel Kesar 68th) vs Cunupia 1 (Kwasi Allen 82nd).
La Horquetta Rangers 6 (Kadeem Corbin 50th, 52nd, Ataulla Guerra 55th, 80th, Kwami Hughhew o.g 6th, Aikim Andrews 62nd) vs Central FC 2 (Leonardo Da Costa 33rd, Romario Burke 86th)
Sunday's match:
Venue: St James Police Training Barracks, St James:
Police FC vs Central Soccer World, 5 pm
Teams P W D L F A GD Pts
1. La Horquetta Rangers 10 8 2 0 43 14 29 26
2. Defence Force 9 7 2 0 30 5 25 23
3.Police FC 9 7 0 2 27 12 15 21
4. Deportivo PF 10 6 2 2 22 9 13 20
5. Cunupia FC 10 4 1 5 16 20 -4 13
6. Central Soccer World 9 3 1 5 9 16 -7 10
7. AC PoS 9 2 3 4 17 20 -3 9
8. Real West Fort 8 2 1 5 8 21 -13 7
9. Central FC 10 1 2 7 14 33 -19 5
10. Moruga FC 9 0 0 9 6 39 -33 0
Leading scorers:
10 - Jameel Boatswain (Defence Force)
9 - Kevon Woodley (Cunupia FC)
7 - Brent Sam (Defence Force)
6 - Reon Moore (Defence Force), Mickaeel Gordon (Police FC), Kadeem Corbin (La Horquetta Rangers)
5 - Tyrone Charles, Ataulla Guerra Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Che Benny (AC Port-of-Spain), Sedale Mc Clean (AC Port-of-Spain)
4 - Akinola Gregory, Hughton Hector (Deportivo PF), Kemron Purcell, Jabari Mitchell (Police), Romario Burke (Central FC)
3 - Ross Russell Jr, Aikim Andrews Junior Assoon, Real Gill (La Horquetta Rangers), Joel Lewis (Police FC), Keasean St Rose (Central FC), Kemuel Rivers (Central Soccer World), Andrei Pacheco (Deportivo PF)
2 - Shackiel Henry, Mark Ramdeen, Ezekiel Kesar(Deportivo PF), Gabriel Nanton, Romario Burke, Kareem Freitas (Police FC), Jomoul Francois, Jamal Creighton (La Horquetta Ranges), Keron Cummings (AC PoS), Kerville Jeremiah (Moruga FC), Renaldo Francois, Leonardo Da Costa (Central FC), Jamali Garcia (Defence Force)
1 - Kadeem Hutchinson, Elijah Belgrave, Simeon Bailey (Police FC), Nathaniel Guerra, Luke Phillip, Omri Biard, Nathaniel Garcia, Isaiah Hudson (Deportivo PF), Jaydon Prowell, Saeed Charles, Michael Poon Angeron, Anthony Charles (AC PoS), Ross Dowden, Josimar Belgrave, Josiah Joseph, Cordell Samuel, Sean De Silva (Real West Fort United), Keegan Faria, Kahim Thomas, Daniel David, Real Gill, (La Horquetta Rangers), Dylon King, Kevon Blackman, Justin Garcia, Dwight Quintero, Darius Ollivierra (Defence Force), Nicholas Dillion, Theophilus Bourne, Anthony Parris, Ryan Frederick (Central Soccer World), Keon Daniel, Josiah Daniel, Kwasi Allen (Cunupia FC), Leandro Da Costa (Central FC), Atiba Charles, Keion La Rode (Moruga FC)
Own goals - 4