Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Football => Topic started by: Flex on February 03, 2023, 12:42:06 AM
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Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League launches January 6.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) will launch the new TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Monday.
TTPFL CEO Colin Wharfe believes the development of this league is moving in a positive and structured manner that should create excitement for fans, players and stakeholders alike.
“The TT Premier Football League team and I have been working to ensure that the foundation of this new enterprise is thorough and robust.
“We met with the clubs on Wednesday and provided updates and engaged in productive dialogue to ensure everyone’s readiness to kick off on this new adventure.
“These details will be announced to the public next week.”
The TTPFL will announce the clubs that have been successfully licensed under the club licensing system for the top division, competition structure, the kick off date of the top division and other details at the launch.
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Govt, TTFA, FIFA to assist TTPFL clubs with $2.64 million.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
The 12 clubs who will form the new T&T Premier Football League will each stand to benefit from a cash injection of a total of TT$2.64 million or TT$220,000 each which will be distributed over a four-month period from March to June 2023.
This proposal and the finalisation of the T&T Football Association’s (TTFA) constitutional reform are among a number of details to be finalised at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) which is carded for next Saturday at the Home of Football in Balmain, Couva, by the TTFA members.
According to the source, at the EGM, the proposal of the $220,000 which will come from the combination of the T&T government via the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, the TTFA, and FIFA will see the clubs being provided with an initial sum of $70,000 to help offset their cost of preparing for the start of the season at the end of March followed by three injections of $50,000 for the months of April, May, and June.
The new league which is slated to begin on March 10, is expected to comprise local powerhouses and former multiple T&T Pro League winners W Connection, San Juan Jabloteh, T&T Defence Force, and Central FC as well as recent Ascension Tournament Football champions Terminix La Horquetta Rangers FC, Caledonia AIA, T&T Police, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Cunupia FC, AC Port-of-Spain, Club Sando and one newcomer in T&T Prisons, the winners of the T&T Super League Premier Division, the last time the tournament was held in 2019.
The FIFA-Normalisation-led TTFA will launch the long-awaited new T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain on Monday.
In a release from the TTFA, newly appointed TTPFL Chief Executive Officer Colin Wharfe stated he believes that the development of the League is moving in a positive and structured manner that should create excitement for fans, players, and stakeholders alike.
The release added: “The T&T Premier Football League team and I have been working to ensure that the foundation of this new enterprise is thorough and robust. We met with the clubs on Wednesday (February 1, 2023) and provided updates and engaged in productive dialogue to ensure everyone’s readiness to kick off on this new adventure, and these details will be announced to the public next week.”
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WATCH TT PREMIER FOOTBALL LEAGUE LAUNCH LIVE
All stakeholders interested in joining a live viewing of today’s official launch of the TT Premier Football League which starts at 6pm at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain can log on using the below link.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89679212000?pwd=blM1YUJoWGNTN1lYdmJ0QWtESXkrUT09
Meeting ID: 896 7921 2000
Passcode: 536838
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Government commits $9M to new Trinidad and Tobago football league.
Be Jelani Beckles (T&T Guardian).
THE wait is finally over for local footballers as the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) will kick off on March 10 for tier-one teams. The Government is backing the league as the Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe confirmed that $3 million per year will be distributed for the first three years.
Local football has been at a standstill since the start of the covid19 pandemic in March 2020 with the exception of the Ascension Football League. The launch of the TTPFL was held at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Monday.
The league has been 18 months in the making and the league for 12 tier-one teams will begin on March 10 and end in May. The teams are La Horquetta Rangers, Club Sando, Police, W Connection Couva, Pt Fortin Civic FC, AC Port of Spain, Central FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, Prisons FC, Cunupia FC and Defence Force.
The league for tier two teams will start at the end of April, but it is uncertain how many teams will compete.
COO of the TTPFL Colin Wharfe said there will be no promotion and relegation in the first season as it will only be played over two months. In June, a knock-out competition will be held featuring teams in both tier one and tier two. The second season of the league will run from September/October 2023 to May 2024.
“We at Government are asking to support to the tune of $3 million per year for three years in the first instance,” Cudjoe said.
Cudjoe urged the football clubs to be transparent in their operations. “In this day and age especially with the experience you have in football, you should be able to conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector funding. That is important.”
Cudjoe said FIFA is supporting the TTPFL saying the world governing body is giving between US $300,000 and $400,000 per year to the TTPFL. The Sport Minister said to ensure the league is being run properly a review will be held at the end of each year.
Cudjoe urged the stakeholders to run the league with the future in mind. “We hope that we would grow stronger, closer and united. Not for me, not for Mr (Robert) Hadad (Normalisation Committee chairman) not for chairman (of the Sport Company of TT) Douglas Camacho, but for these youngsters who depend on us for their growth and that is where the investment should be.”
Cudjoe said this is a new beginning for football, saying let’s “restore it to its former glory.”
Hadad agreed with Cudjoe that the clubs must run their clubs honestly. Hadad was hired by FIFA to run the Normalisation Committee mainly to reduce the massive debt facing the TT Football Association. Hadad ensured everyone he is trying his best to reduce the debt and pay off all creditors.
Hadad said, “We are listening to you (Cudjoe) and we are trying our very best to reshape the TT Football Association with the guidance of your good self and your ministry and your sport company together with FIFA and CONCACAF.
“I want to openly thank FIFA for all their work,” Hadad said.
RELATED NEWS
New TT Premier League to kick off March 10.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Local football is finally ready to roll. In just over a month's time, the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL), which will feature 11 teams - Caledonia AIA, Central FC, Club Sando, Cunupia FC, La Horquetta Rangers, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force and W Connection, will begin action on March 10. It will run until May, in what is expected to be a shortened season.
In June, the teams will engage in a knock-out playoff.
At a launch of the League at a gala function at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain Monday evening, it was revealed that the season will be a shortened one if they are to fall in line with the CONCACAF season that will enable the top two teams to be registered in time for the CONCACAF playoffs.
TTPFL's chief executive officer (CEO) Colin Wharfe said there will be no promotion or relegation due to a truncated season which will mean that matches will be played at the weekends and during the week.
Wharfe said: "The league has been approximately 18 months in the making. It has been the result of the support of a FIFA initiative on our behalf with respect to looking at the TT Professional League development. During the last couple of months, the organising team with full support of the Normalisation Committee, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, FIFA, CONCACAF and the Sport Company of T&T has worked diligently to make this possible.
"The TTPFL is the new elite football league that has been sanctioned and run by the TTFA. It comprises of two divisions, a top tier and a second tier. To be clear, professional and semi-professional football and their attendant benefit are not new to T&T, but the association has deemed it necessary at this stage in the evolution of the professional game to assume direct responsibility and oversight for professional football."
Following the shortened season that will end in June, the players and teams will resume action for a second time in September and in October for the first official full season with matches at the Moruga Sports Complex, the Mahaica Sports Complex, La Horquetta Recreation Ground and the St James Barracks.
Wharfe said success for them would look like; "taking the lead in rebuilding stakeholder trust in the administration of the game; the re-engaging of players, current and aspiring; as well as the public-getting the public back involved in the game and creating a platform for a high level of competition to assist in the development of our talent".
He noted further that the end game of the above as well as other initiatives of the TTFA is to get our players and teams back to their pride of place in regional football.
The clubs will each stand to benefit from a cash injection courtesy of the FIFA Forward Programme and the government. It is understood that a total of TT$2.64 million or TT$220,000 each will be distributed over four months from March to June 2023.
Minister of Sports Shamfa Cudjoe said the government is fully in support of the league but it will look forward to see organisers of the league and the clubs pull themselves together to become self-sustainable soon.
"It has been a long, long arduous road ahead of us with a lot of bumps. This is coming at a really opportune time and I am happy that there are so many stakeholders, you have at least 10 teams and another two suppose to come on board."
She noted: "I really wanted to show that the government is supporting football and the development of football in T&T and the development through football. We, as government, are being asked to support to the tune of $3 million per year for three years in the first instance, and my response to that was that FIFA has to put something in. And you have to market and promote yourself and conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector support.
"That has happened for a really long time in a number of sporting disciplines, but in this day and age, especially with the experience you have in football, you should be able to conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector funding."
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Eve: New Trinidad and Tobago Premier League a good day for football
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
TRINIDAD and Tobago men's senior football coach Angus Eve is anticipating the start of the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) calling it a “good day” for football as it will allow the local-based players to play regularly in an effort to earn selection on the national team.
“Most of all (this is) an opportunity for the players to play,” Eve said during the launch of the league at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Monday.
“Derek (King) and I are here today because we are happy that there is a league. We have been advocating for the local players to be part of the (national) team, but they need to be playing and they need to be match fit, so today is a good day.” King is one of Eve’s assistant coaches on the national senior team.
Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe, normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad and the TTPFL COO Colin Wharfe were among those who attended the launch.
“(This is) good. It is really good to hear the minister vow the support of the Government,” Eve said. “The dignitaries were here. You heard Robert Hadad speak, the new COO Mr (Colin) Wharfe. I think he is an excellent guy, a really good guy, a guy of integrity. That is the kind of people we need in sport.”
Coaches and representatives of local club teams attended the league’s launch.
Eve knows the national team will not benefit from the league overnight as players must play regularly for a year or two to improve their standard of play.
“It would not be overnight, but we have been doing our part. The normalisation committee has been supporting us. We just played St Martin in a game and that was an effort to keep the locally-based players engaged and we see how that went. We have a couple more matches for them. We want to go to Jamaica with them and we also want to play Guatemala in the (United) States with the locally-based players.”
Eve said his staff on the national team will be attending the TTPFL matches to scout players for the T&T men’s senior team.
“We will get to see every team play obviously…we have a staff (and) we will send people to different places. We have the opportunity once the fixtures are stable that we can go different venues and watch the different teams.”
The league has been 18 months in the making and the league for 12 tier-one teams will begin on March 10 and end in May. The teams are La Horquetta Rangers, Club Sando, Police, W Connection Couva, Pt Fortin Civic FC, AC Port of Spain, Central FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, Prisons FC, Cunupia FC and Defence Force.
The league for tier-two teams will start at the end of April, but it is uncertain how many teams will compete.
There will be no promotion and relegation in the first season as it will only be played over two months. In June, a knock-out competition will be held featuring teams in both tier one and tier two. The second season of the league will run from September/October 2023 to May 2024.
At the launch on Monday, Cudjoe said the Government will commit $3 million per year for the first three years. The league is also getting support from FIFA and corporate T&T.
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Something to work with: Edwards, Shabazz hopeful about Premier League
By Garth Wattley (T&T Express)
A workable structure and a good challenge.
Kieron Edwards, general manager of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers and Caldenonia AIA Morvant president Jamaal Shabazz both saw opportunities for football to capitalise on the latest incarnation of a professional league.
On Monday, the TT Premier League (TTPL) was launched at the Hyatt Regency hotel, with the first season in Tier 1 of the competition set to kick off on March 10.
In her address to the audience, Minister of Sport, Shamfa Cudjoe said Government’s investment in the TTPL would be $3 million per year for the next three years in the first instance, with world governing body FIFA contributing approximately US$300,000-US$400,000.
The Minister acknowledged that Government was giving less than it had done in the past to the TT Pro League but she insisted that clubs had to “come up with something” themselves.
“We will support you as long as you are willing to support yourself, to conduct yourself to attract funding,” Cudjoe added.
Representatives of the Ministry of Sport and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago will be part of the league’s oversight body, and league operations will be reviewed annually.
Despite the reduced allocation, however, Edwards said the structure can work, “once we stick to the plan.”
The Rangers GM pointed out that the previous Pro League also had a structure that included checks and balances and that, “the first four years of the league, the league was totally funded by the clubs.”
And noting that his club puts out, “almost $2m a year,” he stressed: “We need to give respect where respect is due and kudos where kudos are due to the clubs that continue to support the professional football in Trinidad and Tobago.
And Edwards was keen for the TTPL to be proactive about revenue generation.
“The issue is how can the powers that be generate sustainable measures within the sport,” he told the Express. “We talking about revenue from gates; we talking ‘bout revenue from image rights. That is not really a club (responsibility), is more a league direction; if the league is going to go in that direction in terms of ensuring that the clubs that make the investment can gain revenue from playing in the tournament.”
Shabazz saw the birth of the TTPL as the beginning of something promising.
“We’ve not had enough focus on the football on the field; we’ve had focus on who should be president, who should be this, who should be that, but I think this is the start of something special, I am excited,” he said.
Shabazz acknowledged though, that clubs will have some hard work to do.
“The fact that FIFA and Government are part of the funders of the programme, it puts out a challenge to the clubs to come up with their part, which would be some funding and also the performance to gain the interest of the fans; the community engagement.”
But he said it was, “a good challenge.”
He explained: “Outside of the economic aspect, we have the social aspect. What will this do for a community like Caledonia/Laventille? If we could employ 15 to 18 players and pay them $3,000 to $4,000, it gives them food for thought in terms of the choices they make on the street.” Under the TTPL arrangement, players will be paid through the TTFA.
Shabazz said this was, “good for transparency.”
He noted: “We’ve had instances in the past where clubs allegedly received funding and it didn’t reach the players, so this is a good step.”
Coming back to the funding issue however, Shabazz said that the subventions being given, “would not be enough to carry a team for four months.”
But he remained optimistic that clubs would be able to work with what they will receive.
“Even teams working with the tightest of budgets, it is a big start, especially for a team like Caledonia to have a certain amount of funding to guarantee us to employ X amount of players.”
However, he said of his club: “For us, we want to be ambitious. We have some corporate partners that we accustomed dealing with, COURTS, Massy, couple others, so we want to go to them with a proposal and we want to get the community involved again with the team, because with that little buffer we have, we could now really go full speed ahead into the training.”
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The return of competitive football in T&T - phew!
By Colin Murray (T&T Guardian)
At long last, local football appears ready to get started again.
In many countries around the world, competitive football for the top players is being played and has been playing for several months, so why has it taken T&T such a long time?
We are being told that this new TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) has been approximately 18 months in the making. Wow, 18 months! It should be the best-planned football league in the history of world football.
Please forgive me, but I recall there was a committee formed a few years ago with Lindsay Gillette as the chairman and they set about with a formula for a new league to develop the Pro League and have a sustainable second division with promotion and relegation. My understanding was that a proposal was presented to the powers that be at the time, but the usual politics stepped in and it was just left hanging because it supposedly did not fit the criteria that some of the ‘big boys’ had in mind and it was just left to fall by the wayside.
Interestingly enough, the Ascension League had quite a successful tournament and then the Secondary Schools Football League also had a very successful 2022 season with large crowds attending the games, especially the finals in both the League and Intercol. It is therefore beyond me to understand why this TTPFL did not get off the ground at least 12 months ago.
I know there will be 101 reasons why it took 18 months of planning to get a ball kicked but in the meanwhile, and perhaps the most destructive fact is that T&T’s footballers have suffered from a huge lack of playing time. How come the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) started at least a year ago? Is the JPL different? The answer to that is yes, they seem to be more structured and while I am sure there is politics involved, it has not kept them back from organising their players in good, top-class competition.
T&T’s men’s head coach Angus Eve has been begging and pleading for competitive football to resume at the top level as he has been at a serious disadvantage in terms of assessing the ability of his players in a competitive setting. Hopefully, we can see the Soca Warriors finally benefiting from this league with many more young players holding their hands up and trying to make the breakthrough at the international level.
The start of the league happens on March 10 and runs for just about two months then they go into a knockout playoff. Thankfully, because of the Ascension League, most of these clubs would have been ready for the start of this league having at least been exposed to some level of competition.
When one goes through the list of the teams/clubs, a fan mentioned to me he would have liked to have seen more community teams involved and I could not argue with his point. The community teams in T&T now seem to gather the majority of support in games simply because one is able to identify with the team. Wouldn’t I support Cunupia FC if I was living in Cunupia and its environs? Having said that, better marketing from the league administrators is desperately needed. Football fans want to come and see exciting football but also players who have style, flair and panache but these players have to be sold to the public for them to come out and see who are the various stars of the teams.
This league has a lot of work to do. If you recall, at most Pro League matches, crowds did not come out as the football played by some of the clubs was sub-standard. After you go once to a game and it is drab and lacking in basic skills, you will not go back. Even if the scoreline suggests a competitive game, if the ability shown by players is lacking, the public will be very unlikely to support consistently.
The administration of football in T&T is perceived by many to be at rock bottom and it is clear that people no longer vote for who can do the job but rather, friends vote for friends and they look for favours in exchange for their votes. It is something that plagues many national sporting bodies in this country but football is certainly one that suffers the most.
Running a competitive football league will not bring back the trust that local football fans have in the administration of the game. What brings back trust is ensuring that the people who get into positions of authority have a high level of integrity, honesty and a clean record that they are trusted to run a steady ship and keep it afloat. In addition, players have to believe the administration is working for their betterment as for far too long in T&T, players do not trust administrators.
When one looks at T&T’s standings regionally, it is going to take some time before the country can get back to the top and replace Jamaica as the leading Caribbean territory when it comes to football. This could very well be the start but it can’t be a stop-start scenario. Players need to be playing football throughout the year with a two-month break before the season starts again. That is the only way in which this country’s footballers will improve and ascend to the top of the ladder.
I am pleased that the clubs will each stand to benefit from a cash injection from FIFA and the government. I sincerely hope the clubs use the funds wisely. Yes, pay the players handsomely but also ensure that the very clubs have a proper development structure in place. The clubs have to start to stand up on their own two feet rather than look for handouts. This is a great start for them however, they must begin to market themselves and their players to attract sponsorship and have multiple fundraisers to keep the club ticking. We have gone past the dreaded COVID lockdowns when nothing was happening (no fundraisers etc.) to keep your club afloat it is now up to all the clubs to get up and seek their own source of funds. I know it is going to be a rough road with some clubs to become self-sustainable but to be honest, that has to be the way forward to get the supporters involved as I am sure some will have ideas to keep clubs on an upward trend.
Let us keep our fingers and toes crossed that this is the start of the journey to see T&T’s talented footballers take its football out of the dark ages and as the late great icon the Black Stalin sang, “better days are coming”.
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The new face of professional football.
TTFA Media.
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) alongside the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and FIFA has collaborated to successfully launch the new face of professional football in Trinidad and Tobago; The Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL). During Monday’s launch at the Hyatt Regency, the League’s CEO Colin Wharfe provided a full rollout of the plans for the new league including the structure, governance, marketing plans, and the start date, which is set for March 10th, 2023.
“This League has been approximately 18 months in the making. Its structure derives from the recommendations of a 2021 FIFA-led T&T Professional Football League Development Study. During the last couple months, the organising team, with the full support of the TTFA’s Normalisation Committee, the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, FIFA, Concacaf and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago, has worked diligently to make this day possible,” explained the League’s CEO.
Mr Wharfe also noted the importance of the TTPFL as a means to help senior club players prepare for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. “Qatar 2022 is widely regarded as one of the best World Cups ever staged, the next one is already on the horizon and…. it will be held in our region….so we need to get our senior footballers ready for a tough qualification challenge…”
TTFA Acting General Secretary Amiel Mohammed also joined in to celebrate a pivotal step in the right direction for Trinidad and Tobago’s football landscape. “Today is a momentous occasion. It is another big step for the TTFA as an Association that has had to make many big steps within the last few years to navigate many of its challenges. We look forward to the evolution of the TTFA as we work towards re-establishing all the facets of football, so that it’s transparent, accountable and adheres to good corporate governance.”
Mr Wharfe continued his breakdown of the league and its structure explaining the drivers behind it all. “The TTPFL has been planned and is being run and supervised by a four-member Executive Committee, chaired by me. The Executive Committee reports to an Oversight Body which comprises representatives of the TTFA, the League’s CEO, representatives from the participating Clubs, representatives of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago and independent members. Ultimate responsibility for the League rests with the Normalisation Committee as the Board of the TTFA.”
“The Executive Committee has access to existing departments within the TTFA, for example, Competitions, Technical, Licencing and where necessary we have engaged external expertise. Concacaf and FIFA have also provided resources, advice and counsel.”
The Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, was also instrumental in ensuring that this league materialized and she expressed her wishes for it to foster development and growth in the sport in Trinidad and Tobago. “I really wanted to show that the government is supporting football and the development of football in T&T and the development through football. We, as Government, are being asked to support to the tune of $3 million per year for three (3) years in the first instance, and my response to that was that FIFA has to put something in. And you have to market and promote yourself and conduct yourself in such a way to attract private sector support,” Minister Cudjoe stated.
She continued, “this evening, I am happy that this is a collaborative effort. We say it takes a village…so today you will see Ministry of Sport and Community Development, SporTT, Normalization Committee, TTFA and I’m happy that you have private sector on board also…coming together as a village to restore football to its former glory.”
“This year is a collaborative effort. You have the Ministry of Sport [and Community Development] being welcomed to the [Executive] Committee for the first time…In addition to that, this new arrangement, there is a review after every single year…this time at the end of each year there is a review as to how the funds were utilized [to determine] does this make sense or not, what are the implications of our funding support, what are you doing right, what are you not doing right, so there is greater transparency and accountability going forward.”
“I stand here this evening, optimistic, hopeful, happy, pleased that you are doing your part to get the thing right and to make the investment in the young people. So I can comfortably commit TT$3 million in the first instance, with a review as planned and promised, and we hope that we would grow stronger, closer and united.”
In tandem with the Honourable Minister’s statements, Wharfe outlined that funding support would also be accessed through FIFA and other resources. “Funding is being provided by the TTFA through the FIFA Forward Programme 3.0,…for those not familiar, 3.0 is the Fund used to bolster football development of FIFA’s Member Associations,…. the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, corporate partners and other sponsors. Clubs will be granted subventions from these funding pools, which they will augment with their own investment.”
The TTPFL will be divided into two tiers, Tier One (1) and Tier Two (2), which would host twelve teams each. For this edition, Tier One will be active from March 2023 to May 2023 and from the next official season the schedule will run from September 2023 to May 2024. The twelve teams for this edition have been named as Defence Force, Police FC, San Juan Jabloteh, La Horquetta Rangers, W. Connection, Point Fortin Civic, Caledonia AIA, Club Sando, Cunupia FC, Prisons FC, Central FC and AC Port of Spain (pending approval of their licence).
The composition of the clubs in Tier 2 is being finalized consistent with the club licensing process for a kick off date in April 2023.
Thus far, the approved Tier 1 venues for the league are the national stadia as well as the newly refurbished Mahaica Oval, Ken Cooke Ground (Police Barracks) in St. James, La Horquetta Recreation Ground and the Moruga Multi-Purpose Sport and Youth Facility.
The Tier 1 league will be played over two rounds, a total of 132 games, after which the top two teams would be sent forward to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the upcoming Concacaf Club Competitions. When the league is completed, there will be a knockout tournament that is scheduled to start in June 2023, involving both Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams.
Tier 1 fixtures and other relevant details will be unveiled shortly.
The TTPFL will be marketed and advertised on all social media platforms and daily/weekly updates can also be found on any official pages belonging to the TTFA and/or the TTPFL.
We look forward to your continued support as we welcome back professional football to T&T.
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TT Premier Football League Frequently asked questions.
TTFA Media.
1. What is the TT Premier Football League?
The TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) is the new, elite football League sanctioned by the Trinidad and
Tobago Football Association (TTFA.) It comprises two divisions: a Top -Tier division and a Second-Tier
division.
2. What is the purpose of this League?
In keeping with the TTFA’s three and a half (3 ˝) year strategic plan (2023 – 2026) this League aims to
create a sustainable business model for professional football in Trinidad and Tobago and to protect the
integrity of the sport built on a foundation of sound governance, transparency and active stakeholder
involvement. The League’s structure is based upon the findings and recommendations of a 2021 FIFA-led
T&T Professional Football League Development study. The recommendations contained in the report are
the result of detailed consultations with all key TT football stakeholder groups such as the clubs,
operators, administrators, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT), FIFA, Concacaf
and the governing body.
3. Why replace the Pro League and Super League?
The legal entities, Pro League Limited and Trinidad and Tobago Super League Limited which hosted the
Pro League and Super League competitions will continue to exist. However, the TTFA has determined it
necessary, at this stage in the evolution of the professional game in Trinidad and Tobago, to assume
direct responsibility and oversight for professional football.
4. When is the League season?
The League’s initial season will commence on 10 March 2023 and run until May 2023. This shortened
season facilitates meeting Concacaf’s deadline for the submission of Trinidad and Tobago’s Club
representatives for the 2023 Concacaf Clubs Competition.
Subsequent seasons of the TTPFL are expected to run annually, commencing in the month of
September/October and ending in the month of May of the following year. The first full annual season
will commence in September/October 2023.
Following the completion of the League schedule there will be a knockout competition among the teams
comprising both the Top-Tier and Second-Tier.
An independent analysis will be conducted at the end of each season, generated from monitoring and
evaluation systems that are being put in place. A season “state-of-play” report will drive
recommendations that would be considered to ensure the League’s sustainability. Any changes deemed
necessary for the League’s structure, such as facilitating promotion and relegation or an increase in the
number of participating clubs, may be made subject to the relevant economic and other factors.
5. When will the inaugural Tournament take place?
The League’s Top-Tier competition kicks off on Friday 10 March 2023, with the Second-Tier expected to
commence in late April 2023. Prospective Second-Tier clubs are presently engaged in working through
logistics and club licensing.
6. Who is running this League?
The TTPFL is supervised by a four-member Executive Committee, chaired by a TTFA-appointed CEO. The
Executive Committee reports to an Oversight Body which comprises representatives of the TTFA the
League CEO, representatives from the participating Clubs, representatives of The Ministry of Sport and
Community Development and the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago and independent members.
Ultimate responsibility for the League rests with the Normalisation Committee as the Board of the TTFA.
7. What are the criteria for Club Participation?
Initially, clubs applied to participate in one of the League’s two tiers. Clubs in the Top-Tier will be eligible
to qualify for participation in the CONCACAF Club Competitions and all participants in the CONCACAF
Club Competitions are required to hold Regional Licences. As such, the primary qualifying criteria for
Top-Tier teams is the possession of a Regional Licence. The TTFA will work with prospective Top-Tier
clubs to support them in their efforts to obtain a Regional Licence during the transitional season once
they have obtained the minimum standard of a Domestic Licence thirty (30) days prior to the first match
day.
Clubs playing in the Second-Tier would require a Domestic Licence.
The requirements cover a range of standards inclusive of player development standards, club
infrastructure, finance, operations, health and safety and more. Items highlighted in RED will be excluded
for the requirements for a Domestic Licence while all items reflect criteria required for a Regional
License.
8. What is the objective of the Club Licensing Process?
In keeping with FIFA Forward Programme 3.0 and the FIFA’s vision to protect the integrity of the sport
and further the professionalism of club football around the globe the Club Licencing Process seeks to
improve the standards within the football community and safeguard the integrity of club competitions,
promoting sporting values and transparency in club finances and club ownership.
Club Licensing is a key element in promoting the professionalisation of sport all over the world. Best
practice licensing systems use principle-based criteria and set minimum standards that clubs must satisfy
in order to be licensed and, consequently, be able to participate in specific competitions. It is a proven
method for elevating the standard of the sport.
As part of our aim to raise the level of club football in T&T, four main goals have been developed:
1. Understand and safeguard domestic club football
2. Raise the level of professionalism in club football administration
3. Identify and share best practices of our clubs and Leagues
4. Formalize requirements for participation in domestic and regional club competitions.
The Trinidad and Tobago Club Licensing Regulations are aligned with the Concacaf’s Club Licensing
Regulations, with Concacaf being the Confederation responsible for football’s governance in the
Caribbean, Central and North American region.
Club Licensing Requirements can be summarized in five (5) main categories.
1. Infrastructure
2. Sporting
3. Administration
4. Financial
5. Legal
The Club Licensing process is exclusively operated via Concacaf’s COMET platform where clubs were
required to login and upload supporting documentation for each of the five categories as required.
9. Who decides which clubs are awarded Licences?
A TTFA appointed independent First Instance Body (FIB) is tasked with the evaluation of the Clubs’ submissions and the award or denial of licences.
The members of the FIB are:
1. Attorney Christophe Brathwaite
2. Cristel Tom Wing
3. Frank Rodriguez
4. Attorney Josiah Cyrus
10. How many Clubs signaled their interest in competing in the Transitional League?
In July 2022, interested Clubs were invited to complete an application to join the League for Year One.
Eleven (11) TT Pro League Clubs, Nine (9) Trinidad and Tobago Super League Clubs and One (1)
Registered Regional Zonal Club submitted applications.
These Twenty-One (21) Clubs are:
Athletic Club Port of Spain (Pro League)
Caledonia AIA Limited (Pro League)
Central F.C. (Pro League)
Point Fortin Civic Football Club (Pro League)
Police F.C. (Pro League)
San Juan Jabloteh (Pro League)
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers FC (Pro League)
W Connection (Pro League)
Defence Force F.C. (Pro League)
Club Sando FC (Pro League)
Cunupia F.C. (Pro League)
QPCC F.C. (Super League)
San Fernando Giants F.C. (Super League)
Matura ReUnited F.C. (Super League)
Petit Valley Diego Martin United (Super League)
Prison Service F.C. (Super League)
Bethel United F.C. (Super League)
Guaya United F.C. (Super League)
Defence Force TTSL (Super League)
Harlem Strikers F.C. (Super League)
Real West Fort United (NFA)
Subsequent to the initial applications, at a follow up deadline in November 2022, the following Super
League Teams outlined their interest to compete in the Second-Tier: University of Trinidad and Tobago,
RSSR, 1976 Phoenix F.C. and Erin F.C.
11. As of today, which clubs have been approved?
The FIB has reviewed the submitted applications for the Top-Tier division and has to date submitted
approvals for the following clubs thus far:
1. San Juan Jabloteh
2. Prison Service FC
3. Police FC
4. Point Fortin Civic FC
5. Caledonia AIA
6. W Connection
7. Cunupia FC
8. La Horquetta Rangers
9. Club Sando FC
10. T&T Defence Force
11. Central FC
12. AC Port of Spain (*pending final
licensing approval)
12. How is this League being funded?
Funding is being provided by the TTFA through FIFA Forward 3.0, the Government of the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago, corporate partners and other sponsors. Clubs will be granted subventions, which
they can augment with their own fund-raising.
13. Why should clubs participate in this League?
● To develop and showcase the talent of our top senior players, particularly to local and
international coaches and scouts and to create opportunities for professional club and national
team recruitment
● To provide a high-level of competition to challenge their players and coaches
● To signal they are part of the change in the conduct of professional sport in Trinidad and Tobago
● To WIN: gain bragging rights, earn prizes, compete in the Concacaf Club Competitions 2023
(Top-Tier teams only).
14. Given the timing for participation in the Concacaf Club Competition in 2023, how and when
will the decision be made as to the two teams that will represent Trinidad and Tobago?
The first and second placed teams of the Top-Tier League qualify as Trinidad and Tobago’s
representatives for the Concacaf Club Competition 2023. Due to the late start to the inaugural
competition, the first and second placed teams (i.e. the top two teams) will be selected at a
predetermined Match Day.
15. Where can I find the Tournament rules and regulations?
The Tournament Regulations can be found on the TTFA website.
16. Where will games be played?
Games will be played at the national stadia and other approved venues inclusive of, but not restricted to
the following:
1. Mahaica Sports Complex
2. La Horquetta Recreation Ground
3. Moruga Multi-Purpose Sport and Youth Facility
4. Ken Cooke Grounds (St James Police Barracks)
17. Will admission to matches be free or will tickets be sold?
Tickets can be sold and are to be done in partnership with the Home Team and/or the organizer of the
grounds at the time.
18. Is there Promotion and Relegation?
There will be no Promotion and Relegation in the League’s inaugural season (transitional season).
Subject to the recommendations made by the independent body charged with executing the analysis of
the transitional season, promotion to and relegation from the Top-Tier may commence in year two of
the League. This independent body will be named at a later date.
19. Are Mixed Teams allowed?
This is an All-Male Tournament. Mixed teams are not allowed.
20. What is the Maximum Number of Players per Team?
Each Team is permitted a Registered Roster of no more than thirty-five (35) players.
21. Will Replacement Players be allowed?
A registered player may be replaced by another eligible player in accordance with the Tournament
Regulations within the relevant transfer window and/or registration windows.
22. Can a Player be registered with more than one Team?
NO. Players may only represent one team at any given time. In the event of a team attempting to field a
player in both tiers this cannot be done. A player must only be registered in one team in one tier at any
point in time as per the FIFA Connect registration system.
23. Are there any plans to include a Women’s Division? If so, when?
The focus of this transitional League is the Men’s Division. In the future we hope to include a Women’s
Division to the structure in collaboration with stakeholders such as TT WoLF.
24. Will matches be live-streamed? / Will the matches be recorded?
Broadcast and streaming arrangements are being negotiated and will be announced at a later date.
25. Will Clubs be allowed to have their own media personnel cover games?
Yes. The League’s designated Marketing Official (contact details to be provided) should be consulted at
least two days in advance of the match day. The Clubs media personnel are bound by the provisions
contained in the Tournament Regulations.
26. Who will officiate matches?
All match Officials will be selected from a pool of suitably qualified and trained persons appointed by the
TTFA Refereeing Department.
27. What Covid Protocols shall Teams be required to follow?
This League will strictly observe and enforce all GoRTT Covid-19 regulations and guidelines in force,
inclusive of those that relate to public gatherings and the playing of contact sports. Any game day costs
associated with the adherence of these guidelines will be borne by the TTFA.
28. Has the Committee considered doing its own Covid-19 Vaccination Drive and even identifying
a dedicated Vaccination Sites that participants will have preferential treatment if interested?
No. The GoRTT provides free sites, geographically spread across both islands, that can be easily accessed
by anyone who wishes to become vaccinated.
29. The TTFA has assumed responsibility for paying players and officials participating in this
League. From what date does payroll commence?
In compliance with the terms of financial support, the TTFA will oversee the disbursement process of
funds that are provided to it to support the League. The TTFA will assist the clubs eligible for subvention
by directly covering approved payroll costs. This arrangement does not create any contractual
relationship between the TTFA and the players/ individuals remunerated under this arrangement. Clubs
will maintain control of all other aspects of employment. These Payments will commence on a date to be
determined.
By:Yale Z. Antoine
TTPFL Secretary
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Upcoming Fixtures.
10-Mar-2023
W Connection FC v Central FC, 5.00pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
Point Fortin Civic v Club Sando FC, 7.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
AC Port of Spain v Defence Force, 5.00pm, La Horquetta Recreation Ground.
11-Mar-2023
La Horquetta Rangers v Police FC, 7.30pm, Phase 2 La Horquetta.
12-Mar-2023
Caledonia AIA v Cunupia FC, 4.00pm, Arima Velodrome.
Prison Service FC v San Juan Jabloteh, 6.30pm Arima Velodrome.
Note:
The inaugural TTPFL competition is scheduled to end on Saturday 12 June—by which time all 12 teams should have faced each other twice.
There is no news yet on the prize structure for the TTPFL, which does not have a system for promotion or relegation.
Wharfe said the top teams will receive medals. However the matter of sourcing prize money remains a “work in progress”.
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Upcoming Fixtures.
10-Mar-2023
W Connection FC v Central FC, 5.00pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
Point Fortin Civic v Club Sando FC, 7.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
AC Port of Spain v Defence Force, 5.00pm, La Horquetta Recreation Ground.
11-Mar-2023
La Horquetta Rangers v Police FC, 7.30pm, Phase 2 La Horquetta.
12-Mar-2023
Caledonia AIA v Cunupia FC, 4.00pm, Arima Velodrome.
Prison Service FC v San Juan Jabloteh, 6.30pm Arima Velodrome.
Note:
The inaugural TTPFL competition is scheduled to end on Saturday 12 June—by which time all 12 teams should have faced each other twice.
There is no news yet on the prize structure for the TTPFL, which does not have a system for promotion or relegation.
Wharfe said the top teams will receive medals. However the matter of sourcing prize money remains a “work in progress”.
10-Mar-2023
W Connection FC v Central FC, 5.00pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
Point Fortin Civic v Club Sando FC, 7.30pm, Mahaica Sporting Complex.
AC Port of Spain v Defence Force, 5.00pm, La Horquetta Recreation Ground.
11-Mar-2023
La Horquetta Rangers v Police FC, 7.30pm, Phase 2 La Horquetta.
Are these two different grounds. I really don't know this area
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T&T Premier League lookahead: De Four says, expect a fight when you play Cunupia FC
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
CUNUPIA FC director and coach Michael De Four said his players are ready for the fight as the unit gears up for the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) which kicks off on March 10 after three years of limited local club football.
Cunupia FC may be without some of their experienced players for the 2023 season including the Tobago pair of Keon Daniel and Kevon “Showtime” Woodley.
“Most of the core players…they are like 34, 35 so some of them have decided to stay in their job,” De Four said.
“We are rebuilding. We have maybe five or so of our players from seasons gone and the rest of the new players are coming along.”
De Four knows he does not have the most gifted team in the upcoming league, but said teams can expect a battle when they play Cunupia FC.
“We at Cunupia have never had a fully talented squad. We are relatively young…we are always very hard to beat. We play hard, we fight hard to win.”
The TTPFL, ending in May, has been 18 months in the making and will include 12 teams in the top division. The teams are La Horquetta Rangers, Club Sando, Police, W Connection Couva, Pt Fortin Civic FC, AC Port of Spain, Central FC, San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, Prisons FC, Defence Force and Cunupia FC.
The league for tier-two teams will start at the end of April.
There will be no promotion and relegation in the first season as it will only be played over two months. In June, a knock-out competition will be held featuring teams in both tier one and tier two. The second season of the league will run from September/October 2023 to May 2024.
At the launch of the league two weeks ago, Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe said the Government will commit $3 million per year for the first three years. The league is also getting support from FIFA and corporate T&T.
De Four said there have been challenges during the build-up. “Preparations are ongoing…you may be aware that there are not many football fields that have been reasonably maintained during the two, three years of the covid (pandemic), so it doesn’t have many places you get a fairly alright surface to train on.”
Cunupia FC are training at multiple venues, wherever is available and conducive including the Balmain Recreation Ground in Couva.
There is also competition for sporting facilities this year with a number of other sports being held as T&T starts to return to normalcy after the pandemic.
“We have to work with what we have…all the fields are terrible and in a mess right now.”
De Four said ideally he would like to train mostly in Central, so his players would not have to travel too far. “Right now we represent Central. We homegrown in Central. We came up in Central Zone, we played in the super league and we went up to the premier league as we calling it now.”
De Four said Central has a high crime rate and he wants to get as many young people involved as possible.
Cunupia FC are still without a major sponsor. “We will just be hopeful that somebody would come on board.”
Each team is expected to receive a subvention of $220,000 for the season.
The Cunupia FC coach said encouraging someone to leave their job to play football for a few months can prove difficult. “You have to offer them (at least) minimum wage (to play).”
Cunupia FC will open the league against Caledonia AIA on March 12 at the Arima Velodrome. Cunupia have won three of their last four matches against Caledonia.
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T&T Premier League ready to kick off.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
The start of this year’s T&T Premier Football League is well on course for March 10 for the tier one teams. Tier two, however, is scheduled to kick off at the end of April, league chief executive officer (CEO) Colin Wharfe has said.
Both tiers will feature 12 teams and organisers have been very accommodating to ensure that teams meet the required criteria to play. Wharfe said teams have been given local licenses and others got regional licenses which will allow them to participate in CONCACAF/regional tournaments.
Some clubs that have local licenses can still meet the deadline to receive regional licenses with just a few kinks to take care of by match-day 11. The new Premier League boss said though he expects to have a minor rush closer to the start of the season, he patiently awaits kick off of the new season.
“For the transitional season, there will be two tiers, the kick-off will be a tier one and those are licensed teams, either domestic license or regional licenses which will qualify teams to play in the regional club competition,” said Wharfe.
“The teams that have local licenses are missing a few bits of information and very important information that we have told them that by a certain match-day, I think it’s match-day 11, that once they can make up that slack, then we will award you a regional license.
“So you then qualify for participation in the regional club competitions. I don’t want to guess but I am fairly confident that a lot of the 12 teams will be eligible for regional licenses by that cut-off date because people are starting to see the opportunities that present themselves and the momentum is building, so that is tier one.”
“In tier two, because it is a much larger group of teams (24-plus) teams, they asked us to start a little later because they come from the deeper holes, so to speak, in terms of readiness, so we still have the cut-off of 12 teams which has been identified and then the licensing process is going relatively smoothly.
“The intention is to start towards the back end of April. In June there is a knock-out across the two tiers and then in September we will continue to have the two tiers, where there will be no promotion or demotion because of the compressed nature of the activities.”
The teams that will contest the first tier in March are Caledonia AIA, Central FC, Club Sando, Cunupia FC, La Horquetta Rangers, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force and W Connection. They are all set to benefit from a cash injection courtesy of the FIFA Forward Programme and the government. It is understood that a total of $2.64 million or $220,000 each will be distributed over four months from March to June 2023.
Meanwhile, because of the number of teams from the Super League which made up tier two of the competition, organisers have had to put their foot down in deciding on 12 teams for the competition. The teams that were left out are expected to see action when the super league holds its own tournament later this year.
Wharfe, however, said catering for them is a conversation they would have loved to have.
“What happens with the residual teams is a conversation we would love to engage in but that’s not our specific remit. I will tell you what were some of the issues. There were two or three teams coming out of the 2019 season which were due to be promoted I presume from their zones into the Super League.
“I don’t believe that ever happened, and you then had a number of teams that were neither from the Pro League nor Super League operation that said I want to be part of it. And coming out of the launch we had a number of teams that called to say they want to be part of it.
“When you start having those kinds of permutations, it is extremely time-consuming.”
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De Four says $50,000 Gov’t/FIFA grant insufficient.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
It will cost Cunupia FC, the club considered the pride of the central area as well as the pride of parts of the eastern areas (from Tunapuna to Sangre Grande), to get a regional license that will enable them to participate in the T&T Premier League.
The league is set to kick off on March 10 with Cunupia FC being among 12 teams, inclusive of Caledonia AIA, Central FC, Club Sando, La Horquetta Rangers, Point Fortin Civic Centre, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force, AC Port of Spain and W Connection that will begin action.
More than 75 percent of the teams have received domestic licenses, but they need regional licenses to be able to contest the CONCACAF Club Championships if they finish as one of the top two teams in the local league.
Cunupia FC coach Michael De Four said it could cost his team a minimum of $10,000 a year for 2021 and 2022 and a maximum of $75,000 to get the signature of an auditor on their audited financial statements, as will cost any other club.
Though all the other teams will be in action on March 10 at various venues, the central-based team will play its first match on April 26 in a rescheduled affair at the Arima Velodrome against Caledonia AIA from 4 pm.
Though Cunupia FC contested the Ascension Football Tournament last year, the team has been struggling to recover from the impact of the covid-19 pandemic which grounded the sport for two years and led to the destruction of most teams. Because of this De Four has had to recruit a core of new players all between the 19-24 age bracket which he said needs crucial technical work ahead of the start of the league.
Like the other teams, Cunupia will be the beneficiary of a $50, 000-a-month grant, courtesy of the government and the sport’s world governing body -FIFA, to be used to pay salaries for players and staff.
The funds will be wired directly into the players’ bank accounts monthly. However, De Four said while they are grateful for the financial help being given, his team has been on the lookout for corporate assistance if they are to meet their expenses.
“Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) cannot pay salaries for 16 players and staff so we have to get a sponsor. Remember clubs will have to get funding for uniforms (two sets for home and away), insurance, pay for audited accounts, transport and refreshments and supplements for players etc.
At a launch of the T&T Premier League in January, Minister of Sports and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe called for clubs to play a part in making themselves self-sustainable, saying the government had spent well over $87 million on funding the T&T Pro League.
De Four said while his club remains grateful for the funding, he wanted to remind the public of the impact the sport of football had on the national community, saying it is a crime-fighting tool, a tool to combat the many social issues plaguing the country, a tool to fight against obesity and other health problems, and a vehicle that players can use to get a solid education and employment.
“As a matter of fact in years to come the government may have to pay less money for medication because of football. I would like the various government ministries to publicly support a fund for sports because of the multiple roles it plays.
We can ask if the minister did a poll to see how many people want football to be played as it is a national issue, so I can humbly say that her statement was not supported by anything,” De Four said.
Cunupia FC will continue preparation this evening at 6 pm at Five Rivers Secondary School in Arouca.
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Cunupia FC blanked free support for audited accounts
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
Offers of support to get audited financial statements done were made to all clubs seeking entry into the T&T Premier League, as well as those who were accepted, said the league chief executive officer (CEO) Colin Wharfe yesterday.
His statement comes a day after Cunupia FC, one of 12 clubs seeking to reach regional-license status, stated through coach Michael De Four that it would cost the team between $20,000 to $75,000 to receive their audited statement. De Four also noted on Tuesday, that that amount was in addition to other costs his team would have to put out for uniforms, transportation, refreshments, insurance and other miscellaneous costs.
Wharfe said to date, nine of the 12 teams have received their regional license which means they must have gotten their audited statements, which is a requirement by CONCACAF and the sport’s world governing body, FIFA.
He told Guardian Media Sports yesterday that, not only was assistance offered for clubs’ finances to be in order, but they also sought to ensure that clubs achieve their objectives of becoming fully compliant.
“I was not aware that they (Cunupia FC) would have requested audited financial statement support in terms of getting service providers to them or if they can do the audits themselves. So we have extended publicly and to the teams on several occasions, that we are here to work with you to achieve your objectives,” Wharfe said.
“We laid some parameters around what they could and could not do, providing support in terms of trying to get an auditor that may be able to work with three or four clubs to have their audited financial statements done, was one of the offers we had made.
“We have said to them if you need guidance, support or whatever with respect to closing out an item on their application for club licenses, we will assist them.”
He noted also that if the football association did not make a decision on if clubs could have functioned without some items on the application, they would have called CONCACAF to seek assistance on the level of flexibility clubs had to cope without others.
Wharfe later responded to concerns by clubs that the $50,000 grant to be given to all participating teams by the government and FIFA would not be enough, by saying that he will not respond to Cunupia FC specifically because he does not know about its history or the context in which De Four’s statement was made, but he was willing to say no club was promised total financing for the league.
“That was given from the get-go. Nobody said that they were going to be 100 per cent financed. What the government said was this is what we’re prepared to give you, but you need to learn to fish.
“These clubs have been around for 20-odd years, and to be consistently requiring third-party support and not demonstrating their ability to support themselves creates a challenge from my perspective.
“You heard the Minister of Sport and Community Development at the launch that everybody needs to get their act together, don’t just come to ask for money.”
Tier 1 of the T&T Premier League gets going on March 10 but Cunupia will begin their action on April 26 against Caledonia AIA at the Arima Velodrome from 4 pm.
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>:( :( :o ??? :-[ :frustrated:
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Cunupia FC will continue preparation this evening at 6 pm at Five Rivers Secondary School in Arouca.
How can this be ? Are You telling with all the space in central they can't get a ground to practice ?Endeavour, Chaguanas, Enterprise, Longdenville ?
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Wolfe: Young footballers not doing anything extra
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
FORMER Soca Warrior Anton Wolfe is encouraging footballers in the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) to go the extra mile by taking personal interest in their game and not depend solely on their coaches.
Wolfe was part of the T&T squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He had stints abroad in the US and India and played for multiple clubs locally including North East Stars, San Juan Jabloteh and Ma Pau.
At the launch of the Republic Cup National Youth Football League on Tuesday, Wolfe said personal responsibility is pivotal in an athlete’s development.
“I think (some) of the young players don’t do extra work. I am against that. I played abroad, I played locally and nothing never changed with me. I love to see a player doing extra. Extra doesn’t mean on the training day. Extra means after the session– what are you doing as a player to develop your skills?”
Wolfe used the example of running on your own at a savannah or going to the gym.
“Dwight Yorke gave us a little history about (David) Beckham. After training, Beckham used to be hitting 100 balls in free kicks because he wanted to perfect (it)…when we watching them on TV and saying they are good, it's not what they doing on that day – it's what they doing before.”
Beckham, a former Manchester United and England international, was prolific in taking free kicks. Yorke, who captained T&T at the 2006 World Cup, was Beckham’s team-mate at Manchester United in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Wolfe urged the TTPFL players to trust in God. “Only you could help you, with the help of God. I will always mention God in anything that I do because without Him nothing will be fruitful. With Him what seems impossible will be possible.”
Wolfe is elated that local footballers can play regularly again. “I am very happy for the Premier League that is about to kick off…in terms of players looking forward to playing football, earning a living that could put bread on the table for their family. I think it is a plus. We had a rough two to three years due to the pandemic.”
He said the TTPFL, which kicks off on March 10, will benefit national teams. “This will also be great for our national teams because you will have players playing week in, week out, training almost everyday. Now you can at least get a good core of local players that could go and represent our country when they are called upon.
"For me, it is a great plus for all the organisations who are part of this to see this being successful and I hope it is fruitful at the end of the day.”
The TTPFL will feature tier one and tier two. The league for tier-two teams will start at the end of April.
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Prisons FC ready for Premier League, boasts of fitness
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
PRESIDENT of Prisons FC Jude Gordon admitted that his unit may not have the most talented players in the upcoming T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL), but said teams can expect to face a fit and competitive outfit.
Prisons FC will feature alongside 11 other teams in division one of the TTPFL kicking off on March 10.
Prisons are no strangers to winning in recent years as they claimed the Terminix Super League Football title in 2019 which is the second division in T&T football. It was the club’s first major title in decades.
The team, a mixture of prison officers and civilians, will open their campaign against San Juan Jabloteh at Arima Velodrome from 6.30 pm on March 12.
Anthony Parris, who was the captain of Prisons in 2019, will represent the team again this season. It has not been decided who will captain the team this year.
Anderson Veronique will aim to coach the team to success again, but this time in the top flight of local football.
“I have been at all the sessions and there has been a nice meshing between the officers and the civilians,” Gordon said. “We don’t really have any big names, but what we know we will be one of the fittest, one of the most competitive teams out there because we have a history…we are the defending Super League champs.”
Gordon said the team consistently finished in the top three of the Super League before the covid19 pandemic.
Prisons have their own practice facility at the Youth Training and Rehabilitation Centre in Arouca.
Gordon said the club is funded through the Prisons Sports Club, but additional sponsorship is required.
“One of our major sponsors has been our sports club because we are an independent non-profit organisation, but that does not mean to say (we are not seeking sponsorship).
“Our Prisons Sports Club has funded us recently in terms of our uniforms, our balls, but we are always on the lookout for other sponsors because we need that. We are hard on the pavement beating showing these potential people that it is good to back Prisons, but still on the search though.”
Gordon is looking forward to the new league as it allows the players to play as over the last three years football was only held periodically because of the pandemic.
“Very glad (to see the players back out). We are in a unique position as the Prisons FC service. Prisons have been in the spotlight with our officers being murdered, so it is a morale-boosting opportunity that we have taken advantage of…we looking to change the image of the Prisons service through this football team.”
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Police FC want to raise football standard.
T&T Newsday Reports.
POLICE FC want to display a higher level of football and pride when the inaugural Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) kicks off on Friday at the Mahaica Complex, Point Fortin.
Police begin their season on March 17 with a clash against W Connection at Police Barracks, St James.
Founded in 1975, the club has become an attractive institution for footballers to bolster their careers as officers with footballing talent. They were a part of the TT Pro League, which preceded the TTPFL as the country’s top-flight competition.
They had also competed in the TT National League and the TT Semi Professional League, the top-flight leagues from 1974 to 1995 and 1996 to 1998, respectively.
Police FC won the TT National League on three occasions (1979, 1991 and 1994) and were champions of the First Citizens Cup in 2019. They were also finalists in the 1991 Concacaf Champions Cup (now known as the Concacaf Champions League), but were defeated 4-2 on aggregate by Mexican team Puebla. That result is their best result in a continental competition to date.
Now managed by Richard Hood, the "law men’had a creditable third-place finish in the 2022 Ascension Tournament, behind winners La Horquetta Rangers and Defence Force.
Hood will rally his troops once more in an attempt to be the inaugural champions of the TTPFL and book a place in next season’s Concacaf Champions League. The top two teams will qualify for the Concaaf Champions League.
The Police boss said he and his team are excited, and are looking forward to getting back on the pitch and playing football at an elite level. He said, “We played in the Ascension Tournament last year and that was a welcomed (initiative) to the football fraternity but, of course, that was not the actual (top-flight) league.”
“So it’s really good to get back on the pitch against these professional teams and test ourselves.”
Hood is aiming for a strong start in the league, especially as the inaugural season will be condensed – March to June – to meet Concacaf’s regulations.
The team boasts players from the TT's national team such as goalkeeping veteran Adrian Foncette, and former TT U-17 captain – now senior team player – Jabari Mitchell, who will be expected to lead the team towards their targets in this campaign.
Gabriel Nanton, Tyrese Bailey and Simeon Bailey – who all stood out in the Ascension Tournament – will also be players to watch for the law men.
Hood said it was no secret that their goal is to qualify for the Concacaf Champions League and return to the competitive level that the club enjoyed in the 1990s. “We want to bring a higher level of pride to the police service and the fans within it,” he said.
Mitchell said his role this season is very important. "I think, going forward, the younger players will continue to look up to the senior players. So our attitude and form will be very critical to achieve what we want to accomplish this season.”
He added, “We did well in the Ascension Tournament. However, this season is much more important because there is the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship and the Concacaf Champions League at stake, so we need to be more focused than we were in the Ascension Tournament. I would like us to take what we did in that competition and add more this season.”
On a personal level, Mitchell said he is keen to make a greater impact in the final of the field and secure his national team spot. He said providing assists comes natural to him but he wants to add goalscoring to his repertoire.
He said the TTPFL (https://twitter.com/TTPFL1) is important for the local-based players as the foreign-based players have been active in professional football, which gives them the edge. Mitchell believes that the league will provide local players with better opportunities to be called up to the national team.
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Team Profile - Central FC
https://www.youtube.com/v/XsOb1J_6loA
Team Profile - Club Sando
https://www.youtube.com/v/teuquMFG2d4
Team Profile - Cunupia FC
https://www.youtube.com/v/5Hw-ElYjM78
Team Profile - La Horquetta Rangers
https://www.youtube.com/v/stUEIPW6-9Y
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Team Profile - Morvant Caledonia United
https://www.youtube.com/v/DUsoMsrmYDY
Team Profile - Point Fortin Civic FC
https://www.youtube.com/v/okkH1M84dm8
Team Profile - Police FC
https://www.youtube.com/v/S0xr9Itqft4
Team Profile - Prisons FC
https://www.youtube.com/v/6OzrcWBPPpk
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Pt Fortin Civic raring to begin TT Premier Football League run.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
POINT FORTIN Civic FC are ready to begin their quest for the first-ever TT Premier Football League title.
Match day one of the long-awaited domestic competition kicks off at the club’s home base in Mahaica Sporting Complex on Friday, with W Connection versus Central FC in the opener from 5pm, followed by Point Fortin Civic up against southern rivals Club Sando, from 7.30pm.
Coach Dexter Cyrus anticipates an exciting start and believes his team’s pre-season training and practice matches have augured well for the squad’s good mixture of experience and youthful talent.
In the lead-up to Friday’s opening test, Point’s players have been training five days a week and placed much emphasis on fitness.
They also won two of their warm-up matches – against W Connection and Police – and drew another against the latter at Mahaica. Cyrus is pleased with his squad’s progress so far. “Based on feedback, this is basically the first time Point Fortin Civic Centre would have had a proper pre-season. So we are well prepared and the team is starting from a much better place. “When we started training, there were players in a particular frame of mind. But training, getting fit and in tune changes your frame of mind and gets you very optimistic and you feel you can move a mountain.
“That’s the mentality that we want the boys to have going into their first game. I think the boys are in a very good place and we look forward to good things,” he said.
Additionally, the club also acquired the services of national senior team trainer Adarayll John and Naparima College’s goalkeeping coach Rondel Renwick, both of whom, Cyrus said, have been doing an amazing job.
The captain has not yet been confirmed but Cyrus confirmed his troops are a well-oiled unit.
“The boys are very confident. The make-up of the team features a lot of good experience and youth, partnered with experienced youth.
“When we look back and analyse our pre-season, we saw our boys was jovial, optimistic and there was a feeling in the camp that may have never been there before for all the years that Civic Centre have been existing.
“We have brought the boys up to a place where they actually believe they can compete and win games, that’s what we’re trying to.”
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TT Premier Football League kicks off with doubleheader in South.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
When domestic football came to a halt in March 2020 because of covid19, no one anticipated a three-year absence.
On Friday, the beautiful game makes a fresh return to the local circuit with the inaugural TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) set to kick off with a double-header at a refurbished Mahaica Sports Complex, formerly Mahaica Oval, in Point Fortin.
W Connection and Central FC play the opening fixture from 5pm while home team Point Fortin Civic Centre takes on southern rivals Club Sando from 7.30pm. An opening ceremony will be held from 4pm.
The venue, which was officially opened in October 2022, plays host to competitive domestic football for the first time. The approximately 1,795 seating is expected to be filled to capacity as the home team and travelling fans seek to catch their fill after such a lengthy downtime.
Altogether, 12 clubs in tier one will feature in a shortened season, which ends in June. Also competing are AC Port of Spain, Caledonia AIA, Cunupia FC, La Horquetta Rangers, Police FC, Prisons Services, San Juan Jabloteh and Defence Force.
The season was shortened fall in line with the Concacaf season, which enables the top two TTPFL teams to be registered in time for the Concacaf playoffs.
There will be no promotion or relegation due to a truncated season which will mean that matches will be played on weekends and during the week.
Players and teams resume action for a second time in September and in October for the first official full season with matches at the Moruga Sports Complex, Mahaica Sports Complex, La Horquetta Recreation Ground and the Ken Cooke Ground (St James Police Barracks).
TT Football Association normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad said he’s excited for the return of football this weekend, in addition to, the March 4 start of the Republic Cup National Youth League.
“It will be a great sight with football being played at boys, girls and senior men's levels across the country. The government, FIFA and our existing corporate partners such as Republic Bank with the National Youth League have been fantastic.
“Lots of work and collaboration with stakeholders has led us to this positive stage and we are really looking forward to it. We will continue to roll out our long term development plans and similar initiatives soon which should wet the appetite of fans and corporate partners,” he said.
Several coaches and players have a positive outlook on the new competition and are also elated for the resumption.
Speaking to TTPFL media, Caledonia AIA coach Jerry Moe said, “It’s good to have football back. It’s one thing to train but a different thing when you have games to play. It also helps for the national team (selection).
“It gives guys something to look forward to, in terms of a job, to make some money when the month comes.
“It’s a good opportunity for the young men who have ambition and want to leave Trinidad (to play overseas). The fact that the league has started back and we’re going to be playing in the Concacaf top club championship, I think it gives these guys a bigger market to aspire for.”
The league’s youngest captain, Club Sando’s 20-year old Acelino Medford, also anticipates an exciting tourney.
On his appointment as captain, ahead of several senior players, Medford said, “It feels good but the other senior players on the team can lead me through whenever times are tough. But the coaches picked me for a reason based on my leadership qualities, what I give in training every day and my professionalism. I am sure about me leading this team.
“For TT football overall, it’s been a while and we need football being played especially for the development of young players to get the exposure so we can represent at the highest level (TT) and give our best.”
The TTPFL said an independent analysis will be conducted at the end of each season, generated from monitoring and evaluation systems that are being put in place.
A season “state-of-play” report will drive recommendations that would be considered to ensure the league’s sustainability. Any necessary changes for the league’s structure, such as facilitating promotion and relegation or an increase in the number of participating clubs, may be made subject to the relevant economic and other factors.
This weekend’s matches
Friday 10 – W Connection vs Central FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp1LJG3EX7BedTo9ssmQWa1O4D) 5pm, Point Fortin Civic vs Club Sando (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp1ytxBp4aDQi3jTLmA0OjIS4f) 7.30pm (Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin)
Saturday 11 – AC Port of Spain vs Defence Force (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp2bg53nSIAKeHfx34gSR3YckJ) 4pm (Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar)
Sunday 12 – Morvant Caledonia AIA vs Cunupia FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp38F8ruog8rRY3PdteHOFBtAt) 4pm, San Juan Jabloteh vs Prisons FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp3ilOlFBZqsdh7Za1GqujH3UJ) 6.30pm (Arima Velodrome)
RELATED NEWS
Youths lead Club Sando in Premier League opener.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
The return of domestic football after its three-year absence will provide opportunities for young players who have been starved of exposure, owing to the pandemic, a chance to catch the eyes of regional and international school/club scouts. So says Club Sando assistant coach Eddie Dean, whose youthful bunch of players will feature in match day one’s second fixture of the TT Premier Football League, against hosts Point Fortin Civic, at Mahaica Sporting Complex on Friday, from 7.30pm.
Dean welcome the return of local football after such a lengthy hiatus and said his youths are eager to competitively step back on to the pitch.
Like most teams, Club Sando lost some of their senior players over the covid19 lag but has rejuvenated their talent pool with young, vibrant blood.
“Preparations are going well. We have a lot of young players because we lost some during the pandemic. We started back training in December and all the players are very much excited to return to competition,” Dean said.
Additionally, in June 2021, then Club Sando head coach Angus Eve was appointed interim senior national team coach, and had to vacate his post at the south club after just under five years.
In early 2022, former senior team striker Cornell Glen took charge of Club Sando’s U20 squad for the Tiger Tanks U20 Invitational. He was named coach of the tournament and was promoted to the club’s senior team head coach.
And while all teams will be gunning for the first post-pandemic domestic football title, Dean said experience and exposure at this top level are key for the development of his promising squad.
“It will be a very competitive one. The most important thing for Club Sando is to participate in the tournament and give the younger ones exposure at the highest level.
“All the games are going live so hopefully someone might see them from school or a club but it’s to expose them to this level of football,” he added.
Ex-Presentation College player Acelino Medford is the team captain.
“We anticipate a good contest. Everything is new for us this year but we continue on in stride and aim to do our best in the new league.”
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So Horquetta Rangers get an exepmtion eh
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Team Profile - Defence Force
https://www.youtube.com/v/GNVlT423JGo
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Live Games
Friday 10 – W Connection vs Central FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp1LJG3EX7BedTo9ssmQWa1O4D) 5pm, Point Fortin Civic vs Club Sando (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp1ytxBp4aDQi3jTLmA0OjIS4f) 7.30pm (Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin)
Saturday 11 – AC Port of Spain vs Defence Force (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp2bg53nSIAKeHfx34gSR3YckJ) 4pm (Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar)
Sunday 12 – Morvant Caledonia AIA vs Cunupia FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp38F8ruog8rRY3PdteHOFBtAt) 4pm, San Juan Jabloteh vs Prisons FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp3ilOlFBZqsdh7Za1GqujH3UJ) 6.30pm (Arima Velodrome)
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Good Attacking football from PFCC. I only saw the 2nd half
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Central FC hit W Connection 2-0 in TT Premier League opener
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
Central FC made a winning start to their TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) campaign as they defeated W Connection 2-0 in the opening fixture at Mahaica Sports Complex in Point Fortin on Friday.
A goal in each half from strikers Akeem Roach and Keron "Ball Pest" Cummings separated the teams as W Connection struggled to place shots on target. Rustiness showed in the opening minutes as players sought to get back in groove after a three-year absence of domestic football.
The Savonetta Boys dominated the early stages but Central FC soon found their footing on the dry and dusty turf. W Connection's Jordan Riley and Ronald Charles tried to create but the Central FC backline stood firm.
W Connection's Joash Baird was unable to capitalise on a free header as his effort went wide. But when Central FC got possession, they gained confidence and began to threaten the opposing defence. W Connection defender Nesean Alexander received a yellow card in the 17th minute after bringing down surging Central FC player Ricardo John, who was certain to go one-on-one with custodian Shakeem Darius if he wasn't impeded. Central FC continued to press and were soon rewarded when Roach latched on to a pass to slot past Darius into the far corner, to send the Sharks 1-0 up in the 33rd minute.
Just before halftime, Central FC's Jerrel Britto almost made it 2-0 but his spectacular overhead kick flew just overbar. At the resumption, Central FC looked a renewed unit and were presented with another chance to extend their lead after Cummings was fouled in the penalty area by defender Dwight Pope. Cummings stepped up and rifled home to take a 2-0 lead.
W Connection showed more fight in the second period but Central FC matched their aggression and strung together more passes with confidence. The Sharks' Kyle Sylvester had a good chance to send them further ahead but he was unable to find power behind his shot, after a well-threaded pass from Cummings down the right. Central FC goalie Hakeem Lucas was rarely tested. In the final minutes, Tevon De Boulet was in on goal but had his shot blocked by Darius' left foot to keep the score at 2-0. Central FC assistant coach Julius Edwards was happy to snag the three points on their return to the professional football.
"It was very important as a new team now meshing together. It was a very beautiful day for us getting this victory.
"Discipline was one of our problems in the first half and you see we came out in the second half in a better frame of mind, and we kept our shape together. "We had to make sure they didn't get back into the game because they are a very young team. We're going back to the drawing board because there were some spurts in the game where we could have done a little better," Edwards said.
Central FC play Jabloteh next and Edwards believes a different approach will have to be taken since they possess more senior players compared to W Connection.
"Jabloteh is a more experienced team so we have to switch things up a bit for them," he added. Up to press time last night, the second fixture between Club Sando and hometown favourites Point Fortin Civic Centre was still ongoing. At half time, Club Sando led 1-0. Prior to the opening kickoff, a small opening ceremony was held with some steelpan music and soca artiste Olatunji performing his 2023 hit Engine Room. Action continues on Saturday with AC Port of Spain against Defence Force at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, from 4pm.
Yesterday's Result
W Connection 0 v Central FC 2 (Akeem Roach 33, Keron Cummings 50 Pen)
Point Fortin Civic 1 (Ronell Paul 78) vs Club Sando 1 (Josiah Cooper 15)
Today's Games
Saturday 11 – AC Port of Spain vs Defence Force (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp2bg53nSIAKeHfx34gSR3YckJ) - 4pm (Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar)
Tomorrow
Sunday 12 –
Caledonia AIA vs Cunupia FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp38F8ruog8rRY3PdteHOFBtAt) - 4pm,
San Juan Jabloteh vs Prisons FC (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2Mp3ilOlFBZqsdh7Za1GqujH3UJ) - 6.30pm (Arima Velodrome)
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
Central FC 1 1 0 0 2 0 3
Club Sando FC 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
Point Fortin Civic FC 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
AC Port of Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Caledonia AIA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cunupia FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Defence Force FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
La Horquetta Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Police FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Prison Service FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
San Juan Jabloteh FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
W Connection FC 1 0 0 1 0 2 0
Top Scorers
Akeem Roach (Central FC) - 1 (Became the first goal scorer in the inaugural TTPFL).
Keron Cummings (Central FC) - 1 (1-Pen)
Josiah Cooper (Club Sando FC) - 1
Ronell Paul (Point Fortin Civic FC) - 1
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I tracked down the highlights on FIFA+ and it's great that football is back!
I'm bending over backwards here to try and not be critical...but seeing the dust kick-up every second when players run is kinda funny. Did they refurbish the field too at Mahaica?
I went into problem-solving mode and wondered if watering the field would help, like they do in the EPL...I laughed at myself and said, 'idiot water and dirt and would create mud' :)
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AC Port of Spain stuns Defence Force in Malabar.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
AC Port-of-Spain (AC PoS) provided the first shock result of the inaugural T&T Premier Football League season when it blanked one of the pre-tournament favourites T&T Defence Force 3-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima, on Saturday.
The trio of captain Duane Muckette from the penalty spot, Jaydon Prowell and Che Benny were all on target for AC PoS as it moved to the top of the 12-team table with three points, the same as Central FC, who blanked another regular title-contender W Connection 2-0 in the first match of a doubleheader at the Mahaica Sports Complex on Friday.
At Malabar, Defence Force started the brighter of both teams, with lanky national striker Brent Sam blasting a left-footed free-kick off the left post with goalkeeper Jadel Poon-Lewis beaten in the 17th minute.
However, after weathering the early storm, AC PoS took the lead against the run of the play when Muckette slotted home a penalty kick in the 37th minute.
This after referee Crystal Sobers blew for a foul by Defence Force goalkeeper Isaiah Williams after he raced off his line and clattered into AC PoS' Maurice Ford in an effort to clear a left-sided free kick from Benny.
A minute into the second half, Prowell doubled his team's lead to 2-0 when he ran onto a through ball down the left flank from Brian Armstrong and unleashed a thunderous left-footed effort past Williams on his near post.
At the other end of the field, Josiah Superville forced a parried save from Poon-Lewis low to his right from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 69th minute as the arm/coast-guard combination team tried to find a way back into the contest while four minutes later Sedale Mc Lean also threatened to extend AC PoS's lead when he forced a point blank save from Williams in the 73rd minute after being teed up by Prowell.
However, Benny will have the final say in the fourth minute of time added in the match as he ran onto a through ball down the right from substitute Haile Beckles and with the outside of his left foot, found the far post to seal his team's unlikely, but well-deserved win.
On Sunday, a double-header is carded for the Arima Municipal Stadium with Caledonia AIA meeting Cunupia FC in the early kick-off from 4 pm followed by San Juan Jabloteh and newcomers T&T Prisons FC, two hours later.
(Teams)
AC Port of Spain (4-2-3-1): 1.Jadel Poon-Lewis (GK); 2.Akido Weeks, 5.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 3.Maurice Ford, 17.Kareem Eastman; 18.Anthony Charles, 10.Duane Muckette (captain) (16.Liam Burns 90+2); 30.Brian Armstrong (23.Moses Jaikeran 66), 20.Che Benny, 7.Sedale McLean (27.Haile Beckles 86); 19.Jaydon Prowell (21.Jean-Heim McFee 86).
Unused substitutes: 13.Aaron Johnson, 31.Justin Dos Santos.
Coach: Walt Noriega
Defence Force (4-3–3): 1.Isaiah Williams (GK); 6.Rodell Elcock (captain), 5.Jerome McIntyre, 23.Jamali Garcia, 37.Cassim Kellar; 66.Kevon Goddard, 13.Rivaldo Coryat (17.Curtis Gonzales 76), 32.Jameel Cooper (9.Jamille Boatswain 76); 15.Shaquile Bertrand (21.Cordell Bailey 60), 8.Brent Sam, 99.Josiah Superville.
Unused substitutes: 31.Christopher Biggette (GK), 2.Josiah Warrick, 11.Dwight Quintero, 20.Jules Lee.
Coach: Lloyd Andrews
Referee: Crystal Sobers
Wired868 Man of the Match: Jaydon Prowell (AC Port of Spain)
Results
Saturday (March 11):
AC Port-of-Spain 3 (Duane Muckette 17th pen, Jaydon Prowell 46th, Che Benny 90+4) vs Defence Force 0.
Friday (March 10):
Central FC 2 (Akeem Roach 34th, Kerron Cummings 49th) vs W Connection 0.
Point Fortin Civic 1 (Ronell Paul 78th) vs Club Sando 1 (Josiah Cooper 13th).
Sunday's matches:
Caledonia AIA vs Cunupia FC, 4 pm, Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima
San Juan Jabloteh vs T&T Prison FC, 6 pm, Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
AC Port of Spain 1 1 0 0 3 0 3
Central FC 1 1 0 0 2 0 3
Club Sando FC 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
Point Fortin Civic FC 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
Caledonia AIA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cunupia FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
La Horquetta Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Police FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Prison Service FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
San Juan Jabloteh FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
W Connection FC 1 0 0 1 0 2 0
Defence Force FC 1 0 0 1 0 3 0
Top Scorers
Che Benny (AC Port-of-Spain) 1
Duane Muckette (AC Port-of-Spain) 1 (1-Pen)
Jaydon Prowell (AC Port-of-Spain) 1
Akeem Roach (Central FC) - 1 (Became the first goal scorer in the inaugural TTPFL).
Keron Cummings (Central FC) - 1 (1-Pen)
Josiah Cooper (Club Sando FC) - 1
Ronell Paul (Point Fortin Civic FC) - 1
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I tracked down the highlights on FIFA+ and it's great that football is back!
I'm bending over backwards here to try and not be critical...but seeing the dust kick-up every second when players run is kinda funny. Did they refurbish the field too at Mahaica?
I went into problem-solving mode and wondered if watering the field would help, like they do in the EPL...I laughed at myself and said, 'idiot water and dirt and would create mud' :)
:) I am certain you were not alone.
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Caledonia defeat Cunupia FC 2-0 in TT Premier League
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
Morvant Caledonia AIA got their campaign off to a winning start defeating Cunupia FC 2-0 at Arima Velodrome in round one of the TT Premier Football League on Sunday.
First half goals by Osafa Simpson and Sean Bonval were enough to give Caledonia the victory in the first match of a doubleheader at the venue. The match between Prison Service FC and San Juan Jabloteh, the final match of round one, finished after press time on Sunday.
Matches in the league continue on Friday.
Yesterday Matches:
Caledonia AIA 2 (Osafa Simpson, Sean Bonval) vs Cunupia FC 0, 4 pm, Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima
San Juan Jabloteh 0 vs T&T Prison FC 0, 6 pm, Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima
Standings
P W D L F A Pts
AC Port of Spain 1 1 0 0 3 0 3
Caledonia AIA 1 1 0 0 2 0 3
Central FC 1 1 0 0 2 0 3
Club Sando FC 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
Point Fortin Civic FC 1 0 1 0 1 1 1
Prison Service FC 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
San Juan Jabloteh FC 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
La Horquetta Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Police FC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Cunupia FC 1 0 0 1 0 2 0
W Connection FC 1 0 0 1 0 2 0
Defence Force FC 1 0 0 1 0 3 0
Top Scorers
Che Benny (AC Port-of-Spain) 1
Duane Muckette (AC Port-of-Spain) 1 (1-Pen)
Jaydon Prowell (AC Port-of-Spain) 1
Osafa Simpson (Caledonia AIA) - 1
Sean Bonval (Caledonia AIA) - 1
Akeem Roach (Central FC) - 1 (Became the first goal scorer in the inaugural TTPFL).
Keron Cummings (Central FC) - 1 (1-Pen)
Josiah Cooper (Club Sando FC) - 1
Ronell Paul (Point Fortin Civic FC) - 1
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Effective marketing - Key to a sustainable T&T Premier Football League?
By Colin Murray (T&T Guardian)
At long last, the highly anticipated TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) kicked off Friday at the Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin.
It took approximately 18 months to plan this league as they wanted to ensure everything was in place before opening the games to the public and the players. I disagreed with this idea as this league should have got going 12 months ago as our players have been sitting eagerly awaiting top-flight football.
Thankfully, the Ascension League led the way with a tournament last year and together with Tiger Tanks, who sponsored an Under-20 tournament, football was played at a competitive level. We also had the reintroduction of the Secondary Schools Football League, which had some excellent crowds for the league final and the various Intercol games in all the respective zones.
Perhaps most importantly, with competitive local football now up and running, T&T’s players will be able to showcase their talent and give coach Angus Eve a much larger local pool to select players from for the national team, especially with some key international games on the horizon.
I journeyed down to Point Fortin to do commentary as Sportsmax was covering the opening games. On behalf of the people of Point Fortin and the environs, I am pleading to the Minister of Works and Transport to fix the roads; they are deplorable. Don’t we have a pitch lake in La Brea? Indeed, something can improve the state of the roads, especially if clubs have to travel to Mahaica to play games against the home team - Point Fortin Civic.
The executive of the League tried their best to make the opening a gala one as expected. There was entertainment galore with Olatunji, Fonclaire Steel Orchestra, Siparia Rhythm Section and Malick Tassa Drummers. They were complemented by dancers as well as men and women in carnival costumes. It was indeed an excellent show to open the league.
Unfortunately for me, there was no opening ceremony with someone declaring the tournament open and maybe some pyrotechnics to add to the glitz and glamour of the entertainment provided. Having the Minister of Sport and Community Development meet the teams in the opening game would have also added to the importance of the occasion.
The absence of a big crowd for the opening could have been better. I presume that the timing was too early, at 5 pm on a Friday. In hindsight, a 6.30 pm start with just one game inclusive of the home team taking the field may have seen a bigger turnout of spectators. The Master of Ceremonies, Jason Williams, did his utmost to get those in attendance involved with some giveaways and other forms of entertainment. I hope the League will get some product sponsors on board to attract the crowds. Those sponsors can showcase their products during the halftime interval so that spectators can enjoy the football and walk away with something.
The league has to be properly marketed, as many football fans are frustrated with the performances of most of the national teams and with the standard of play from local club players. This league could be a catalyst for encouraging the fans back to football.
Unfortunately (I have to use that word again), we cannot leave the marketing to the clubs as I am uncertain and unaware of their ability to market themselves. The league must give information on the clubs, their history, their players, who can we look forward to seeing, what their chances are etc etc.
What about major sponsorship? With Sportsmax coverage of the games, surely it can be an easy sell to corporate T&T. I cannot remember seeing one billboard at the opening game, which was hugely disappointing.
In terms of the actual football, Matchday one has been completed, with only Police FC and La Horquetta Rangers FC (who is overseas on tour) having their game postponed. All the big guns are competing and, in what was termed a central derby in the opening game between W Connection and Central FC, the latter came out victorious. W Connection is not the force it once was. It appeared to have a young and inexperienced team, so it was no surprise that Central FC took control of the midfield with their experienced players and thoroughly deserved their 2-0 victory.
The second game of the doubleheader saw the home team Point Fortin Civic take on Club Sando. After taking the lead, Club Sando was held to a 1-1 draw by the home team in what was an evenly contested game. Admittedly, I thought the Point team would have won based on home advantage and the experience in their lineup, but Club Sando is a plucky outfit, and they fight for every ball.
The surprise to me thus far occurred on Saturday at the Larry Gomes Stadium (Arima), where AC Port of Spain handed Defence Force a 3-0 whipping. ‘Army’ had their chances to score but could not take them, however, a calm and collected AC POS outfit soaked up some early pressure, kept their shape and made their chances count. This is a good victory for them, and they are a dangerous team not to be taken lightly. No doubt, ‘Army’ will come back better prepared after this defeat; they had some stalwarts on the bench who I expect will be playing from the next game, and they will tweak their system and learn from the evident mistakes in their opening game.
The final two games on Sunday were played before a large and appreciative crowd which was good to see at the Arima Velodrome. Morvant Caledonia United scored two early first-half goals against a nervous Cunupia FC in the opener. From there, Caledonia just managed the game and was never tested by Cunupia. The final game between San Juan Jabloteh and newcomers Prisons Services saw a fast-paced game between two teams who could not be separated. Jabloteh also has a young team who will improve, while Prisons are in the right place in the league.
In closing, can those in authority do something about the condition of the grounds? They were terrible. If we want to see good football, the conditions underfoot must be good, or players will get injured. Good luck to all clubs!
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Any fixtures for todays games. Jabloteh and Cunupia are playing now
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Any fixtures for todays games. Jabloteh and Cunupia are playing now
Just below the video, you will find the next scheduled matches. Good finish by Cunupia to push ahead. Play could be more polished but still time to grow into the league for both teams.
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Police vs W Connection (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2MpOe9Dsw2jBii8NuzBKLlUMN75)
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Connection upset Police in TTPFL
Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
W CONNECTION bounced back from an opening defeat to Central FC, with an upset 2-1 win over Police FC in the second match of a Friday night TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) double-header at the St James Barracks.
A nice turn-out of fans saw W Connection getting a shocking early goal after just seven minutes’ play through central midfielder Isaiah Hudson. Having played for W Connection since aged 15, Hudson, now a seven-year veteran at 22, put a low shot past national goalkeeper Adrian Foncette for the opening goal, after he initially won the ball in midfield.
It would not be the first time Police gave away the ball on a night where they put W Connection under plenty pressure, and missed other chances to score, but also looked vulnerable on the counter-attack.
Having gone behind, Jabari Mitchell could have had Police level soon after, but after going around Connection goalkeeper Shakeem Darius, his shot lacked power, allowing defender Dwight Pope to keep it out of an unguarded net.
Having defended stoutly, even desperately at times, particularly through central defenders Pope and Ronald Charles, W Connection were caught napping by a quickly-taken free-kick which saw midfielder Mitchell pick out veteran striker Kareem Freitas, who finished with an angled shot across goalkeeper Darius for 1-1 in the 49th minute.
And after soaking a lot of Police pressure, W Connection stole all three points through 28 year-old veteran Neil Benjamin Jr, a former TT Pro League top-scorer, who had a 2018 professional stint in Vietnam at Xanh Nam Dinh FC Running onto a Jahmahlee Barclay pass, Benjamin Jr roofed the ball when shooting past keeper Foncette at the near post in the 82nd minute.
Police head coach Richard Hood thought his team played some good football in defeat.
“We had a lot of good opportunities that we did not take advantage of. I thought that we lacked a lil bit in the finishing part,” Hood said. “Of course, the goals came from some silly errors at the back.”
W Connection coach and former T&T defender Brian Williams praised the hard work and intensity of his team containing several former schoolboy footballers.
“We have been working on increasing our intensity,” Williams explained. “Our youngsters are now gelling together and it will take some time for that to happen. But I was really pleased with the results.”
Earlier, Cunupia FC took their chances when winning 2-0 over a San Juan Jabloteh team loaded with teenagers, such as outstanding national youth footballers Dantye Gibert and Lindell Sween. Both had good chances, as the young Jabloteh failed to get any of 15 shots past goalkeeper Jon-Pierre David, who kept Cunupia alive with several timely saves in the first half .
While the Jabloteh youngsters missed, Cunupia converted most of their chances. Central midfielder Jaimol Layne shot from long distance and comprehensively beat goalkeeper Jesse Peters in first half added-on time for 1-0. Defender and captain Rondell Gibson made it 2-0 in a second half dominated by Cunupia, when blasting the ball high in the net, after Jabloteh failed to clear the ball in their penalty area.
“I thought this game should have (been) finished in the first 45 minutes,” stated disappointed Jabloteh head coach Marvin Gordon.
“They were easy chances. I thought we should have at least tucked away two,” Gordon lamented.
TTPFL action continues today with a match between AC Port of Spain, winners on match-day one, and Club Sando, which has been shifted to the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, from its originally scheduled venue of the Manny Ramjohn stadium in Marabella.
UPCOMING TTPFL MATCHES
(Today)
Venue—Larry Gomes stadium, Malabar (venue change)
4 p.m.—Tiger Tanks Club Sando vs AC Port Of Spain
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To view Real - Barça or Sando - AC POS? I will support the local game. In part.
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Club Sando vs AC POS (https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/live/event/2MpP7PMcPsoMJaCu9Q4nc6BTmfB)
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Club Sando edge AC Port of Spain 1-0 in TTPFL
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)
NATHANIEL JAMES, the Trinidad and Tobago national youth team star, produced a late stunner when scoring the only goal as Tiger Tanks Club Sando edged AC Port of Spain 1-0, yesterday, at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar --knocking the early leaders off the top of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) table.
“Sando” now share the TTPFL lead along with Point Fortin Civic and Morvant Caledonia United, all on four points.
Following an uneventful first half, the second half had only just began to heat up when “Natty” unleashed a stinging left-footer from outside the penalty area, beating the dive of AC Port of Spain goalie Jadel Poon-Lewis for what turned out the match-winning goal.
AC Port of Spain fielded the much-vaunted attacking force of Che Benny, Duane Muckette and Jaydon Prowell which saw them upset high-regarded Defence Force 3-0 on opening match day, but yesterday could find no way to break down a traditionally defensive Club Sando.
“Sando” had far less possession, but looked dangerous, racing forward at the same fast pace at which their coach, the former T&T 2006 World Cup striker Cornell Glen, once operated. Glen had Kareem Riley and Josiah Trimmingham back from a Jamaican tour with the T&T national team, and another former national striker Nicholas Dillon up front.
But he still fielded a relatively young bunch with national youth striker James coming off the bench and undoing all the good work that 36-year-old Radanfah Abu Bakr and the experienced defensive team of Robert Primus, Maurice Forde and Kareem Eastman had previously done for the PoS team.
“Very disappointing. The performance was too flat,” stated a dejected Walt Noreiga, the AC Port of Spain coach. “We were possessing the ball, but we were not effective with it.”
Conversely, coach Glen was much more pleased, having picked up his first win as a top flight coach. “I think we allowed them to play too easily between the lines, especially in the first half,” noted Glen. “It was a much-better second half. I think Nathaniel came on and gave us just what we needed in the No.10 position.”
In matches played on Saturday, a pair of Omri Baird goals (55’ & 65’) saw Point Fortin Civic secure a 2-0 win over Prisons FC for their first win of the season, after drawing their season-opener 1-1 with Club Sando, in the first match of an Arima Velodrome double-header.
Later, a significantly strengthened Central FC had to rally for a 1-1 draw with Morvant Caledonia United in the second match, despite having the firepower of Kadeem Corbin, Jerrel Britto, Keron “Ball Pest” Cummings, Akeem Roach, Willis Plaza and Ricardo John all available. Veteran and captain Carlyle Mitchell headed Caledonia ahead in the 27th minute from a corner-kick, before John earned Central FC a share of the points when scoring in the 74th minute.
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Central, Club Sando share lead in T&T Premier League.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Central FC and Tiger Tanks Club Sando moved into a two-way share for the lead at the top of the 12-club 2023 T&T Premier Football League standings after contrasting wins in their respective Match Day Three encounters Wednesday.
At the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima, three different players were on target as Central FC blanked Cunupia FC 3-0 while Club Sando edged San Juan Jabloteh 1-0 at the Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin.
At Malabar, former national defender Daneil Cyrus opened the scoring for Central FC in the 15th minute and the Randolph Boyce-coached team held onto the narrow lead until Kesean St Rose made it 2-0 five minutes into the second half followed by an insurance item from out-of-favour national midfielder Keron ‘Ball Pest’ Cummings in the 75th minute.
The win was the second from three matches for Central FC to move to seven points at the top of the 12-club standings, the same as the Cornell Glen-coached Club Sando who got a lone item from Kevon Williams in the first half to edge visiting Jabloteh, leaving the latter without a win after three matches.
In another early match, the Walt Noreiga-coached AC Port-of-Spain defeated Police FC 2-0 thanks to goals from overlooked national midfielders, Duane Muckette in the 30th minute and Jomoul Francois, ten minutes from full-time at the Arima Municipal Stadium, to hand the Lawmen their second loss from as many outings.
There were also three late matches on schedule last night with Prisons Service up against Caledonia AIA at Arima; Point Fortin Civic hosting Defence Force at Mahaica Sporting Complex, and the highly anticipated meeting between Terminix La Horquetta Rangers and W Connection at La Horquetta.
Wednesday’s results: - Round Three:
AC Port of Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 30th, Jomoul Francois 80th) vs Police FC 0
Club Sando 1 (Kevon Williams) vs San Juan Jabloteh 0
Central FC (Daneil Cyrus 15th, Kesean St Rose 50th, Keron Cummings 75th) vs Cunupia FC 0
Current T&T Premier Football League table:
Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
Central FC*3*2*1*0*6*2*7
Club Sando FC*3*2*1*0*3*1*7
AC PoS*3*2*0*1*5*1*6
Caledonia AIA*2*1*1*0*3*1*4
Pt Fortin Civic*2*1*1*0*3*1*4
W Connection*2*1*0*1*2*3*3
Cunupia FC*3*1*0*2*2*5*3
T&T Prisons FC*2*0*1*1*0*2*1
San Juan Jabloteh*3*0*1*2*0*3*1
Defence Force*1*0*0*1*0*3*0
La Horquetta Rangers*0*0*0*0*0*0*0
T&T Police FC*2*0*0*2*1*4*0
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Ataulla Guerra doubles as Rangers grab 2-1 win vs W Connection.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
A brace from veteran attacking midfielder Ataulla Guerra gave Terminix La Horquetta Rangers a 2-1 victory over the youthful W Connection in their first match of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League on Wednesday at Phase Two, La Horquetta Recreation Grounds, La Horquetta on Wednesday.
Rangers are fresh off their pre-season tour of Grenada where they faced the senior men`s national teams of St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in friendly matches. Their match sharpness was evident in the early plays of the match, and it took them only 13 minutes for Guerra to break the deadlock for the one-nil lead which lasted into the second half. Five minutes after the resumption talisman Guerra got his second goal of the night and extended the advantage to 2-0. Connection`s goalkeeper Shakeem Darius pulled off several spectacular saves in the second period to boost the hopes of his team in the match.
Coach of the Savonetta Boys Brian Williams inserted some fresh legs into the game, and they were rewarded with a goal in stoppage time through Nicholas Dyett`s low powerful left-footed shot in the 92nd minute. However, time expired for the Couva-based team and Rangers held onto the 2-1 victory.
Central FC are the table toppers in the league with seven points following a 3-0 drumming of Cunupia FC. The goal scorers for Central were former national defender Daniel Cyrus in the 15th then Kesean St Rose doubled the lead in the 50th. Crafty midfielder Keron “Ballpest” Cummings rounded off the scoring in the 75th minute.
Tiger Tanks Club Sando are also tied on 7 points but are in the second spot because of an inferior goal difference to Central FC. The Cornell Glen-coached team picked up a slim 1-0 win against San Juan Jabloteh with the lone item scored by Kevon Williams in the 43rd minute.
Round Three Results:
AC Port of Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 30th, Jomoul Francois 80th) vs Police FC 0
Prison Service FC 2 (Josiah King 37th, Anthony Paris 61st) vs Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Romario Burke 64th)
Club Sando 1 (Kevon Williams 43rd) vs San Juan Jabloteh 0
Defence Force 2 (Brent Sam 6th, Jameel Cooper 57th) vs Point Fortin Civic 1 (Weslie John 39th)
Central FC (Daneil Cyrus 15th, Kesean St Rose 50th, Keron Cummings 75th) vs Cunupia FC 0
La Horquetta Rangers 2 Ataulla Guerra 13th, 50th) vs W. Connection (Nicholas Dyett 90+2)
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Defence Force beat winless Police 2-0.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
DEFENCE Force scored on either side of the halves to defeat Police FC in the battle of the protective services in the fourth round of the TT Premier Football League on Sunday at the Police Barracks, St James.
Striker Brent Sam gave Army the lead in the 25th minute from the penalty spot. The former youth player sent national goalkeeper Adrian Foncette the wrong way for the one-nil lead which lasted for almost the entirety of the match.
Police FC had an improved second period but squandered several goal-scoring chances in front of their home crowd. However, substitute Lashawn Roberts sealed the victory for the Teteron Boys in the 94th minute with his powerful strike far post beating a diving Foncette to send the crowd home in silence. Defence Force FC move to fourth with 6 points and Police FC remain at the bottom of the table pointless from three matches.
In the earlier match at the same venue, AC Port of Spain whipped Prisons FC 5-0 to record the largest defeat of the campaign thus far. Despite having a potent strike force, three of AC’s goals came from the pair of central defenders Radanfah Abu Bakr (2) and Robert Primus (1).
Primus scored the fastest goal of the season which came in the first minute of play. There was no letting off as a Che Benny corner rebounded off a Prisons defender and Primus was well-positioned in the six-yard box to spank it home for the one-nil lead. Primus then tagged his defensive partner, Abu Bakr who turned in a Benny cross for the 2-0 lead in the 21st minute. Then, twenty minutes later the lanky defender was unmarked to head home the third goal giving goalkeeper Jevon Bourne a nightmare in the first half. The next two goals came in stoppage time in the second half from substitutes Jomoul Francois (92nd) and Brian Armstrong (95th).
Results:
Central FC 3 (Keron Cummings 3rd penalty & 81st; Maurice Dick 51st) v San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Dantaye Gilbert 12th; Trevis Byron 36th)
La Horquetta Rangers 4 (Tyrone Charles 6th & 63rd; Ataulla Guerra 22nd; Isaiah Lee 78th) v Club Sando 4 (Kareem Riley 27th; Nicholas Dillon 62nd pen & 90+4 penalty; Nathaniel O`Garro 88th)
Cunupia FC 2 (Romario Williams 26th; Rhondel Gibson 42nd) v Point Fortin Civic 1 (Nathaniel Garcia 86th)
W Connection 0 v 0 Morvant Caledonia United
AC Port of Spain 5 (Robert Primus 1st, Radanfah Abu Bakr 21st, 41st, Jomoul Francois 92nd, Brian Armstrong 95th) v Prisons FC 0
RELATED NEWS
‘Ball Pest’, Central FC on fire.
By Andrea Perez-Sobers (T&T Express).
SELECTED on the Team of the Week for the opening two match-days of the new Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League, former T&T midfielder Keron “Ball Pest” Cummings was also among the goals as leaders Central FC staged a comeback when defeating San Juan Jabloteh 3-2 at La Horquetta on Friday night.
Cummings’ three international goals have come against CONCACAF giants Mexico, from 14 appearances for T&T, including twice at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Now 34, Cummings has scored for Central FC in victories over W Connection (2-0), Cunupia FC (3-0) and San Juan Jabloteh (3-2). Central captain Cummings leads all goal-scorers with four goals, including twice on Friday, as Central stayed top-of-the-table after rallying from 2-1 down to grab all three points.
Also rallying impressively were third-placed Club Sando. Led by Nicholas Dillon’s two penalties, “Sando” twice came from two goals down to draw a thriller 4-4 with Rangers in the second match of Friday’s double-header at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground. A game of many beautiful goals began with Rangers leading 2-0 from Tyronne Charles’ spectacular curling free-kick and Ataulla Guerra’s low shot, following a defensive error.
Kareem Riley’s wickedly curling free-kick sent Rangers’ goalkeeper Jabari Brice the wrong way for 2-1 and Dillon’s first penalty knotted up the scores at 2-2. But almost immediately La Horquetta captain Charles got his second, powerfully sending the ball inside the near post with the outside of his right foot and Isaiah Lee spectacularly re-directed a corner-kick, giving La Horquetta a 4-2 advantage. Sando’s second comeback began with Nathaniel O’Garro roofing the ball with a first-time shot in the 89th minute, and Dillon converted a penalty four minutes into added-on time to give the South team a deserved share of the spoils
Meanwhile, veteran defenders Robert Primus and Radanfah Abu Bakr scored the opening three goals as second-placed AC Port of Spain humbled newcomers and defending Super League (second tier) champions Prisons FC 5-0. At age 36, “Abu” has been having a terrific season at central defence, but provides a threat from set plays as well. He scored the second and third goals against Prison, while missing two others.
Defence Force also moved up the table after edging a closely-fought protective services derby 2-0 before a huge turnout of fans Sunday at the Police Barracks. Brent Sam scored a first half penalty, before substitute Lashawn Roberts powerfully blasted the second across goal in the dying stages.
Defence Force have won their last two and are turning their guns on youthful W Connection this weekend.
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Prisons just joined the top flight. How is it that league standings online reflect "Prisons" but still show "St. Ann's Rangers"? Seems to me the team involved should be motivated to have that righted. It has been like that for a while now. No doubt confusing to anyone not in the know.
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Che Benny scores hat-trick in AC's 4-0 win vs Cunupia FC.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
A Che Benny hat-trick gifted AC Port of Spain an emphatic 4-0 victory against Cunupia FC in matchday five action of the TT Premier Football League at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima on Saturday afternoon.
Cunupia thought they would have gone into the interval goalless against one of the most attacking teams in the league. However, Benny`s tricky freekick from the left side was misjudged by goalkeeper Jon- Pierre David beating him at the far post for the opening goal in the stoppage time of the first half. Utility player Jameel Neptune threatening shot came off Cunupia`s Stephen Julien for the own goal and the 2-0 lead for the “Town Boys” in the 68th minute. Then, it was the Benny show, the crafty left-footed maestro scored his second goal in the 76th and completed his hat-trick and a comprehensive 4-0 win for his team. Benny will be inserted into the history books as the first hat-trick scorer in the inaugural tournament.
Defence Force and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers recorded 2-0 victories against W. Connection and Prison Service FC respectively in their matches on Friday at the Arima Velodrome, Arima.
Army came up against the youthful W. Connection and got the lead through national defender Justin Garcia in the 20th minute. Garcia was in the right spot at the right time to slot his left-footed shot home from close range.
Connection`s goalkeeper Denzil Smith kept his team in the match with key saves throughout the match. The custodian saved Brent Sam`s penalty kick minutes before the halftime interval to give his team a fighting chance in the second period. The game was heading for a comfortable one-nil win to Army until Lashawn Robert hammered the second goal from distance catching everyone off guard. The powerful left-footed strike from the super-sub Tobagonian was his second goal in as many matches both coming in stoppage time of the second half.
In the other match, Rangers came up against a stubborn Prison Service team who grinded them for the entire 90 minutes. The only notable action of the first half was in the last few minutes when substitute Real Gill was awarded a penalty less than a minute after coming into the match. Skipper Tyrone Charles stepped up but sent his shot wide of goalie Jevon Bourne`s upright.
Rangers finally broke the deadlock against their resilient opponents at the hour mark. Talented winger Gill worked his magic on the left side before crossing to Ataulla Guerra who chested it for an advancing Ross Russell Jr who volleyed home for the 1-0 lead. Two minutes later, Guerra pounced on a loose ball from the defence for an easy tap-in goal securing the 2-0 victory.
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Central FC, AC POS in early lead in Premier Football League.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
Central FC remain atop the standings after five rounds in the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League.
Kesean St Rose's strike in the 48th minute gave Central a 1-0 victory over Point Fortin Civic on Sunday at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella
Central are unbeaten after five matches with 13 points from four victories and one draw.
Morvant Caledonia United captured their second victory of the campaign following a 2-1 victory over the inexperienced San Juan Jabloteh. Malike Mieres was the star of the game for Caledonia, scoring a double in the 25th and 33rd minutes. Jabloteh`s goal came from Dwight Jordan in the 31st minute.
Police FC finally showed what they could do, earning their first points of the season with a surprising 2-1 win over Club Sando on Saturday at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium. All the action came deep into the second period. Kadeem Hutchinson opened the scoring for the lawmen in the 71st minute.
National defender Josiah Trimmingham equalised for Sando just three minutes later setting up a thrilling end to the match. However, the eventual winning goal came from Club Sando`s Acelino Medford who turned the ball into his own net in the 87th minute.
In other round five results, Defence Force beat W Connection 2-0; Terminix La Horquetta Rangers defeat Prison FC 2-0; and AC Port of Spain crushed Cunupia FC 4-0.
Premier League standings
Team*GP*W*L*D*GD*Pts
Central FC *5*4*0*1*7*13
AC POS *5*4*1*0*13*12
Defence Force *4*3*1*0*2*9
Morvant Caledonia *5*2*1*2*2*8
Club Sando FC *5*2*1*2*2*8
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers *3*2*0*1*3*7
Cunupia FC *5*2*3*0*-6*6
Point Fortin Civic *5*1*3*1*-1*4
W Connection FC *5*1*3*1*-4*4
Prison Service FC *5*1*3*1*-8*4
TT Police FC *4*1*3*0*-4*3
San Juan Jabloteh *5*0*4*1*-5*1
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AC POS beat CFC 2-1. Should have been more for AC. Jean-Paul Rochfordd is a good player. They guy have good first touch. The AC midfield played a long ball over the right side, and Rochford collect and moved one time with such speed that the defender could not help but foul him. The game was a fast paced game. Not the way the national team does play. Right Rangers beating Cunupia 3-0.
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AC Port of Spain sink Central FC to reach Premier League summit.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
AC Port of Spain have dethroned Central FC as the league leaders in the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League, after a 2-1 victory on Wednesday at the La Horquetta Recreation Grounds, Arima.
The top-of-the-table clash lived up to the pre-game expectation as both teams battles hard for supremacy.
Central FC drew first blood when midfielder Akeem Roach slipped an excellent through ball into the path of Kesean St Rose who made no mistake in slotting it to the left of national goalkeeper Marvin Phillips in the 29th minute. The striker has now scored in consecutive matches and has three goals in the campaign.
The end-to-end action lasted all the way throughout the first half with both goalkeepers tested. Central`s goalie Hakeem Lucas was called to action repeatedly to preserve his team`s lead.
However, in the last minute of the first half, national midfielder John Paul Rochford sped down the right flank and rounded his defender before crossing to an unmarked Michel Poon- Angeron who slid it home for the 1-1 equaliser.
The high intensity and attacking play continued in the second period. AC Port of Spain were the more aggressive team and went ahead 2-1. Rochford was brought down in the box by Maurice Dick and was awarded a penalty by referee Crystal Sobers. The midfielder stepped up and sent goalie Lucas the wrong way in the 62nd minute.
Rochford was everywhere on the pitch as his brilliance in the second half forced Lucas into several point-blank saves. Central went hunting for an equaliser in the final minutes but the "town boys" held on for the three points. AC POS move to 15 points whilst Central FC remained on 13 points.
Other Matches:
W Connection 2 v San Juan Jabloteh 1
Club Sando 2 (Nicholas Dillon 71, Nathaniel James 87) v Defence Force 0
Rangers 3 (Isaiah Lee 3, Isaiah Raymond 60, Real Gill 66) v Cunupia 0
Police 5 (Christian Thomas 4, 15, 61, Jameel Perry 78, Jabari Mitchell 79) v Prison Service FC 2 (Anthony Parris 6-Pen, 70-Pen)
AC PoS 2 (Michel Poon-Angeron 45, John-Paul Rochford 65-Pen) v Central FC 1 (Kesean St Rose 20)
Point Fortin Civic 1 (Jeremiah Kesar 66) v Morvant Caledonia United 0
RELATED NEWS
‘Capital Boyz’ take lead, Club Sando, Rangers move up
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
JON PAUL ROCHFORD gave a Man-of-the-Match performance as AC Port of Spain jumped to the top of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League with a 2-1 victory over previous leaders Central FC Wednesday evening at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground.
Other results saw Terminix La Horquetta Rangers see off Cunupia FC 3-0 to move into fourth spot. Late goals from Nicholas Dillon (71st minute) and Nathaniel Garcia (87th) saw Tiger Tanks Club Sando move up to third and drop Defence Force two places down to fifth, after winning 2-0 against the “Army” at Police Barracks. Also at the Barracks, forward Christian Thomas scored a hat-trick as the home team, Police FC, also won 5-2 against Prisons.
W Connection gained a valuable 2-1 win over San Juan Jabloteh and Point Fortin Civic won 1-0 against visitors Morvant Caledonia United at the Mahaica Sporting Complex.
At La Horquetta, Rochford had a stellar performance, setting up the opening goal for Michel Poon Angeron and converting a second half penalty himself, as the “Capital Boyz” came from a goal down to win.
Central FC took the lead against the run of play when in-form striker Kesean St Rose exposed T&T national goalkeeper Marvin Phillip with a low shot in the 29th minute, after running onto a delicate through ball from midfielder Akeem Roach.
Later, Rochford’s forceful drive up the right flank provided the pass from which Poon-Angeron roofed the ball to level the match at 1-1 in the 44th minute.
Unplayable at times, Rochford was in everything and had it not been for a handful of spectacular saves from Central FC goalkeeper Hakeem Lucas, the Capital Boys could have won far more handsomely. However, Lucas found no answer to Rochford from the penalty spot. Cut down by defender Maurice Dick when racing into the penalty area, Rochford got up and converted the penalty with a low shot in the 65th minute after referee Crystal Sobers had awarded the spot kick.
“Great performance by the team, great effort, great fight, great enthusiasm coming into the game,” Rochford stated afterward when taking the best player award.
“Nice place to be top of the table,” added Gilbert Bateau, who is assistant coach to Walt Noreiga at AC Port of Spain.
“Rochford had an excellent, excellent game,” stated Bateau, who also credited a strong midfield combination and stern defending as important factors in the victory.
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Guys some nice football! Angus will have to recalibrate. Yes not much goals scoring on us, but we not winning either. He need to take a look at Rochford, Poon, and some others
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DEEKS Angus had 2 years to recalibrate. What ah wasted 2 years
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Reon Moore, Hashim Arcia help Defence Force smash Prisons 7-0.
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday).
BRACES from Reon Moore and Hashim Arcia on Saturday propelled Defence Force to a 7-0 trouncing of Prisons FC in round seven of the TT Premier Football League at the Arima Velodrome. The result was the most lopsided win of the season.
Moore, a national player, opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Jelani Felix doubled the advantage in the 21st and Moore got his second with a 37th minute strike.
Prisons continued to leak goals and conceded another on the stroke of halftime courtesy Brent Sam.
Arcia went to work in the second period with goals in the 65th and 74rd minutes, before Tobagonian Lashawn Roberts put the icing on the cake with a goal in the 83rd.
At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Malabar, Club Sando took care of W Connection 3-1 courtesy goals from Michael Basdeo (9th), Seon Thomas (62nd) and Jabari Forbes (64th). W Connection's Dwight Pope had knotted the scores in the 53rd.
At the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Police came from a goal down to snatch all three points against Cunupia FC.
Cunupia FC went ahead in the 37th minute Through Ricardo Williams, and maintained their lead till the 86th minute.
An Elijah Belgrave goal levelled proceedings before Kareem Freitas broke Cunupia's heart with a winner in the 90th.
Results
Cunupia FC 1 (Ricardo Williams 37) v Police FC 2 (Elijah Belgrave 86, Kareem Freitas 90)
Defence Force 7 (Reon Moore 18, 37, Jelani Felix 21, Brent Sam 44, Hashim Arcia 65, 74, Lashawn Roberts 83) v Prisons Service FC 0
Central FC 3 (Keron Cummings 26, Anslem Jackson 56, Kesean St. Rose 62) v La Horquetta Rangers 5 (Ataulla Guerra 4, Isaiah Raymond 29, Isaiah Lee 45, Leslie Joel Russell 49, Daniel David 85-Pen)
Club Sando FC 3 (Michael Basdeo 9, Seon Thomas 62, Jabari Forbes 64) v W Connection FC 1 (Dwight Pope 53)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FtMod03XoAUHecn?format=jpg&name=medium)
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That Team of the Week raises all sorts of questions.
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Neptune tricks Caledonia as AC PoS extend lead.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Jameel Neptune scored a hat-trick, and John-Paul Rochford, the other as AC Port-of-Spain whipped Morvant Caledonia AIA 4-1 to extend their lead at the top of the T&T Premier Football League standings at the St James Police Barracks, Football Field, Long Circular Road, St James on Sunday.
With the win, the Walt Noreiga-coached AC PoS moved to 18 points from seven matches with four points clear of Tiger Tanks Club Sando. Terminix La Horquetta Rangers and Central FC are a further point behind.
In the day's other match, a lone penalty from captain Nical Stephen earned San Juan Jabloteh its first win of the season 1-0 over Point Fortin Civic at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar on Sunday.
Stephen, who missed his team's 2-1 loss to W Connection in mid-week returned to his team's starting line-up and converted from the spot in the 86th minute to climb off the foot of the 12-club table with four points, the same as cellar-placed T&T Prisons Service FC.
On Saturday afternoon, T&T youth international Nathaniel James assisted on two goals as Tiger Tanks Club Sando outplayed W Connection FC 3-1 to move into the second spot, one point ahead of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers and Central FC.
In Saturday's second match at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, Rangers outgunned Central FC 5-3 with a goal each from Ataulla Guerra (4th), Isaiah Raymond (29th), Isaiah Lee (45th), Leslie Joel Russell (49th), and Daniel David with an 85th-minute penalty.
For Central Fc, who fell to its second straight defeat after going unbeaten in their first five matches, Keron Cummings (26th), Anslem Jackson (56th), and Kesean St Rose (62nd) were the players on target.
In the opening match at Arima, Defence Force slammed Prisons Service 7-0 with Reon Moore (18th, 37th) and Hashim Arcia (65th, 74th) scoring two goals each while Jelani Felix (21st), Brent Sam (44th), and Lashawn Roberts (83rd) added one each as they climbed to the fourth spot with 12 points.
Yesterday's Results
AC Port-of-Spain 4 (Jameel Neptune 3, John-Paul Rochford) vs Caledonia AIA 1 (Brandon Semper)
San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Nical Stephen 86th pen) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
Saturday
Police FC 2 (Elijah Belgrave 86th, Kareem Freitas 90th) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Ricardo Williams 37 th)
Defence Force 7 (Reon Moore 18th, 37th, Hashim Arcia 65th, 74th, Jelani Felix 21st, Brent Sam 44th, Lashawn Roberts 83rd) v Prisons Service FC 0
Rangers 5 (Ataulla Guerra 4th, Isaiah Raymond 29th, Isaiah Lee 45th, Leslie Joel Russell 49th, Daniel David 85th pen) vs Central FC 3 (Keron Cummings 26th, Anslem Jackson 56th, Kesean St Rose 62nd)
Club Sando FC 3 (Michael Basdeo 9th, Seon Thomas 62nd, Jabari Forbes 64th) v W Connection FC 1 (Dwight Pope 53rd)
Latest League standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
1. AC PoS 7 6 0 1 20 3 18
2. Club Sando FC 7 4 2 1 13 8 14
3. La Horquetta Rangers 5 4 1 0 16 8 13
4. Central FC 7 4 1 2 14 10 13
5. Defence Force 6 4 0 2 13 6 12
6. Police FC 6 3 0 3 10 10 9
7. Morvant Caledonia AIA 7 2 2 3 7 9 8
8. W Connection 7 2 1 4 6 11 7
9. Pt Fortin Civic 7 2 1 4 5 7 7
10. Cunupia FC 7 2 0 5 5 14 6
11. San Juan Jabloteh 7 1 1 5 5 10 4
12. Prisons FC 7 1 1 5 4 22 4
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Sorry I miss ACPoS vs Jabloteh game
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Is there a possibility that we can see Kerron Cummings on the national team for matches to come?What a player he was when I last saw him.
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frico With angus that is possible. He was scouting nicolas dillon Saturday
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Today Games
AC Port-of-Spain v San Juan Jabloteh
La Horquetta Rangers v Morvant Caledonia United
W Connection v Point Fortin Civic FC
Central FC v Police FC
Defence Force FC v Cunupia FC
Prisons Service FC v Club Sando FC
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AC Port-of-Spain stays clear at top of TTPFL.
T&T Guardian Reports.
T&T international John-Paul Rochford scored twice and Jameel Neptune, the other, as AC Port-of-Spain (AC PoS) rallied late to beat San Juan Jabloteh 3-1 and maintain their four-point lead at the top of the 12-club T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) in the first match of a doubleheader at the Phase II Recreation Ground, La Horquetta, on Saturday.
Rochford opened the scoring in the 13th minute when he picked up a ball from Che Benny, which eluded two defenders just over the half and raced down the right flank before firing a right-footed shot that deflected off past goalkeeper Dillon King and overhead his head into the back of the net.
However, against the run of play, Dwight Jordan fired Jabloteh back on even terms on the half-hour mark when his low right-footed effort from an acute angle beat goalkeeper Jadel Poon-Lewis low to his right and into the far corner.
AC PoS, was not having things as easy as one would have expected and needed something special to regain the lead, which they got in the 69th minute via a long-range left-footed grounder from national winger Jameel Neptune, scorer of a hat-trick last time out, which whisked past King.
A minute later, AC PoS was then awarded a penalty by referee Cecile Hinds and Rochford stepped up to comfortably hammer home a right-footed effort to the right of a diving King, before substitute Jomoul Francis added a fourth item in the 82nd minute to extend the tally to 4-1
AC PoS still managed to create a few more chances, the clearest of them falling to influential midfielder Che Benny, but he dragged his left-footed shot wide of the target from the centre of the 18-yard box.
In the end, the Walt Noreiga-coached AC PoS sealed the comfortable win, their second straight by a 4-1 margin to climb to 21 points from eight matches at the top of the 12-club table, four ahead of Tiger Tanks Club Sando.
At the Arima Municipal Stadium, Tiger Tanks Club Sando left it late to snatch victory against cellar-placed T&T Prisons Service FC with out-of-favour national striker Nicholas Dillon netting the lone goal in the 86th minute to keep his team on the heels of leaders AC Port-of-Spain, and one point ahead of Central FC who got a second-half brace from T&T international Kadeem Corbin, and one from Kesean St Rose to come away with a 3-0 win over Police FC, ending the latter's three-match win streak in the process.
And in the day's other early match, at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Joash Biard scored in the 29th minute to earn W Connection a 1-0 win over Point Fortin Civic clash to climb to sixth with ten points.
Last night in the second match at La Horquetta, fourth-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers faced Morvant Caledonia AIA while today at the St James Police Barracks training ground, Defence Force faces Cunupia FC at 4 pm, in the lone match on schedule.
Saturday's results
AC PoS 4 (John-Paul Rochford 13th, 69th pen, Jameel Neptune 69th, Jomoul Francois 82nd) vs Jabloteh 1 (Dwight Jordan 30th)
W Connection 1 (Joash Baiard 29th) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
Central FC 3 (Kadeem Corbin 2, Kesean St Rose) vs Police FC 0
Club Sando 1 (Nicholas Dillon 86th) vs Prisons FC 0
La Horquetta Rangers 5 (Real Gill 12, Ataulla Guerra, Isaiah Lee 28, Daniel David 34, Tyrone Charles 77) v Morvant Caledonia United 0
Sunday's match:
Defence Force vs Cunupia FC, St James Police Barracks Training Ground, St James 4 pm
Latest League standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
AC Port of Spain 8 7 0 1 24 4 21
Club Sando FC 8 5 2 1 14 8 17
La Horquetta Rangers 6 5 1 0 21 8 16
Central FC 8 5 1 2 17 10 16
Defence Force FC 6 4 0 2 13 6 12
W Connection FC 8 3 1 4 7 11 10
Police FC 7 3 0 4 10 13 9
Morvant Caledonia United 8 2 2 4 7 14 8
Point Fortin Civic FC 8 2 1 5 5 8 7
Cunupia FC 7 2 0 5 5 14 6
San Juan Jabloteh FC 8 1 1 6 6 14 4
Prison Service FC 8 1 1 6 4 23 4
RELATED NEWS
John-Paul Rochford’s double gives leaders AC Port of Spain 4-1 win.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
AC Port of Spain maintained their four-point lead in the TT Premier Football League as two goals from national midfielder John-Paul Rochford guided the unit to a 4-1 win over San Juan Jabloteh in the first match of a double-header at La Horquetta Recreation Grounds on Saturday.
Rochford opened the scoring in the 14th minute, before Dwight Jordan fired home the equaliser for Jabloteh in the 31st minute. Heading into the final 20 minutes the match was still locked 1-1, but three goals from AC Port of Spain gave the league leaders a comfortable win.
Jameel Neptune gave AC Port of Spain the advantage in the 69th minute and Rochford notched his brace in the 73rd minute. Jomoul Francois rounded off the scoring with a goal in the 83rd minute.
Nicholas Dillon gave second-placed Tiger Tanks Club Sando a narrow 1-0 win over Prisons Service FC with a late goal in the 84th minute at Arima Velodrome.
In the third match which ended before press time, Central FC defeated Police 3-0 at Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima. Kadeem Corbin scored twice (47th, 68th) and Kesean St Rose (83rd) was also on target.
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Trini_2026,let's hope you are right and Cummings is back.During his performances in the the matches he played I was sure he would have got a contract in England,that was not to be as we know why.Anyway I am hoping that if he is 70% of what he was it would be good for us.
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Rangers move to second on standings.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
La Horquetta Rangers got a brace from Ataulla Guerra to move to second on the T&T Premier Football League standing after Wednesday’s Matchday Nine round of action.
Guerra’s two goals led his team to a 6-1 rout of second-from-bottom San Juan Jabloteh when the teams met at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima.
Celeb Sturge opened the scoring for the La Horquetta men who still have a game in hand, following their late start to the season due to their tour of the Caribbean soon before the start of the tournament.
Sturge’s 18th-minute strike was followed by another in the 31st minute by Kaihim Thomas, before the Guerra display. The former national striker opened his account three minutes from the half-time interval and left it late in the encounter for his second item which came in the 86th minute.
Between that, Adica Ash (78th minute) and Tyrone Charles (89th minute) also added to the scoreline for a more-than-convincing victory.
AC Port of Spain, who were scheduled to face Point Fortin Civic last night, were guaranteed to remain in the top position with 21 points on the standings. A win was expected to push them further ahead to 24 points.
Meanwhile, Defence Force moved to third on the chart with 18 points yesterday after defeating Central FC 2-0 at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Union Marabella. The Army Coast-Guard Combination team got two goals in the second half of play from Brent Sam in the 56th minute and Jameel Cooper in the 74th minute in shutting out their counterparts.
At the Arima Velodrome, the Police edged Morvant Caledonia 3-2 to climb to sixth on the table with 12 points. Goals from Kadeem Hutchinson, Olijah Belgrave and Kern Roberts were sufficient to award them the win, despite items from Malachai Celestine in the 4th and Osafa Simpson in 75th minute for the Morvant men.
Wednesday's Results
Defence Force 2 (Brent Sam 56th, Jameel Cooper 74th) vs Central FC 0
La Horquetta Rangers 6 (Ataulla Guerra 42nd, 86th, Caleb Sturge 18th, Kaihim Thomas 31st, Adica Ash 78th, Tyrone Charles 89th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Dwight Jordan 71st)
Point Fortin Civic 0 vs AC Port of Spain 1 (Che Benny 27th)
Morvant Caledonia United 2 (Malachi Celestine 4th, Osafa Simpson 75th) vs Police FC 3 (Kadeem Hutchinson 51st, Elijah Belgrave 68th, Kern Roberts 91st)
Prison Service FC 1 (Johnny Noreiga Britto 23rd) vs W Connection 0
Place*Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*AC PoS*8*7*0*1*24*4*21
2*La Horquetta Rangers*7*6*1*0*27*9*19
3*Defence Force*8*6*0*2*16*6*18
4*Club Sando FC*8*5*2*1*14*8*17
5*Central FC*9*5*1*3*17*12*16
6*Police FC*8*4*0*4*13*15*12
7*W Connection*8*3*1*4*7*11*10
8*Morvant Caledonia*9*2*2*5*9*17*8
9*Point Fortin Civic*8*2*1*5*5*8*7
10*Cunupia FC*8*2*0*6*5*15*6
11*Jabloteh*9*1*1*7*7*20*4
12*Prisons FC*8*1*1*6*4*23*4
RELATED NEWS
Unbeaten Rangers rout Jabloteh 6-1, Benny puts AC 5pts clear.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
A brace from former national player and attacking midfielder Ataulla Guerra with goals in either half gave Terminix La Horquetta Rangers a blistering 6-1 victory over San Juan Jabloteh in round nine action of the TT Premier Football League on Wednesday, at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima.
Defender Caleb Sturge opened the scoring for the Arima team in the 18th minute and before the youthful Jabloteh team could rebound it was 2-0 courtesy Kaihim Thomas in the 31st.
Three minutes before the half-time interval Guerra banged his first goal for the match to extend the score-line to 3-0.
Jabloteh pulled a goal back from substitute Dwight Jordan in the 71st making the game interesting at 3-1.
However, seven minutes later, Adica Ash gave Rangers the 4-1 advantage reinstating the three-goal cushion.
Then, Rangers wrapped up the 6-1 defeat with goals from Guerra in the 86th and striker Tyrone Charles in the 89th minute.
Rangers remain unbeaten in the league and move unto 19 points with six victories and one draw, whilst Jabloteh remains on four points. Defence Force picked up their third consecutive win with a 2-0 triumph over top team Central FC at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium. The fourth-ranked Central and fifth Army battled each other in the first half, but it ended goalless. Talisman striker Brent Sam broke the deadlock in the 56th minute to give Army a 1-0 lead.
Then, Jameel Cooper (74th) slotted in the second goal to seal the comfortable 2-0 win. Defence Force climb to 18 points to overtake Central FC who remain on 16 points.
Che Benny`s lone goal sent AC Port of Spain five points clear at the top of the TTPFL after nine rounds following a close 1-0 victory over Point Fortin Civic on Wednesday at the Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin.
The left-footed attacking midfielder scored his fifth goal of the tournament in the 27th minute which was the eventual winner to claim crucial points. The “Town Boys” move to 24 points from their matches whereas Point Fortin remain on seven points.
Prisons Service FC picked up their second win of the campaign narrowly defeating W. Connection 1-0 at the Arima Velodrome. The goal was scored by Johnny Noriega Britto midway through the first half in the 23rd minute.
Police FC started off the league on a shaky note, but they have steadied themselves by recording successive victories. The Lawmen edged Morvant Caledonia United 3-2. Getting on the scoresheet for Police were Kadeem Hutchinson (51st), Elijah Belgrave (68th, Kern Roberts (90+1) whilst Malachi Celestine (4th), and Osafa Simpson (75th) notched items for Caledonia.
At the end of the first half of the TTPFL, the top two teams will qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League.
Scores:
Police FC 3 (Kadeem Hutchinson 51st, Elijah Belgrave 68th, Kern Roberts 90+1) vs Morvant Caledonia United 2 (Malachi Celestine 4th, Osafa Simpson 75th)
Prisons Service FC 1 (Johnny Noriega Britto 23rd) vs W. Connection 0
AC Port of Spain 1 (Che Benny 27th) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
Defence Force 2 (Brent Same 56th, Jameel Cooper 74th) vs Central FC 0
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers 6 (Caleb Sturge 18th, Kaihim Thomas 31st, Ataullah Guerra 42nd, 86th, Tyrone Charles 89th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Dwight Jordan)
Cunupia FC vs Tiger Tanks Club Sando (To be rescheduled)
Standings:
Team*GP*W*L*D*GD*Pts
1. AC POS *9*8*1*0*21*24
2. La Horquetta Rangers *7*6*0*1*18*19
3. Defence Force *8*6*2*0*10*18
4. Club Sando FC *8*5*1*2*6*17
5. Central FC *9*5*3*1*5*16
6. Police FC *8*4*4*0*-2*12
7. W. Connection FC *9*3*5*1*-5*10
8. Morvant Caledonia *9*2*5*2*-8*8
9. Point Fortin Civic *9*2*6*1*-3*7
10. Prison Service FC *9*2*6*1*-18*7
11. Cunupia FC *8*2*6*0*-11*6
12. San Juan Jabloteh *9*1*7*1*-13*4
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Threat to stop T&T Premier Football League
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
After nine days of matches in the new T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL), the tournament now faces an injunction via the T&T courts that will stop play indefinitely.
Damian Prescod, a former player now turn administrator, told Guardian Media Sports on Wednesday that his attorney will have the tournament stopped at any time now for breach of intellectual property rights.
Prescod, who played for Malabar football team—Drummers back in 1992/93 as a defender before he transitioned to football administration, said he is expected to benefit from millions of dollars from a football development plan that was conceptualised by him, before it was given to the T&T Football Association’s (TTFA) Technical Director Anton Corneal back on September 2, 2021.
Corneal, he said, gave a promise that he will take the proposal all the way to fruition.
With nine rounds of matches completed, Prescod said he has twice written to Corneal, the normalisation committee and the embattled football association to follow up on their agreement, but to no avail.
“I am fed up of the advantage. This is not about money really, because the proposed structure was designed to benefit all stakeholders, from players to coach to officials to clubs, referees, communities and then the country as a whole. I don’t know what was the hurry in getting the league started so fast, but I had plans of getting international investors to come here and assure all players receive a minimum salary of $10,000 a month.
“It was also designed to award the winning team a cash prize of $1 million, plus move on to contest other regional competitions in the Caribbean and CONCACAF.”
To date, the League, the first tier, has been a welcomed display by all, with players at each club receiving $50,000 from government/FIFA to share up in salaries. It also provides players with the opportunity to showcase their talent for national coach Angus Eve.
Eve, who took up the national coaching job back in 2021, following the exit of the national team from the Caribbean round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers under then coach Terry Fenwick, has called for a domestic competition to help with the selection and formation of his team.
The second tier of the competition is expected to begin this month, organisers have said.
Corneal yesterday described the claim as absurd. He said, “I gave him a listening ear. He came to me for ideas about a community league many years ago because I know the person who introduced us. I didn’t even know his real name, now the TTFA started a league he claims it’s his idea. We have had league football for many, many years.”
Chairman of the FIFA-installed Normalisation Committee Robert Hadad said he took no advice from anyone but the sport’s world-governing body FIFA and CONCACAF for the start of the league.
He warned that although he is aware of the proposal, no agreement was reached between the parties.
“I am aware of him (Damian Prescod), but there are hundreds others like him who have sent in proposals to reshape and re-organise the TTFA, but at the end of the day, nobody signed any contract with anyone of the many people, and I would not call any names who sent in proposals to put the TTFA back on its feet or reshape T&T football. Secondly, Anton Corneal has nothing to do with the TTPFL. The TTPFL was a plan that germinated from FIFA. The FIFA hired a consultant Giovanni Pavarotti from Italy and he presented a proposal for a developmental league. It is his proposal that we followed. Unfortunately, I don’t know how many different types of ways we can play football to reshape an organisation, but I am only guessing that everybody’s approach will be similar.”
According to Hadad, “If it similar to Mr Prescod’s, then that has nothing to do with us. At the end of the day, nobody signed any contract. Mr Prescod or none of the other people have any signed document or contractual arrangement with the FA.
“He (Mr Prescod) can do anything he wants, anybody can go to court, but he would not have any legs to stand up on. Everything we did went through FIFA. And as there is a God above, I have taken nobody’s advice, I have done this my way and when I say my way, the way guided by CONCACAF and FIFA.
“CONCACAF and FIFA have many organisations under their purview and they have many successful FAs. All we’re trying to do is imitate successful FAs all over the world, the primary one being America which is right around the corner.”
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Ah next one ....lard ...
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What questions does the team of the week raise AS?
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AC PoS faces tricky W Connection test.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
AC Port-of-Spain (Pos) will start as the favourite to maintain its five-point lead at the top of the 12-club T&T Premier Football League table when it comes up against W Connection in the first match of a doubleheader Phase II recreation ground in La Horquetta from 5 pm Saturday.
Two hours later at the same venue, the second-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers will also fancy its chance of picking up maximum points when it hosts Point Fortin Civic in the second match at La Horquetta from 7.30 pm.
Narrow 1-0 winner over Point Fortin Civic in mid-week, the Walt Noriega-coached AC PoS lead the table with 24 points from nine matches, five ahead of Rangers, who trashed San Juan Jabloteh 6-1 led by a brace from Ataulla Guerra, and has two matches in hand, while Defence Force is third 18 points, and a match in hand as well followed by Tiger Tanks Club Sando with 17 from eight matches as well, and the sliding Central FC with 16 to round out the top five.
W Connection has endured a mixed start to its campaign so far, and in the previous round fell to a shock 1-0 loss away to Prisons Service FC at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, and today coach Brian Williams-charges, who have tasted five defeats already this season, will be keen to avoid another unfruitful journey East Trinidad from their Couva-based.
Rangers, meanwhile, have only failed to collect maximum points, one so far this season in an enthralling 4-4 draw with Club Sando, but while they go into the match as heavy favourites they will need to be wary of a Prisons Service line-up brimming with newfound confidence, coming off the win against W Connection, 1-0 on Wednesday night.
In the two other matches on schedule today, Club Sando and Central FC face off at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella at 4 pm with both teams eager for the win to avoid falling further behind the table toppers while Prisons Service entertain Cunupia FC at Arima at 5 pm.
Tomorrow (Sunday), a doubleheader is also carded for the St James Police Barracks Training Ground, Long Circular Road, St James from 5 pm with Defence Force up against Morvant Caledonia AIA, followed by Police FC and San Juan Jabloteh, at 7.30 pm.
T&T Premier Football League matches:
Saturday (April 22):
Venue: La Horquetta Recreation Ground, Phase II, La Horquetta.
W Connection vs AC Port-of-Spain, 5 pm
La Horquetta Rangers vs Point Fortin Civic, 7.30 pm
Club Sando vs Central FC, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, 4 pm
Prisons Service vs Cunupia FC, Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, 5 pm
Sunday (April 23):
Venue: St James Police Barracks Training Ground, Port-of-Spain
Defence Force vs Morvant Caledonia AIA, 5 pm
Police FC vs San Juan Jabloteh, 7.30 pm - Rescheduled match
Wednesday (April 26):
Cunupia FC vs Club Sando, Venue and time to be confirmed.
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Yesterday Results
Club Sando 3 (Alvin Jones 27, Nathaniel James 31, Shervohnez Hamilton 63) vs Central FC 2 (Kadeem Corbin 68, Alvin Jones 70-OG)
W Connection 1 (Christian Bailey 18) vs AC Port-of-Spain 3 (John-Paul Rochford 3, Duane Muckette 39, Jomoul Francois 52)
La Horquetta Rangers 4 (Tyronne Charles 26, Daniel David 31, Ataulla Guerra 69, Isaiah Lee 92) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
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https://www.youtube.com/v/b7gp8HH4Zvk
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Sam’s hat-trick keeps Army in third place.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
La Horquetta Rangers’ lanky striker Ataulla Guerra was again on the scoresheet for his team in a comfortable 4-0 win over Point Fortin Civic at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground in Phase II, La Horquetta, as his team cemented the second place position on the T&T Premier Football League table after Saturday’s round of matches.
Meanwhile, Defence Force, the multiple-time title winners in local football made their presence known with a more-than-convincing 5-0 demolition of Morvant Caledonia United in the opening match of a doubleheader at the St James Barracks on Long Circular Road on Sunday.
Hitman Brent Sam led the Army Coast-Guard Combination team with a hat-trick coming in the 11th, 36th and 60th minute.
With the Morvant men providing very little to no resistance, Kendell Hitlal got an early opener for the Defence Force in the 2nd minute.
And after Sam’s heroics, Josiah Superville shut the door close on the Caledonia men with the fifth goal of the game in the 84th minute.
On Saturday in the second match of a doubleheader, Guerra netted in the 68th minute to push his tally for the season to nine goals at the top of the leaderboard. His item followed goals by Tyrone Charles in the 26th minute, an own goal from Shaquille Williams in the 31st and Isiah Lee’s in the 92nd minute as they outclassed their southern rivals.
The win puts Rangers five points adrift of leaders AC Port of Spain on 22 points with two games in hand. Guerra has scored in nearly every match played. He has a difference of four goals ahead of AC Port of Spain’s Che Benny, Central FC’s Keron Cummings and Kesean St Rose, John-Paul Rochford (AC Port of Spain), and teammates Isaiah Lee and Tyrone Charles- all of whom are on five goals each.
Meanwhile, Prisons FC moved a point up the standing to eight following a 1-1 tie with Cunupia FC at Arima Velodrome on Saturday. The central men opened the scoring from Ricardo Williams in the 25th minute but it was cancelled out with a Dwight Jordan item in the 70th minute.
Full Results
Club Sando 3 (Alvin Jones 27, Nathaniel James 31, Shervohnez Hamilton 63) vs Central FC 2 (Kadeem Corbin 68, Alvin Jones 70-OG)
W Connection 1 (Christian Bailey 18) vs AC Port-of-Spain 3 (John-Paul Rochford 3, Duane Muckette 39, Jomoul Francois 52)
La Horquetta Rangers 4 (Tyronne Charles 26, Daniel David 31, Ataulla Guerra 69, Isaiah Lee 92) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
Defence Force 5 (Kendell Hitlal 2, Brent Sam 11, 36, 60, Josiah Superville 84) vs Morvant Caledonia United 0
San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Nical Stephens 74, Dwight Jordan 80) v Police FC 1 (Rakim Cabie 47)
Prisons FC 1 (Shaquille Kervon Ferrier 60) v Cunupia FC 1 (Ricardo Williams 25)
LEADING GOALSCORERS
9- Ataulla Guerra
5- Che Benny, Keron Cummings, Kesean St Rose, John-Paul Rochford, Tyrone Charles, Isaiah Lee.
4- Jameel Neptune (AC PoS), Nicholas Dillon (Club Sando), Dwight Jordan (Jabloteh), Lashawn Roberts (D/Force), Brent Sam (D/Force), Jamoul Francois (AC PoS).
3- Kadeem Corbin (Central FC), Christian Thomas (Police), Anthony Parris (Police), Duane Muckette (AC PoS), Nathaniel James (Club Sando).
2- Jameel Cooper (D/Force), Ricardo Williams (Cunupia FC), Reon Moore (D/Force), Kareem Freitas (Police), Osafa Simpson (Caledonia AIA), Elijah Belgrave (Police), Kadeem Hutchinson (Police FC), Omari Baird (Point Fortin), Hashim Arcia (D/Force), Radanfah Abu Bakr (AC PoS), Malik Mieres (Caledonia), Rhondel Gibson (Cunupia), Isaiah Raymond (Rangers), Real Gill (Rangers), Daniel David (Rangers), Jabari Forbes (Club Sando).
1- Justin Garcia (D/Force), Neil Benjamin (W Connection), Romario Williams (Cunupia), Christian Bailey (W Connection), Russel Alfred (W Connection), Josiah King (Prisons), Maurice Dick (Central FC), Akeem Roach (Central FC), Ross Russell Jr (Rangers), Malachi Celestine (Caledonia), Daneil Cyrus (Central FC), Jabari Mitchell (Police FC), Nathaniel Garcia (Point Fortin), Alvin Jones (Club Sando), Jeremiah Kesar (Point Fortin), Jelani Felix (D/Force), Kern Roberts (Police FC), Jameel Perry (Police FC), Robert Primus (AC PoS), Sean Bonval (Caledonia), Brandon Semper (Caledonia), Ramario Burke (Caledonia), Shervohnez Hamilton (Club Sando), Michel Poon Angeron (AC PoS), Kareem Riley (Club Sando), Josiah Cooper (Club Sando), Josiah Trimmingham (Club Sando), Carlyle Mitchell (Caledonia), Johnny Britto (Prisons FC), Michael Basdeo (Club Sando), Jaimol Layne (Cunupia), Kevon Williams (Club Sando), Shaquille Ferrier (Prisons FC), Ronell Paul (Point Fortin Civic), Leslie Russell (Rangers), Ricardo John (Central FC), Caleb Sturge (Rangers), Nicholas Dyett (W Connection), Dwight Pope (W Connection), Brian Armstrong (AC PoS), Nical Stephens (Jabloteh), Weslie John (Point Fortin), Anselm Jackson (Central FC), Kaihim Thomas (Rangers), Dantayne Gilbert (Jabloteh), Seon Thomas (Club Sando), Isaiah Hudson (W Connection), Joash Baird (W Connection), Jaydon Powell (AC PoS), Adica Ash (Rangers), Craig Wilson (W Connection), Trevis Byron (Jabloteh)
LEAGUE STANDINGS
Pos*Team*P*W*L*D*GF*GA*GD*Pts
1*Athletic Club POS*10*9*1*0*28*5*23*27
2*Terminix LA Horquetta Rangers*8*7*0*1*31*9*22*22
3*Defence Force FC*9*7*2*0*21*6*15*21
4*Club Sando FC*9*6*1*2*17*10*7*20
5*Central FC*10*5*4*1*19*15*4*16
6*Police FC*8*4*4*0*13*15*-2*12
7*W Connection FC*10*3*6*1*8*15*-7*10
8*Caledonia FC*10*3*5*2*9*22*-13*8
9*Prison FC*10*2*6*2*6*24*-18*8
10*Point Fortin Civic*10*2*7*1*6*13*-7*7
11*Cunupia FC*9*2*6*1*6*17*-11*7
12*San Juan Jabloteh*9*1*7*1*7*20*-13*4
RELATED NEWS
Defence Force's Brent Sam 'tricks' Caledonia.
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday).
A Brent Sam hat-trick led Defence Force to a 5-0 victory over Morvant Caledonia AIA in muddy conditions on matchday ten of the TT Premier Football League on Sunday. The victory kept Defence Force in third place with 21 points, behind leaders AC Port of Spain (27 points) and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers (22 points). Rangers have played two games less than AC POS while Defence Force have played one game less.
At Police Barracks in St James, a miscued shot from Reon Moore was followed up by Kendell Hitlal who blasted in the opening goal in the second minute.
Moore was finding space down the right and darted down the flank before squaring to Sam whose first-time effort was saved by goalie Jadel Poon-Lewis.
There was nothing Poon-Lewis could do in the 11th when a perfectly weighted cross by Justin Sadoo, on the right, found Sam whose side-footed volley bulged the net.
Sadoo's service again reaped dividends as a 36th minute corner saw Sam ghosting in at the near post to head the ball home.
At the half, Morvant Caledonia enjoyed 58 per cent possession but their opponents were more efficient.
Defence Force had a 10-3 advantage on shots, 6-1 advantage on shots on target, and were 6-0 on corners earned.It was more of the same in the second half with Sam earning his hat-trick in the 60th minute. In slippery conditions, a Morvant Caledonia defender was left on his rear by substitute Josiah Superville who squared to Sam in the penalty box to make it 4-0.
Superville and Sadoo connected well down the right in the 83rd, and the former showed determination to get on the end of a through pass and place a low shot past Poon-Lewis for the fifth goal.
In matches on Saturday, La Horquetta Rangers, the only unbeaten team in the league, crushed Point Fortin Civic 4-0 at La Horquetta Grounds.
A long-range screamer by Tyrone Charles got the ball rolling for the hosts in the 26th, and Daniel David made it 2-0 in the 31st.
Second-half goals from Ataulla Guerra (69th) and Isaiah Lee in stoppage time capped a dominant performance.
In the earlier match at the same venue, league leaders AC Port of Spain maintained winning ways with a 3-1 result over W Connection. John-Paul Rochford opened the scoring the in the third minute, but Christian Bailey responded for W Connection in the 18th.
But midfielder Duane Muckette and Jomoul Francois each got on the scoresheet to swing the match in the town boys' favour.
Tiger Tanks Club Sando held on for a 3-2 victory over Central FC at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
Goals by Alvin Jones (27th), Nathaniel James (31st) and Shervohnes Hamilton (63rd) had Club Sando cruising. But Kadeem Corbin pulled one back in the 68th and an own goal from Jones two minutes later set up a nervy finish,
However, Club Sando were not to be denied as they claimed all three points. At the Arima Velodrome, Prisons and Cunupia FC played to a 1-1 draw.
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Trinidad and Tobago Head Coach Angus Eve returned to TTT Limited's studios as an expert analyst on the TTPFL Highlight show 'First Team,' and he shared some interesting information.
https://www.youtube.com/v/b7gp8HH4Zvk
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Trinidad and Tobago Head Coach Angus Eve returned to TTT Limited's studios as an expert analyst on the TTPFL Highlight show 'First Team,' and he shared some interesting information.
https://www.youtube.com/v/b7gp8HH4Zvk
The 18th match date thing?
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Ways to improve Trinidad and Tobago premier league
T&T Newsday
THE EDITOR: The TT Football Premier League is a phenomenal and exciting tournament.
Fixtures get postponed all the time; it’s a non-issue. The teams are exciting, electric and the football is fluid.
After John-Paul Rochford’s worldie at Police Barracks, he surely must start against Guadeloupe in June, God willing. If Levi Garcia isn’t fit by then, Brent Sam isn’t a bad shout for backup.
We are too rich a nation to not have a world-class professional football league.
So far so good, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. Invest in strong portable pavilions – don’t have patrons sitting on plastic chairs and coolers.
Same for the players and the coaching staff. Renovate toilets and facilities on the grounds. Not having a toilet anywhere is a red flag for any customer.
Have fully functioning floodlights, not one light working and the rest flickering.
Maintain the grounds, how about artificial grass, and grow lights? Yes, we are in dry season, but get the ground staff to water the grass – it looks like we are playing football in the desert. Same for maintenance between the goalposts.
Have referees use electronic substitution boards and instal electronic scoreboards at all our stadiums. Have afterparties, together with the existing promotions and half-time shows, and as at the NFL, fans will come. As in the CPL model, take advantage of the party culture.
Let’s try and get our own ball – a Soca Warriors-style ball, for identity and patriotism. It will sell. A bit far-fetched: perhaps we could partner with the NLCB for controlled, legal betting on match days.
Get at least three teams from Tobago– I stand to be corrected, if they aren’t in the second tier already. Encourage inter-island travel and rivalries.
Football is life, but it is also a business, and for it to continue and grow, it must be profitable and self-sustaining.
Fans and patrons are where the focus should be for that support financially and in the stands. Selling out a ground’s capacity once per match day is an excellent start.
TT is a sleeping giant in football. We’ve been living in the "potential" bracket too long now – no more excuses.
The TTFPL social media exposure and marketing strategies aren’t bad at all.
To the TTFA and the NC, keep up the good work.
KENDELL KARAN
Chaguanas
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Angus Eve: Premier League too slow to help Soca Warriors
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday)
Trinidad and Tobago men’s football coach Angus Eve does not believe the ongoing T&T Premier Football League will have a big impact on his team’s performance in the Concacaf Gold Cup campaign.
T&T will compete in the Gold Cup qualifiers, from June 16-20, at DRV PNK Stadium, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, US.
The Soca Warriors face Guadeloupe on June 16 and need a victory to set-up another do-or-die clash vs the winner of the Grenada-Guyana contest on June 20. The winner will advance to Group D of the Gold Cup (June 24-July 16) which includes Canada, Cuba and Guatemala.
In an interview with Newsday on Wednesday, after round ten of the inaugural Premier League, Eve said he has been keenly following the action. However, he does not see the league making his life much easier when Gold Cup qualification begins.
He said, “These guys have not been playing competitively for a while, so you can see the rust in a lot of the guys and you can see that the teams that have been training and have players at the national level – they are at the top.
“It’s very difficult for the guys to get up to speed in such a short space of time. I think in the second phase of the league, which supposed to start in September, you’ll see the guys a bit more up to speed.
“The games are playing a little bit slow, not up to the tempo of international football. It’s no fault of the guys, as I said before. In the longer term it would help the national team but to say it would have a massive impact (now), the answer would be no. A little bit down the road, then yes.”
Eve said he is grateful for the additional coverage of the league, with matches being broadcast live on Sportsmax and on the FIFA+ app.
“I’ve been going to the games and watching some on the FIFA app and some on Sportsmax, because sometimes it’s not possible to be at all the games, because some of the games play at the same time. Me and the rest of the staff have been monitoring the players and the way the league has been going.”
However, he said making determinations while relying on video footage solely is not ideal.
“Be careful how you use YouTube, because it had a coach who went on YouTube and pick a squad, and you know how that turned out....It’s different than seeing it in real but it’s good to look at the tapes and see things, but sometimes the camera doesn’t pick up everything that happens on the field. You might expect a player to be in a particular position when the ball is at a particular position, but you may not see all of that. It has its pros and cons.”
Eve singled out La Horquetta Rangers’ Ataulla Guerra and Tyrone Charles, Tiger Tanks Club Sando’s Nathaniel James and Nicholas Dillon and AC Port of Spain’s John-Paul Rochford and Jameel Neptune for their league performances so far.
He said Defence Force forward Lashawn Roberts has done well off the bench but said coaches need to see him in a bigger role to properly assess his full potential.
The former national captain believes the Premier League has brought excitement back to local football with communities getting involved.
“The idea is taking back the game to the community pitches: Arima Velodrome, Mahaica (Complex). I would love to see Club Sando play in Guaracara (Park) because apparently Skinner Park wasn’t meant for football.
“The community fields pulling a lot of crowd. I know the Diego Martin Complex will come on stream once the cricket season is finished with Merry Boys on May 6.
“I’ve been at games and there is a lot of crowd support.”
Eve believes organisers should stick with the community grounds for the Premier League.
“I am one of those traditionalists who remember you had to work to play at the Hasely Crawford stadium – like Wembley (Stadium in England). You would have to make a final to play at the stadium. We need to get back to that, (use the community grounds) unless it’s a final or a national game.
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A decision sparks debate about respect for match officials.
By Colin Murray (T&T Guardian).
Controversy — That word and sport in Trinidad and Tobago go hand in hand.
I journeyed to the St James Barracks last Sunday to cover the double-header in the Trinidad & Tobago Premier Football League for Sportsmax. The games were between Defence Force versus Caledonia Utd and in the second, Police FC came up against a very young and enthusiastic San Juan Jabloteh.
The first game went according to the form book, and the army boys came away with an easy and comprehensive 5-0 whipping of the inexperienced Caledonia outfit. Police were also expected to ease past the talented Jabloteh team, but they squandered chance after chance and at halftime, the scores were still tied up at 0-0. Based on the first half, I predicted that Police would take control of the game in the second half and walk away with a comfortable victory.
Police eventually got that elusive goal very early in the second half, so I and many others thought they would hold on to win it. However, an inspired substitution by the San Juan boys saw them equalise with 17 minutes to go. But, the real controversy came with 10 minutes left in the game when a long ball was played through to Jabloteh’s striker, Dwight Jordan, who went through on goal, beat the keeper and slotted the ball home. It was a moment where time stood still for everyone except Jordan and referee Cecile Hinds.
Assistant referee Roshan Baliram signalled for an offside offence as, when the ball was played, Jordan was “...nearer to the opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent” according to the Laws of the Game; or as we all know it, offside. Baliram did not move despite referee Hinds seemingly overruling him - such was his confidence in his decision. On seeing the flag, none of the Police defenders tried to get back to put a challenge on Jordan, and referee Hinds never blew her whistle. When I was young, I was taught to play to the whistle, which Police failed to do.
After the goal was scored, referee Hinds went over to chat with him, but, as far as she was concerned, the goal should stand, so the lawmen became incensed. Eventually, when the 90 minutes ended, Police’s technical bench and their supporters were beside themselves with anger. They complained bitterly about Hinds and the number of letters they had written to the powers requesting that she not be allowed to referee any of their games.
Firstly, clubs cannot dictate who should referee or not referee their games but in sports, sometimes a team may feel that a particular referee or umpire is against you or your club. Let me clarify - I empathise with referees and umpires besides Alligator wrestling which must be one of the most challenging jobs in the world. Who in their right mind would want to be a referee?
My youngest son decided he wanted to be a referee, so I quietly informed him to be ready for the abuse from players and all the so-called “knowledgeable” fans that go to games. It seemed to be one of his passions, and I must say, trying my best to be objective, he is an excellent referee. Thankfully, he has migrated, so I don’t have to criticise him while doing commentary but it is a thankless job.
During my football coaching stint at Fatima College and Carib FC, I had several altercations with referees. Fatima was a little different as I felt that as a coach, I had to set an example for the boys, whereas at Carib FC there was this referee in the East Zone of the TTFA who seemed to dislike me and the Carib team and would give us a rough time.
In a champion of champions game, he evicted 2 of my players, and my assistant and I were removed from the dugout. We were still leading 2-1 when 90 minutes came up, the goodly gentleman played eight minutes of overtime, and when the opposition equalised in the 7th minute, he blew off the match. Perhaps, you could then understand why I was written up again. This is because officials need to be able to have a relationship with all teams. Respect must be earned, not commanded or expected.
According to some sources, a Police FC coach went to shake an official’s hand before the game, and one of them walked off. To me, it just does not make sense to have animosity built up before a game as it does not help the situation or the sport overall.
Referees are there to uphold the laws of the game and to ensure that the football match is played according to said laws. However, in doing so, there must be mutual respect. I have been told that some referees are too big for their boots which is unfortunate as they should not be the centre of attention. The best officials get the big calls correct and are not seen or spoken about after a game.
Based on television footage, referee Hinds got it wrong. It can only be assumed that she saw a deflection from a Police player when the long ball was played. Yes, this may be correct that the Police player made a touch but the offside law is quite clear. The action of the Police player was not deliberate as he was too close to the player making the long ball, so the Jabloteh striker - Dwight Jordan - gained an advantage from being in an offside position.
According to IFAB (the determining body of the Laws of the Game), “a ‘deliberate play’ is when a player has control of the ball with the possibility of passing the ball to a team-mate; or gaining possession of the ball; or clearing the ball (e.g. by kicking or heading it). None of these criteria was met for Hinds to have overruled her assistant referee in this situation. On the other hand, I empathise with her as she is at a disadvantage with not having the liberty of television replays aka VAR. As a result of her decision, coupled with her apparent lack of a professional relationship with the Police technical staff, all hell broke loose, and the dissent against the decision was palpable.
Indeed, it was a bitter and tough pill for Police to swallow, but they only have themselves to blame as they should have come away clear winners, having missed many chances. It will not be the last controversy that will crop up in the league.
Still, perhaps the time has come to get the coaches together with the referee’s body to understand one another better and set mutually agreed expectations. What do the coaches expect? What type of relationships do we want to see existing between referees and teams; and, whatever else can come out of it for more harmony and a better relationship between teams and match officials?
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Club Sando up to 2nd in TTPFL
T&T Express Repress.
TIGER TANKS Club Sando outclassed Cunupia FC 4-1 on a rainy Wednesday and have jumped into second spot in the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League’s (TTPFL) top division.
It rained goals at Manny Ramjohn Stadium, where Sando got two goals in each half, including a second-half brace from Nathaniel “Natty” James (77’ & 90+5’), while Sando midfielder Jayson Joseph, probably feeling charitable, contributed an 85th minute own-goal to Cunupia FC’s season tally.
Former national youth striker Nicholas Dillon gave the Cornell Glen-coached Club Sando a 16th minute 1-0 lead, which was doubled a minute into first half, added-on time, by Shervohnez Hamilton.
Tiger Tanks Club Sando now have 23 points with seven victories from 10 matches played, but are still four points adrift of leaders AC Port of Spain, who sit on 27 points from 10 matches.
Unbeaten Terminix La Horquetta Rangers (22 pts) are third, but have still played just eight matches, due to Wednesday’s rescheduled match against Police FC having again been postponed, this time due to unplayable conditions caused by heavy rains. Defence Force (21 pts) are fourth and have an outstanding match still to be played against Rangers.
Results
Club Sando 4 (Nicholas Dillon 16, Shervohnez Hamilton 47, Nathaniel James 77, 95) v Cunupia FC 1 (Jayson Joseph 85 O-G)
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T&T Premier League hit with pre-action writ.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
The new T&T Premier Football League is facing the possibility of a shutdown via the High Court if the T&T Football Association/Normalisation Committee does not respond to pre-action protocol letter by Matthew GW Gayle, Barrister and Attorney-at-Law, who is representing former footballer turn administrator Damian Prescod by May 1.
The renown sports attorney, has issued two pre-action protocol letters before, (August 19 2021 and August 22, 2022) sent what they described as their third and final warning letter before action is taken, to determine the rightful owner of T&T Premier Football League project, as well as compensation.
Prescod played for Malabar football team - Drummers FC back in 1992/93 as a defender before transitioning to football administration where he decided to embark on a project called the ‘Empire of Dreams’ that would be of benefit to the nation as a whole.
He told Guardian Media Sports on April 20, that he dealt specifically with Technical Director of the TTFA Anton Corneal, who gave him the assurance verbally that his project would be implemented and he would be recognised for it.
Matthew GW Gayle in their letter to Corneal and the embattled football association said: “My Client is a company primarily engaged in the creation of a unique Soccer League built on a Public-Private-Partnership Model (‘PPP Model’) to ensure sustainability centred around young athletes and their community in the Caribbean towards a national level.”
“The PPP Model allows for the local communities, businesses, governments and sponsors to get involved during the entire recruitment process and during the season where profits will be split between the company, sponsoring corporate partners, local and national governments and the community through youth rehabilitation programmes. At all material times, you purported to be the Technical Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, (‘TTFA’), a governing corporate body of the sport of football, based in Port-of-Spain Trinidad, established under the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Act. No. 17 of 1982 (‘The Act’) with registered address at TTFA Home of Football, Couva Main Road, Couva, in the Island of Trinidad.”
They added further: “My Client first contacted you in or around June-October 2015, thereafter on a fairly regular basis through a series of detailed discussions about their confidential proposal and provided a detailed plan on the upgrading of the TTFA (‘Empire of Dreams’).
This was presented in confidence and with a disclaimer, ‘that no part of the plan/work should be reproduced or shared with any other party without their express permission’. In or around 2019, 2020, and 2021, my Client spoke with you on several occasions where you gave assurances that you would personally approach the new TTFA members, who would ‘ no doubt get behind such enterprise.”
“ In or around the early half of 2022, my Client, having not received any response, updates or commitment on the Empire of Dreams, they proceeded to launch their own League carded for in and around October 2022. They embarked upon a heavily advertised campaign with the local media over the course of eight (8.) weeks.” “In or around the early part of 2022, within four (4) weeks of that time period of my Client’s media campaign, it was brought to my client’s attention that the TTFA had begun promoting the launch of a new professional league in Trinidad and Tobago.”
“ My Client asserts that most aspects and characteristics of the new League’s proprietary work plan were almost identical to the Empire of Dreams which was adopted and reimagined to suit the League’s project.”
“ My Client further avers that this project was being carried out by you without any dialogue, confirmation nor any intention that you intended to move forward, to reproduce and/or incorporate any part of the Empire of Dreams without express permission.”
“ Since becoming aware of your breach of confidentiality, My Client has attempted on numerous occasions to plead with you to engage open discussions but this has proven futile.”
Robert Hadad, chairman of the normalisation committee said recently that Corneal has had nothing to do formation, structure or start of the T&T Premier League and noted that it was a proposal he received from Giovanni Pavarotti, who was hired by the CONCACAF and the sport’s world governing body.
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AC PoS coach: Midfield battle key to beating La Horquetta Rangers.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
TT Premier Football League leaders AC Port of Spain are aiming to win the midfield battle when they face second-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in a top-of-the-table clash at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar on Sunday.
The match kicks off at 4pm and is anticipated to be a cracking affair.
AC Port of Spain (27 points) have led the 12-team standings for the majority of the season, courtesy nine wins and one loss, but their biggest test comes against an unbeaten Rangers unit (22 points – seven wins, one draw).
The meeting is AC Port of Spain’s final match before the halfway stage while Rangers have played two less matches.
Noreiga said his team must bring their A-game if they intend to walk away with three precious points.
He said, “Things are going well, we can’t complain. We’ve lost only one match for the season. The boys are taking the information and working hard.
“We’ve been solid defensively, taking the chances when we get them up front but most of the times we’re dominating in the midfield – this is the key part of the team. They are gelling well."
Noreiga's squad boasts a wealth of national players, inclusive of midfielders Duane Muckette, John-Paul Rochford and Che Benny (national futsal), goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and defenders Robert Primus and Radanfah Abu Bakr.
Noreiga believes his unit strikes the right balance between its experienced and youth players, but he is well aware that Rangers possess similar talent.
“We know they have quality players and numerous players who can punish us. We’ve been doing the work defensively. We just want to try and win the midfield battles and win on the day. In the end, the team that makes the less amount of errors should be victorious.
“We’ve invested in a lot of experience. And with that experience, they’re helping the youngsters on the team a lot. As a coach, it’s something you would dream about, having a well-balanced team like that,” he added.
Noreiga wants to win the league for several reasons.
The winner qualifies for the Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield, while the top two finishers seal Concacaf Caribbean Cup qualification.
“It’s something that we want to achieve. All the boys want to win it, especially since it’s the first football being played after the pandemic, it would be nice to achieve that.
“Although we have senior players, the boys are humble. But as soon as we hit the football field – we get down to business. We really want to qualify for those Concacaf tourneys as they have much added value for all of us.
“That’s what all the boys are eyeing, to showcase their talent at that level. Besides showcasing it at the league level only, we’ll get a wider audience to look at the players.”
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La Horquetta Rangers coach: Premier League race wide open.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
HEAD coach of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers Dave Quamina believes the TT Premier Football League title race is still wide open with many teams in the hunt to lift the inaugural crown.
Rangers will have their toughest assignment on Sunday when they play leaders AC Port of Spain in matchday 11 at Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima from 4 pm.
Rangers were third in the standings (before Saturday’s match between Tiger Tanks Club Sando and Caledonia) and are the only team without a defeat this season with seven wins and a draw.
The Quamina-led outfit have played one or two matches less than all the other teams after going on a Caribbean pre-season tour which led to Rangers starting their local campaign late.
Quamina said, “I think from first place maybe down to fifth still have an outside chance. This game (against AC) would not decide who wins or loses the title.”
“By us or AC saying (we) will win the title will be a disrespect to Defence Force, Central FC and Club Sando. You can’t be dismissive of those teams because I think these teams have good players and a healthy coaching staff with experience.
"It is early days. It is still the first round…you have to be respectful to the other teams because that is how football is. Football is on the day.”
Quamina said humility was the main reason his players have been delivering quality performances.
“I think the guys never get carried away, they focused on their job. They know exactly what they have to do. We approach games game by game.”
He said the experienced players have been guiding the squad. “Whether it is the bottom team or the top team, we show them the respect they deserve and our team is a humble team with (veterans) Ataulla Guerra, 35, and Tyrone Charles, 34,. They teach the young players a lot (about) respect and how to carry about themselves in situations…the main focus is to be focused.”
Rangers have boosted their squad for Sunday’s match making four transfers.
National striker Kadeem Corbin, former national defender Daneil Cyrus and Jaheem Williams have all made the switch from Central FC to Rangers. Nathaniel Garica has also joined Rangers from Pt Fortin Civic.
Stefan Berkley is the only player Rangers have lost over the past few days moving over to Central FC.
Quamina said Rangers and AC Port of Spain are familiar rivals. “I think it will be a tactical game. I think each team knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses and it should be an exciting game.”
The teams know each other after facing off in the Ascension League last year, Quamina said.
Both Rangers and AC Port of Spain are not shy when it comes to scoring goals as both teams have won matches convincingly. Rangers have a goal difference of +23 and AC Port of Spain have outscored their opponents by 22 goals during the season.
“Both teams would not shy away from how they play,” Quamina said.
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Central FC 3 (Akeem Roach 26, Keron Cummings 72, Ricardo John 88) v Prison Service FC 0
San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Josiah Carter 17) v Defence Force 2 (Justin Garcia 39, 42)
Morvant Caledonia United 0 v Club Sando 1 (Alvin Jones 4)
Point Fortin Civic 2 (Marcus Joseph 19, 93) v Police FC 1 (Jevaughn Thomas 32)
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Yes AC port of spain 2 rangers 1 yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
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I only saw the 2nd half. It was a balanced game with AC having the edge. They used that edge to pip Rangers. The main stands at the stadium had a nice crowd. Good luck to the eventual winners.
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Jaydon Prowell’s last-minute goal gives AC Port of Spain 2-1 win vs Rangers.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
JAYDON Prowell grabbed a stoppage-time winner to secure a 2-1 comeback victory for AC Port of Spain against Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in a top-of-the-table clash of the TT Premier Football League on Sunday at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima.
Rangers started the game briskly by attacking down the flanks with striker Isaiah Lee terrorising AC’s defence. Lee’s pace proved to be too much for his opponents, as he was brought down in the penalty area and referee Nikolia Nyron pointed to the spot.
Former national midfielder Ataulla Guerra made no mistake sending national goalkeeper Marvin Phillip the wrong way for the 1-0 lead in the 17th minute. One minute later utility player Jameel Neptune almost pulled a goal back for the “Town Boys”, but his shot beat goalkeeper Jabari Brice but ricocheted off the goalpost.
However, AC were not to be disappointed when midfielder Che Benny placed an elusive ball from the half-line over the top for Jomoul Francois who ran onto the ball and his shot from an acute angle came off the legs of goalie Brice then rolled into goal in the 28th minute.
Rangers’ midfielder Kaihim Thomas broke away on a counterattack in the 37th minute and was inches away from a goal but a much-needed fingertip save from Phillip kept it level at 1-1.
The pace in the second period slowed as the players on both teams tired and it was difficult to string passes on the rugged outfield. The game was heading to a draw until AC`s coach Walt Noreiga added fresh legs of Sedale Mclean, Prowell and Jean-Heim Mc Fee in the last few minutes giving them the momentum.
Noriega`s roll of the dice paid off because all his substitutes played according to his plans. In the 92nd minute, Mc Fee smartly dribbled away from Rangers central defender Jevon Morris to slip a pass across the goal for an unmarked Jaydon Prowell who calmly slotted it home for the game 2-1 winner that extends their lead at the top of the table.
In the other game at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, W Connection whipped Cunupia FC 3-0. Connection got a double from Marvin Waldrop in the 46th minute and 51st from the penalty spot. Neil Benjamin Jr was the next scorer for the Savonetta Boys in the 76th minute.
Point Fortin`s debutant and national striker Marcus Joseph scored in stoppage time (90+3) to give his team a 2-1 win over Police FC. Joseph`s other goal came in the 19th minute whilst Jevaughn Thomas was the lone scorer for Police in the 32nd.
National defender and Club Sando player Alvin Jones scored in the fourth minute to notch a narrow 1-0 victory over Morvant Caledonia United.
RELATED NEWS
Rangers seek revenge against AC Port of Spain.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsdaqy).
FOURTH-PLACED Terminix La Horquetta Rangers will be aiming for revenge against leaders AC Port of Spain in matchday 12 of the TT Premier Football League on Wednesday.
The teams will meet at the La Horquetta Recreation Grounds from 7.15 pm in the second match of a double header. In the first match, third-placed Defence Force will play last-placed San Juan Jabloteh at 5 pm.
Rangers and AC Port of Spain met on Sunday at Larry Gomes Stadium with the latter emerging with a narrow 2-1 win. Substitute Jaydon Prowell gave AC Port of Spain the win in stoppage time.
AC Port of Spain lead the standings with 30 points and Rangers are fourth with 22 points, but have played two matches less.
A full schedule of matches will take place on Wednesday including a double header at Arima Velodrome.
Fixters
La Horquetta Recreation Ground
Defence Force vs San Juan Jabloteh, 5 pm; AC Port of Spain vs Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, 7.15 pm
Arima Velodrome
W Connection vs Cunupia FC, 5 pm; Prisons Service FC vs Central FC, 7.15 pm
Manny Ramjohn Stadium
Tiger Tanks Club Sando vs Caledonia, 4 pm
Police Barracks
Police vs Pt Fortin Civic, 6 pm
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Boss Game ... LHR 3 - ACPOS 2
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Yesterday Results
Defence Force 2 (Brent Sam 50, Jameel Cooper 66) vs San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Kevon Woodly 35, 48)
AC Port of Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 41, Che Benny 42) vs La Horquetta Rangers 3 (Isaiah Raymond 1, 11, Kaihim Thomas 32)
W Connection 1 (Craig Wilson 73) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Romario Williams 75)
Prisons Service FC 0 vs Central FC 3 (Ricardo John 17, Willis Plaza 28, 66)
Club Sando FC 3 (Nathaniel James 27, 60, 92) vs Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Phillip Tinto 94)
Police FC 1 (Jabari Mitchell 31) vs Point Fortin Civic 1 (Luke Phillips 56)
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Eve: No issue with Premier League.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
ANGUS EVE reiterates that he is a local coach and wants to point out that he has no issue either with local coaches or the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL).
“I am one of them. I see myself representing them,” stated the T&T men’s national team head coach, yesterday. He added that given adequate resources, locally-based coaches could fit in anywhere. To support his case, he mentioned Jamal Shabazz, Stern John and Wayne Sheppard, who have all recently coached or are still coaching abroad.
“We have had a lot of foreign coaches here,” stated Eve. “And they were not as successful as some of the local coaches such as coach Bertille St Clair, Gally Cummings and Kenny Joseph and these guys who have done tremendous work for Trinidad and Tobago football, Mohammed Issa.”
Although not locally-based, Trinidadian Stephen Hart led T&T to successive CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finals in 2013 and 2015.
“I think local coaches do a fantastic job here, with minimum of resources and continue to develop players like Kevin Molino,” he said. “Kevin Molino and Joevin Jones did not leave here when they were five years old, they were twenty-something years old; each one of them.”
Eve added:“We have to respect the guys (local coaches) and I respect the guys one hundred per cent,” added Eve. The T&T coach also expressed his happiness that local players are actually actively playing football. Eve felt locally-based T&T players are better off now than in 2021 when there were no active local leagues due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But Eve maintained that having just started, the Premier League is not yet at the level of intensity which will fully prepare his players for international competition.
“I have said the league (TTPFL) will not help us in the short term. It will help us in the long term,” Eve stated. “It will take a time for them to build up to that international pace.” He added: “When you talk to Justin Garcia and Justin Sadoo, they will tell you that the games we (Soca Warriors) played in Jamaica were high intensity. The game against Bahamas was high intensity.”
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Boss Game ... LHR 3 - ACPOS 2
Trini_2026, yes it was. Rangers jump on them early, but was hanging in there by a thread against a 10 man ACPoS. Nice end to end game.
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We have a BIAS coach.
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Rangers, Central FC stay in hunt for Concacaf spots.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).l
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, and Central FC both secured contrasting wins in the T&T Premier Football League on Wednesday night to stay in the hunt to secure a top-three position by May 28 deadline given to the T&T Football Association by CONCACAF for qualification to the two revamped confederation club competitions, namely the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, and the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.
The two competitions are part of CONCACAF’s new club ecosystem announced in September 2021 and will serve as qualifiers for Confederation-wide competitions.
And on Wednesday night, with Tiger Tanks Club Sando securing a comfortable 3-1 win over Morvant Caledonia AIA earlier in the day led by a hat-trick from Nathaniel James to close the gap on leaders AC Port-of-Spain to one point, the pressure was on the other clubs around them on the table to pick up full points in their matches.
At the Phase II La Horquetta Recreation Ground, La Horquetta, the host Rangers were eager to exact revenge on AC PoS following their 2-1 last-minute loss to their rivals on Sunday last at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
And the spectators barely had time to settle into their seats when Rangers went ahead inside 49 seconds courtesy of a one-time volley from Isaiah Raymond on the near post past two defenders and a stunned goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, off a corner by Kaihim Thomas.
Ten minutes it was Raymond again, this time firing home through a crowd of players after AC PoS failed to deal with a threatening move by Rangers.
The game then looked over for the visiting league leaders AC PoS in the 32nd minute when
Thomas, the architect of Rangers’ opener extended his team’s lead to 3-0, firing past Phillip low to his right from about 25-yards out, after being put through by fellow former national Under-20 teammate Real Gill, who was making his return to the starting line-up after an injury lay-off.
However, four minutes before the half-time interval, AC PoS was provided with a lifeline by captain Duane Muckette as he guided a right-footed shot into the top left-hand corner of the net past the hapless dive of goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire, off an assist from fellow T&T international teammate John-Paul Rochford, at the edge of the 18-yard box.
AC PoS then had a chance to narrow the gap even further in the 65th minute when St Hillaire was whistled for a foul on striker Jomoul Francois by referee Kwinsi Williams, however, the Rangers custodian redeemed himself by keeping out Muckette’s weak attempt low to his right.
It went from bad to worse for AC PoS six minutes later as Francois, to earn his team another penalty, threw himself to the ground under a challenge from Daniel David, and was shown a second yellow card for simulation to leave his team to fight the rest of the way with ten men.
But as has happened so often in matches, the ten men of AC PoS dug deep and were rewarded with another goalscoring chance, from the penalty spot after midfielder Che Benny was hacked down in the 18-yard by David, and this time Benny stepped up and rifled home a left-footed effort off the hands of St Hilliare into the net to reduce the deficit to 2-3.
AC PoS then had another chance to snatch an unlikely share of the points, but Jaydon Prowell, the scorer of the late goal to earn his team the win on Sunday last, saw his effort thwarted by an alert St Hillaire as the host held on for the win to climb to 25 points from ten matches, in the third spot, level with Defence Force, and five adrift of AC PoS with two matches in hand.
Up at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, former India-based T&T striker Willis Plaza scored in the 28th, and 66th minutes after Ricardo John’s 17th-minute opener for Central FC in a 3-0 thumping of Prisons Service to cement their hold on fifth spot with 22 points
Earlier on Wednesday, at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, former national Under-20 striker Nathaniel James marked his return from a one-match suspension with a hat trick to fire Tiger Tanks Club Sando to a 3-1 thumping of Morvant Caledonia AIA to push their tally 29 points, one behind AC PoS.
The son of former Queen’s Royal College stand-out Mark James, Nathaniel didn’t disappoint as he netted in the 27th minute, 60th and 90+2 for a 3-0 cushion before Phillip Tinto got a consolation item for Morvant Caledonia.
In the opening match at La Horquetta, Defence Force needed goals from Brent Sam five minutes into time added-on at the end of the first half, and Jameel Cooper in the 67th to come from behind twice and earn a share of the points with lowly San Juan Jabloteh, which led twice through strikes from former national ‘Beach Soccer’ stand-out, Kevon ‘Showtime” Woodley, first in the 35th, and then 2-1 in the 49th minute, in his first start for his new club.
In the opening match at Arima, W Connection and Cunupia FC drew 1-1 while Police FC was also held to a 1-1 draw by visitors Point Fortin Civic at the St James Police Training Barracks, Ground, St James
T&T was last represented at the Caribbean club competition in 2018 by former regional powerhouses, and both former winners, W Connection (2006, 2009) and Central FC (2015 & 2016).
This was because North East Stars, the 2017 T&T Pro League champions (now known as AC Port-of-Spain), and W Connection, the 2017 T&T Pro League runners-up, were not allowed to compete in the 2019 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship through no real fault of theirs, as TTFA did not properly execute its club licensing programme.
Yesterday Results
Defence Force 2 (Brent Sam 50, Jameel Cooper 66) vs San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Kevon Woodly 35, 48)
AC Port of Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 41, Che Benny 42) vs La Horquetta Rangers 3 (Isaiah Raymond 1, 11, Kaihim Thomas 32)
W Connection 1 (Craig Wilson 73) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Romario Williams 75)
Prisons Service FC 0 vs Central FC 3 (Ricardo John 17, Willis Plaza 28, 66)
Club Sando FC 3 (Nathaniel James 27, 60, 92) vs Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Phillip Tinto 94)
Police FC 1 (Jabari Mitchell 31) vs Point Fortin Civic 1 (Luke Phillips 56)
RELATED NEWS
Bateau rues slow start, Rangers beat leaders AC PoS.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
ANOTHER THRILLER
TERMINIX La Horquetta Rangers showed their intention from kick-off and never looked back during Wednesday night’s sequel against Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football leaders AC Port of Spain who had beaten them just four days earlier.
It was all a far cry from Sunday when a few miles away at the Larry Gomes Stadium, AC Port of Spain won 2-1, with a late Jaden Prowell goal handing Rangers a first loss of the season. On Wednesday night, Rangers were all business and leading by three first half goals before AC Port of Spain rallied and just fell short at 3-2. Both parties agreed afterwards that the match was a great endorsement for the TT Premier League.
“Credit to Rangers, very good game. They did the job in the first half,” stated Gilbert Bateau, AC Port of Spain’s assistant coach.
However, Bateau felt the Port of Spain-based “Capital Boyz” had done enough to leave La Horquetta with a point.
“AC Port of Spain arrived late. Nevertheless, it was another thriller,” Bateau stated.
Despite evidence to the contrary, coy Rangers owner Richard Ferguson maintained that AC Port of Spain outplayed his team, “over the entire 90 minutes”.
“We managed to save one penalty and we were a bit lucky,” Ferguson said. “They are the best team in the tournament, I feel.”
Playing at home before a big crowd, Rangers were all business in the first half and displayed none of the aversion to goal shown by Defence Force in the opening match of the double-header. Real Gill and Kaihim Thomas terrorised, as AC Port of Spain struggled to match the early intensity. But it was unheralded Man-of-the-Match Isaiah Raymond, who broke through early and spectacularly.
With just 49 seconds on the clock, Raymond flicked Thomas’ corner-kick in at the near post and Rangers were ahead 1-0. Raymond added a second ten minutes later to double up the score and Thomas then put a low shot deep into the corner of goalie Marvin Phillip’s net for 3-0.
The Capital Boyz began to fight back when captain Duane Muckette swept the ball high past Rangers goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire for 3-1, giving the league leaders some hope going into the half-time break. They got even closer when Che Benny converted an 82nd minute penalty, leaving the home team hanging on at the end. Had Muckette not missed a 66th minute penalty, AC Port of Spain would have been level. But Rangers goalkeeper St Hillaire read the spot kick perfectly, having himself committed the infringement by fouling slippery winger Jamoul Francois, who had escaped the poor defensive work of centre-back Leslie Russell.
Earlier on the night, Defence Force wasted a tonne of chances when drawing 2-2 with a San Juan Jabloteh side they had beaten 2-1 on Saturday.
Strengthened by the addition of 36-year-old veteran striker Kevon “Showtime” Woodley and national youth midfielder Jaheim Faustin to the squad via the transfer window, Jabloteh were dangerous. Woodley lived up to his “Showtime” alias by scoring twice, as Jabloteh led both times.
For Defence Force, national winger Reon Moore was penetrative until reaching the goal, and striker Brent Sam was doing his very, very best to convince national coach Angus Eve to keep him out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup squad, by missing easy chances. However, the lanky striker eventually headed home a corner to pull the “Army” level just before the first half ended. In the second half, Woodley shot low and found the far corner to put Jabloteh up 2-1 and Defence Force got level again through Jameel Cooper.
Other matches saw Tiger Tanks Club Sando moving into second with a 3-1 win over slumping Morvant Caledonia United. They got a hat-trick from Nathaniel “Natty” James, the national youth striker. Veteran former national striker Willis Plaza also got a brace as Central FC shut out bottom-placed Prisons FC 3-0.
TTPFL RESULTS:
• Terminix La Horquetta Rangers 3 (Isaiah Raymond 1st, 11th, Kaihim Thomas 32nd) AC Port of Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 41st, Che Benny pen 82nd)
• Club Sando FC 3 (Nathaniel James 27th, 60th, 92nd) Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Phillip Tinto 94th)
• Defence Force 2 (Brent Sam 50th, Jameel Cooper 66th) San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Kevon Woodly 35th, 48)
• Central FC 3 (Ricardo John 17th, Willis Plaza 28th, 66th) Prisons Service FC 0
• W Connection 1 (Craig Wilson 73rd) Cunupia FC 1 (Romario Williams 75th)
• Police FC 1 (Jabari Mitchell 31st) Point Fortin Civic 1 (Luke Phillips 56th)
TTPFL STANDINGS
Team P W D L GF GA GD PTS
1. AC Port of Spain 12 10 0 2 32 9 +23 30
2. Club Sando 12 9 2 1 25 12 +13 29
3. La Horquetta Rangers 10 8 1 1 35 13 +22 25
4. Defence Force 11 8 1 2 25 9 +16 25
5. Central FC 12 7 1 4 25 15 +10 22
6. W Connection 12 4 2 6 12 16 -4 14
7. Police 11 4 1 6 16 20 -4 13
8. Point Fortin 12 3 2 7 9 15 -6 11
9. San Juan Jabloteh 12 2 2 8 12 25 -13 8
10. M Caledonia Utd 12 2 2 8 10 26 -16 8
11. Cunupia 12 2 2 8 8 25 -17 8
12. Prison Service 12 2 2 8 6 30 -24 8
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Police put Jabloteh under manners.
T&T Express Reports.
Police FC defeated San Juan Jabloteh 5-2 in their Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League match at La Horquetta Recreation Ground, yesterday.
Police opened the scoring in the tenth minute through Kadeem Hutchinson. They doubled their advantage three minutes later courtesy Rakim Cable before an own goal from Cable in the 21st saw San Juan back in the game at 2-1.
But Police scored two more goals before the half-time whistle with Kareem Freitas scoring in the 32nd minute and Gabriel Nanton netting three minutes later as they took a 4-1 lead.
However, Jabloteh pulled one back right before the break, through Jercole Pierre’s 42nd minute strike as they went into half-time trailing 4-2.
But Police put the result beyond doubt with 15 minutes to go with Joel Lewis getting onto the scoresheet.
The second game of the La Horquetta double-header featured a clash between Central FC and Tiger Tanks Club Sando which ended after press time last night. Point Fortin Civic was also in action after press time yesterday, facing Terminix La Horquetta Rangers at Mahaica Oval, Point Fortin.
Scores:
San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Rakim Cable 21 O-G, Jercole Pierre 42) vs Police FC (Kadeem Hutchinson 10, Rakim Cable 13, Kareem Freitas 32, Gabriel Nanton 35, Joel Lewis 75)
Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Joshua Alexander 93) vs Defence Force 3 (Dwight Quintero 25, 29, Hashim Arcia 95)
AC PoS 3 (John-Paul Rochford 36, 73, Duane Mackette 68) vs W Connection 0
Cunupia FC 0 vs Prison Service 2 (Josiah Joseph 4, Akieem Bailey 17)
Central FC 1 (Ricardo John 78) vs Club Sando FC 5 (Nathaniel James 9, 57, Alvin Jones 31, Nicholas Dillon 34, Ezekiel Kesar 92)
La Horquetta Rangers 1 (Daniel David) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
RELATED NEWS
Nathaniel James fires Club Sando past Central FC.
By Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday).
Tiger Tanks Club Sando thumped Central FC 5-1 at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground on Sunday to keep pace in the race for the TT Premier Football League title.
A double by Nathaniel James was enough to keep Club Sando second in the standings, one point behind league leaders AC Port of Spain.
Nathaniel James fired Club Sando in front in the ninth minute, and Alvin Jones doubled the advantage in the 31st. Nicholas Dillon made it 3-0 with a strike in the 34th as Club Sando took full control of the game.
On the other side of the interval, James added a second in the 57th. Central FC got a consolation item in the 78th, but their misery was not over. Ezekiel Kesar netted a fifth in injury time.
At the same venue, Police drubbed San Juan Jabloteh 5-2. Goals by Kadeem Hutchinson (10th), Rakim Cablie (13th), Kareeem Freitas (31st), Gabriel Nanton (35th) and Joel Lewis (75th) put Police in the driver's seat. Jercole Pierre (43rd) and an own-goal got Jabloteh on the scoresheet.
At Mahaica Oval in Point Fortin, a 72nd-minute goal from Daniel David spoiled the evening for the home fans as Terminix La Horquetta Rangers beat Point Fortin Civic 1-0. The result kept Rangers in third place, five points behind AC Port of Spain but with two games in hand.
At the Police Barracks in James on Saturday, AC Port of Spain whipped W Connection 3-0 courtesy a brace from midfielder John-Paul Rochford and another from captain Duane Muckette.
At the Arima Velodrome, Prisons FC defeated Cunupia FC 2-0 with goals from Josiah Joseph and Akiem Bibby-Bailey.
At the same venue, Defence Force got past Morvant Caledonia 3-0 with Dwight Quintero's first-half brace proving the difference. Joshua Alexander pulled one back in injury time but Hashim Arcia ensured there was no comeback as he added a third in the 95th.
Premier League standings
Teams*GP*W*L*D*GD*Pts
AC Port of Spain*13*11*2*0*26*33
Club Sando*13*10*1*2*17*32
Rangers*11*9*1*1*23*28
Defence Force*12*9*2*1*18*28
Central FC*13*7*5*1*6*22
Police*12*5*6*1*-1*16
W Connection*13*4*7*2*-7*14
Point Fortin Civic*13*3*8*2*-22*11
Jabloteh*13*2*9*2*-16*8
Caledonia*13*2*9*2*-18*8
Cunupia FC*13*2*9*2*-19*8
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Nathaniel James comming into form ....
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Hood sacked as Police FC coach.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Police coach Richard Hood appeared to have been the sacrificial lamb in a political battle for power in the football department of the T&T Police Service Sports Club, which is responsible for all sports played by the police service.
Hood, a Sergeant in the T&T Police Service was fired soon after a new executive, led by Inspector Andrew Boodoo, took over as chairman. It happened following an Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 29.
Boodoo replaced the previous chairman Chris Dailey.
Hood, who led the country’s Under-20 Women’s team to the quarterfinal of the CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship in the Dominican Republic in 2020, told Guardian Media Sports yesterday that he rejected an offer to be removed as head coach and take up the position of Technical Director, so he paid the ultimate price. He hinted at a wider plan behind the election of Boodoo but did not want to get involved in the politics, he said. Hood, a former national women’s coach, was replaced by Wendell Joseph as interim head coach, with Devon Bristol as his assistant.
He said he played no part in the Police’s last two matches against Point Fortin Civic FC at the Police Barracks more than a week ago, which ended in a 1-1 tie, courtesy of a controversial late goal by the southerners, that caused Hood to write to the T&T Football Association/Normalisation Committee to request that referee Cecile Hinds not do any of their matches again.
Hood, a former player also missed last weekend’s 5-3 victory over San Juan Jabloteh at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground in Phase II, La Horquetta.
Police will return to the Barracks this evening at 6 pm to face Morvant Caledonia AIA.
The Lawmen are in sixth position on the 12-team standings with 16 points from 12 matches.
“I told them I was not going to give up the coaching job to be technical director, that is crazy, so they decided they wanted to fire me. They wanted to fire me a long time now,” Hood said.
Hood was the only one on his staff to have been fired, however, the other members- manager Geddes Foncette, goalkeeping coach Glennon Foncette and the women’s team coach Chris Bailey, all called it quits when he was sacked.
Guardian Media Sports reached out to Boodoo for the appointment of Joseph as interim coach, but the former said he was on his way to a meeting and would call back soon after. Joseph was also contacted for a comment yesterday, but after he asked Guardian Media Sports to call him back in a few minutes, his phone went straight to voicemail when further calls to his phone were made.
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AC PoS, Club Sando maintain top spots in T&TPFL.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
AC Port-of-Spain, Tiger Tanks Club Sando, and Defence Force were among the early winners on Match Day 14 as the race among the top five clubs on the table for the inaugural T&T Premier Football League title picks up pace on Wednesday. The teams are also vying to secure a top-three position that would secure qualification to the CONCACAF club revamped confederation club competitions by May 28.
In the day's early kick-off, national Under-20 striker Nathaniel James netted his sixth goal in his last three games since his return to the starting line-up, and 11th overall this season, when he scored in the 12th minute to earn Tiger Tanks Club Sando 1-0 win over Cunupia FC at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella.
With the win, its 11th in 14 matches, the Cornell Glen-coached Club Sando briefly moved to the top of the 12-club standings with 35 points, however, the southern-based club's stay at the top was short-lived as the Walt Noreiga-coached AC Port-of-Spain regained the lead with 36 points less than one hour later with a comfortable 2-0 defeat of Point Fortin Civic in the opening match of a doubleheader at the Phase II La Horquetta Recreation Ground, La Horquetta.
There were early chances for teams, with Jean-Heim Mc Fee, John-Paul Rochford, and Jameel Neptune coming close while Tyrell Emmanuel, Kyron Williams, and Hughton Hector all had openings for Point Fortin but after the first 30 minutes, the score remained goalless.
The deadlock was eventually broken when Che Benny teed up national midfielder Duane Muckette for a right-footed curling effort that beat a full stretch dive of goalkeeper Akini Adams for a 35th 1-0, and his second goal in as many matches.
With 20 minutes to go in the contest, Benny was again the provider for AC PoS to make it 2-0 on the night, working a couple of one-two passes with Jameel Neptune before the latter's left-footed effort beat Adams on his left side, and into the net off the far post.
A minute later former Point Fortin Civic goalkeeper denied Emmanuel's close-range attempt with a reflex save from less than ten yards out to preserve his team's 2-0 lead while at the other end, Adams did well to keep out a left-footed breakaway effort from Rochford, but in the end, the league leaders came away with the full points.
Speaking after the match, Benny who was named as the Man-of-the-Match said he was pleased with his performance which helped his team get the three points.
Benny added, "I think we had a good game and created a lot of chances, but we also did not take a lot of those chances ad we just have to go back to the drawing board and do much better next time."
In the first match of a doubleheader at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Defence Force got a goal each from Dwight Quintero, and Justin Garcia as well as an own goal from Brandon Reyes to record a 3-0 win against Central FC to move ahead of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers with 31 points, and a match in hand on the top two clubs while denting their opponents top three hopes as well.
Last night in the three late matches, Rangers with 28 points from 11 matches faced off with San Juan Jabloteh in the second match at La Horquetta while Police faced Morvant Caledonia AIA and W Connection came up against Prions Service FC.
This year marks a return to CONCACAF Club competitions for T&T clubs since 2018 when former regional powerhouses, and both former Caribbean Football Union Club Championship winners, W Connection (2006, 2009) and Central FC (2015 & 2016), participated.
This was because North East Stars, the 2017 T&T Pro League champions (now known as AC Port-of-Spain), and W Connection, the 2017 T&T Pro League runners-up, were not allowed to compete in the 2019 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship through no real fault of theirs, as TTFA did not properly execute its club licensing programme.
Yesterday's T&T Premier Football League's Results:
Defence Force 3 (Dwight Quintero 11th, Brandon Reyes 75 O-G, Justin Garcia 87-Pen) vs Central FC 0
AC Port-of-Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 35th, Jameel Neptune 70th) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
Club Sando 1 (Nathaniel James 12th) vs Cunupia FC 0
La Horquetta Rangers 1 (Kadeem Corbin 58th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 0
W Connection 2 (Akiel Vesprey 28th, Craig Wilson 74th) vs Prison Service 0
Police FC 4 (Joel Lewis 11th, Jabari Mitchell 68th, 96th, Tyrese Bailey 78th) vs Morvant Caledonia United 2 (Tyrice Dennis 13th, Mamade Guerra 18th)
Latest Standings
Place Team P W D L F A Pts
1 AC PoS 14 12 0 2 37 9 36
2 Club Sando FC 14 11 2 1 31 13 35
3 Defence Force 13 10 1 2 31 10 31
4 L.H Rangers 11 9 1 1 36 13 28
5 Central FC 14 7 1 6 26 23 22
6 Police FC 12 5 1 6 21 22 16
7 W Connection 13 4 2 7 12 19 14
8 Point Fortin Civic 14 3 2 9 9 18 11
9 Prisons Service FC 13 3 2 8 8 30 11
10 Jabloteh 13 2 2 8 14 30 8
11 Morvant Caledonia 13 2 2 9 11 29 8
12 Cunupia FC 14 2 2 10 8 28 8
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Mc Lean brace extends AC PoS lead, Rangers humbled.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Sedale Mc Lean scored a goal in each half to lead AC Port-of-Spain to a 3-1 triumph over San Juan Jabloteh in their T&T Premier Football League at the Ato Boldon Recreation Ground, Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan on Saturday.
Mc Lean opened the scoring in the 29th minute for AC PoS to hold a slender lead at the end of the first half, and two minutes after the restart Maurice Ford doubled the margin to 2-0.
Jabloteh managed to pull a goal back on the hour mark through Jercole Pierre, but any chances of clawing its way back into the contest soon faded with Mc Lean getting a second item to push the score to 3-1 after which his team played out the remainder of the contest to secure a 13th win from 15 matches and pushed its points tally to 39 four ahead of Tiger Tanks Club Sando who play today.
At the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, Guyana's Tyrice Dennis proved a menace for Morvant Caledonia AIA as his double strike and another from Malachi Celestine earned his team a shock 3-2 win over title-chasing La Horquetta Terminx Rangers.
Dennis fired Morvant Caledonia into the lead in the 36th minute for his second goal in as many matches after also scoring against Police in a 4-2 loss in mid-week, which they took into the half-time interval.
Within five minutes of the restart Rangers, chances of a comeback were boosted when Morvant Caledonia AIA's Shade Louis was shown a second yard to leave his team to fight the rest of the way with ten, and in the 54th minute, Rangers who are also seeking a top three positioning by the May 28 deadline given by CONCACAF to the T&T Football Association to select its three club tournament representatives for the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, and the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup managed to draw level via Kadeem Corbin.
However, their joy was short-lived though as Dennis netted his second within four minutes to restore Morvant Caledonia's lead at 2-1 while Celestine then extended Morvant Caledonia's advantage to 3-1 in the 80th.
But with under six minutes left in the match, Rangers got a second item thanks to Tyrone Charles to reduce the deficit to 3-2 to set up an exciting finish, however, Morvant Caledonia held on for the shock win.
Last night, in the second match, Defence Force had a chance to pull ahead of Rangers in the battle for the third spot when they came up against Cunupia FC while W Connection and Point Fortin Civic met at the Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin.
The clash between Police and Central FC was rescheduled to Tuesday from 7 pm as a part of a doubleheader which will also see the Defence Force tackle Rangers from 5 pm at the St James Police Barracks Training Ground, St James.
One match is carded for today with Tiger Tanks Club Sando entertaining Prisons Service FC at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 4 pm.
This year marks a return to CONCACAF Club competitions for T&T clubs since 2018 when former regional powerhouses, and both former Caribbean Football Union Club Championship winners, W Connection (2006, 2009) and Central FC (2015 & 2016), participated.
This was because North East Stars, the 2017 T&T Pro League champions (now known as AC Port-of-Spain), and W Connection, the 2017 T&T Pro League runners-up, were not allowed to compete in the 2019 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship through no real fault of theirs, as TTFA did not properly execute its club licensing program.
Yesterday's Results
AC Port-of-Spain 3 (Sedale McLean 29th, 73rd, Maurice Ford 47th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Jercole Pierre 60th)
Morvant Caledonia AIA 3 (Tyrice Dennis 36th, 59th, Malachi Celestine 80th) vs La Horquetta Rangers 2 (Kadeem Corbin 54th, Tyrone Charles 84th)
Cunupia FC 0 vs Defence Force 2 (Jameel Cooper 39th, Reon Moore 68)
W Connection 0 vs Point Fortin Civic 0
Latest Team standings
Place Team P W D L F A Pts
1 AC PoS 15 13 0 2 40 10 39
2 Club Sando FC 14 11 2 1 31 13 35
3 L.H Rangers 13 10 1 2 39 16 31
4 Defence Force 13 10 1 2 31 10 31
5 Central FC 14 7 1 6 26 23 22
6 Police FC 13 6 1 6 25 24 19
7 W Connection 14 5 2 7 14 19 17
8 Pt Fortin Civic 14 3 2 9 9 18 11
9 Morvant Caledonia 15 3 2 10 16 35 11
10 Prisons Service FC 14 3 2 9 8 32 11
11 Jabloteh 15 2 2 10 15 34 8
12 Cunupia FC 14 2 2 10 8 28 8
RELATED NEWS
Ten-man Caledonia upset Rangers in Trinidad and Tobago Premier League.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
TITLE contenders Terminix La Horquetta Rangers were stunned 3-2 by the struggling Morvant Caledonia on matchday 15 of the TT Premier Football League at Arima Velodrome on Saturday.
Caledonia were huge underdogs in the match with only two wins from 14 games, and their task was made even more difficult when they were reduced to ten men.
Against all odds, Caledonia took the lead in the 36th minute through Tyrice Dennis and they maintained the advantage at the break.
It was a high-scoring second half with four goals being scored. National striker Kadeem Corbin equalised for Rangers in the 54th minute, before Dennis netted again in the 59th to give Caledonia a 2-1 lead.
Malachi Celestine then gave Caledonia a shock two-goal cushion in the 80th minute.
Rangers kept the match interesting as Tyrone Charles found the back of the net in the 84th, but Caledonia held on for full points.
Rangers, who were third heading into the matchday, are now eight points behind leaders AC Port of Spain. However, Rangers have played two matches less than AC Port of Spain.
Before Saturday’s match, Caledonia were 11th in the 12-team standings and have now moved into ninth position.
AC Port of Spain continued their winning ways with a 3-1 victory over struggling San Juan Jabloteh at the Ato Boldon Recreation Ground in Santa Cruz.
Sedale McLean opened the scoring for AC Port of Spain in the 29th minute, a lead they held until half-time.
Two minutes into the second half, Maurice Ford made it 2-0 for AC Port of Spain.
In the 60th minute, Jercole Pierre pulled a goal back for Jabloteh, but McLean secured the win for AC Port of Spain with another goal in the 73rd minute.
AC Port of Spain now have 39 points with 13 wins and two losses.
Matches finished after press time on Saturday. Pt Fortin Civic played W Connection at Mahaica Oval in Pt Fortin and Cunupia FC played Defence Foce at Arima Velodrome.
In the only match on Sunday, Tiger Tanks Club Sando will face Prison Service FC at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella at 4 pm.
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James leads Club Sando past Prisons.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
In-form national youth striker Nathaniel James upped his season tally to 13 goals when he netted a double to lead Tiger Tanks Club Sando to a comfortable 3-0 win over Prisons Service in their T&T Premier Football League at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella on Sunday.
In addition to James, national utility player, Alvin Jones was also on target for the Cornell Glen-coached Club Sando to improve to 38 points from 15 matches, one behind leaders AC Port-of-Spain as they boosted their claim for a top three positioning by the May 28 deadline given by CONCACAF to the T&T Football Association to select its three tournament representatives for the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield and the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.
Jones opened the scoring in the tenth minute before James added a late first-half double, in the 38th minute from the penalty spot and two minutes for a 3-0 half-time cushion.
In the second half, Club Sando continued to dominate but failed to add to their tally, and in the end, had to settle for the 3-0 win.
On Saturday, Sedale Mc Lean scored a goal in each half to lead AC Port-of-Spain to a 3-1 win over San Juan Jabloteh at the Ato Boldon Recreation Ground, Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan, to secure a 13th win from 15 matches and pushed its points tally to 39.
At the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, Guyana's Tyrice Dennis proved a menace for Morvant Caledonia AIA as his double strike and another from Malachi Celestine earned his team a shock 3-2 win over title-chasing La Horquetta Terminx Rangers.
In the second match at Arima, Defence Force got goals from Jameel Cooper in the 39th, and Reon Moore in the 68th to beat Cunupia FC 2-0 to move ahead of Rangers in the battle for the third spot with 34 points W Connection and Point Fortin Civic drew goalless at the Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin.
Tomorrow's programme would see Defence Force and Rangers clashed in a rescheduled match at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, from 4 pm with implications of a Concacaf spot at stake while Police FC host Central FC at the St James Police Training Barracks Ground, St James, from 5 pm.
Yesterday's Result
Club Sando 3 (Nathaniel James 38th pen, 40th, Alvin Jones 10th) vs Prisons Services 0
Saturday's Results
Defence Force 2 (Jameel Cooper 39th, Reon Moore 68th) vs Cunupia FC 0
Point Fortin Civic 0 vs W Connection 0
AC Port-of-Spain 3 Sedale Mc lean 29th, 73rd, Maurice Ford 47th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 1 (Jercole Pierre 60th)
Morvant Caledonia AIA 3 (Tyrice Dennis 36th, 59th, Malachi Celestine 80th) vs La Horquetta Rangers 2 (Kadeem Corbin 54th, Tyrone Charles 84th)
Latest Team standings
Place Team P W D L F A Pts
1 AC PoS 15 13 0 2 40 10 39
2 Club Sando FC 15 12 2 1 34 13 38
3 Defence Force 14 11 1 2 33 10 34
4 L.H Rangers 13 10 1 2 39 16 31
5 Central FC 14 7 1 6 26 23 22
6 Police FC 13 6 1 6 25 24 19
7 W Connection 15 5 3 7 14 19 18
8 Point Fortin Civic 15 3 3 9 9 18 12
9 Morvant Caledonia 15 3 2 10 16 35 11
10 Prisons Service FC 15 3 2 10 8 35 11
11 Jabloteh 15 2 2 11 15 34 8
12 Cunupia FC 15 2 2 11 8 30 8
Tomorrow's matches
Defence Force vs L.H Rangers @ Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 4 pm
Police FC vs Central FC at St James Police Training Barracks Ground, St James, 5 pm
RELATED NEWS
Club Sando stay in the hunt, beat Prison FC 3-0.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
CLUB Sando FC remain in the hunt for a first-ever TT Premier Football League title as they secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Prison Service FC at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella on Sunday.
T&T senior player Alvin Jones opened the scoring for Club Sando in the tenth minute to give the home team an early advantage.
Striker Nathaniel James then successfully converted a penalty in the 38th minute to send the home team 2-0 up. But two minutes later, James struck again to extend the lead.
Despite Club Sando’s extensive search for another goal in the second half, and an array of unsuccessful attempts from Prison Service to get on the scoresheet, the match ended 3-0.
The win for Club Sando keeps them in keen title contention in second place, with 38 points, trailing league leaders AC Port of Spain (39 pts). Both have played 15 matches.
On Saturday, AC Port of Spain maintained the top spot by securing a 3-1 triumph over San Juan Jabloteh at Ato Boldon Recreation Ground in Santa Cruz on Saturday.
Sedale McLean (29’) scored first for the Port of Spain team and Maurice Ford made it 2-0 in the 47th minute. Jercole Pierre scored Jabloteh’s lone item in the 60th as McLean netted another in the 73rd to grab three points.
In the two late matches on Saturday night, Defence Force FC climbed into third position on the standings after defeating Cunupia FC 2-0 at the Arima Velodrome while mid-table Point Fortin Civic and W Connection FC played to a 0-0 result at the Mahaica Sports Complex in Point Fortin.
Jameel Cooper opened the scoring for Defence Force in the 39th minute. Into the second half, national senior team player Reon Moore sent them further ahead with his goal in the 68th minute.
The victory for Defence Force (34 pts) saw them overtake Terminix La Horquetta Rangers (31 pts) in the standings, into third.
Rangers stumbled on Saturday as they allowed struggling, ten-man Caledonia AIA to get the better of them 3-2.
Tyrice Dennis (36’) scored first for Caledonia but Kadeem Corbin equalized for Rangers in the 54th. Five minutes later, Dennis found the back of the net once more and Malachi Celestine (80’) put Caledonia further ahead.
Tyrone Charles pulled one back for Rangers in the 84th but Caledonia held their ground until the final whistle.
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https://www.youtube.com/v/GXsrlQsxhe0
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THRangers 0 Defense Force 1
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Army edge Rangers 1-0.
T&T Express Reports.
La Horquetta Rangers suffered successive Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) defeats when edged 1-0 by Defence Force in a rescheduled match, yesterday, at the Police Academy ground.
The decisive moment came when captain and central defender Justin Garcia convert a penalty following a foul by Rangers right-back Caleb Sturge on Army midfielder Jameel Cooper.
Following a shock 3-2 away defeat to struggling Morvant Caledonia United on Saturday, Rangers are fourth on the table on 31 points from 14 matches, having now lost three times this season.
Rangers are six points adrift of third-placed Defence Force (38 pts) from 15 matches. AC Port of Spain (39 pts) top the standings, ahead of Tiger Tanks Club Sando (38 pts). Both have played 15 games.
Results.
Police FC 0 v Central FC 1 (Anslem Jackson 78).
Defence Force 1 (Justin Garcia 35-Pen) v La Horquetta Rangers 0
RELATED NEWS
Garcia lifts Army closer to Concacaf club spot.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Justin Garcia scored his fifth goal of the season to lead Defence Force to a vital 1-0 win over Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, in the first match of a T&T Premier Football League double-header at the St James Police Training Grounds, Long Circular, yesterday.
With the win, the Hutson “Barber” Charles-coached Army/Coast-Guard combination strengthened its claim for a top-three position with 37 points from 15 matches, two adrift of leaders AC Port-of-Spain, and one behind the second-placed Tiger Tanks Club Sando.
The T&T Football Association was given a May 28 deadline to select the three local clubs to compete in the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield (two clubs), and the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.
However, the defeat for Rangers was a severe blow to its top three hopes as it remained in the fourth spot on the 12-club standings with 31 points following a second straight loss, but with a match in hand against Police carded for May 22.
After an evenly matched first 30 minutes, Defence Force was handed the chance to take the lead in the 35th when Rangers defender Caleb Sturge bundled over Jameel Cooper in the 18-yard box following a through ball from Dwight Quintero.
Garcia then stepped up and fired his team ahead from the spot, with his left-footed penalty kick going in off the base of the left post to help ease teammate Cooper’s pain. Cooper was eventually substituted with Rivaldo Coryat taking his place following the collision with Sturge.
Quintero then wasted a chance to double his team’s advantage on the stroke of halftime, when he blasted a left-footed effort overbar from inside the 18-yard box after being picked out by Reon Moore, following a marauding run on the right side by the T&T winger.
In the second half, both teams failed to create any real chances with Rangers minus the injured Real Gill, and somewhat of a puzzling starting line-up failing to trouble the Defence Force backline and goalkeeper Christopher Bigette, thus falling to a second straight loss, after its shock 2-3 defeat to Morvant Caledonia AIA on Saturday last.
In the second match last night, visitors' Central FC got a 78th minute strike from former national youth player Anslem Jackson to eke out a 1-0 win over Police FC, bolstering its hold on the fifth spot with 25 points from 15 matches. They are now six ahead of the lawmen, who have an outstanding match against Rangers to be played on Monday, at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground.
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Defence Force (Justin Garcia 35th pen) vs La Horquetta Rangers – 0
Central FC 1 (Anslem Jackson 78th) vs Police FC – 0
LATEST TEAM STANDING
Place Team P W D L F A Pts
1 AC PoS 15 13 0 2 40 10 39
2 Club Sando FC 15 12 2 1 34 13 38
3 Defence Force 15 12 1 2 34 10 37
4 L.H Rangers 14 10 1 3 39 17 31
5 Central FC 15 8 1 6 27 23 25
6 Police FC 14 6 1 7 25 25 19
7 W Connection 15 5 3 7 14 19 18
8 Point Fortin Civic 15 3 3 9 9 18 12
9 Morvant Caledonia 15 3 2 10 16 35 11
10 Prisons Service FC 15 3 2 10 8 35 11
11 Jabloteh 15 2 2 11 15 34 8
12 Cunupia FC 15 2 2 11 8 30 8
LEADING GOALSCORERS
13 – Nathaniel James (Club Sando)
10 – Ataulla Guerra (La Horquetta Rangers)
8 – Brent Sam (Defence Force)
7 – John-Paul Rochford (AC PoS)
6 – Tyrone Charles (La Horquetta Rangers), Nicholas Dillon (Club Sando), Duane Muckette, Che Benny (AC PoS), Keron Cummings (Central FC)
5 – Dwight Jordan (Jabloteh), Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Kesean St Rose (Central FC), Jameel Neptune, Jomoul Francois (AC PoS), Justin Garcia (Defence Force).
UPCOMING MATCHES
Friday, May 19:
Defence Force vs Prisons Service FC, La Horquetta Recreation Ground, 5 pm
La Horquetta Rangers vs Central FC, La Horquetta Recreation Ground, 7:15 pm
Saturday, May 20:
AC Port-of-Spain vs Morvant Caledonia AIA, St James Police Barracks, 5 pm
Police FC vs Cunupia FC, St James Police Barracks, 7:15 pm
Sunday, May 21:
W Connection vs Club Sando, Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin, 4 pm
Point Fortin Civic vs San Juan Jabloteh, Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin, 6:15 pm
Ferguson slams 'poor' Rangers, after loss to Defence Force.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
Defence Force earned a scrappy but crucial 1-0 victory over Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in a rescheduled TT Premier Football League fixture at the Police Barracks Grounds in St James on Tuesday.
A well-taken penalty from defender Justin Garcia in the 35th minute sent Rangers crashing to their second straight defeat, after Saturday's shock loss to Morvant Caledonia.
Defence Force started well and won a penalty after defender Caleb Sturge's illegally halted Jameel Cooper with a sliding tackle as he raced through on goal. A grimacing Cooper had to substituted.
Garcia converted by smashing his left footed shot off the lower right post and into the back of the net.
Both teams endured a physical affair and the referee was kept busy.
Into the second half, Defence Force and Rangers cancelled each other out since the majority of their attacking plays posed no real threat to either goalkeeper.
Rangers tried to press for the equaliser but could not break their opponents’ defensive line.
In the final minutes, Defence Force capitalised on tired Rangers legs but they also did not have the finishing touch.
The three points for coach Hutson Charles’ men keeps the race for the inaugural crown in hot contention.
Defence Force remain in third (37pts) but have closed the gap on leaders AC Port of Spain (39pts) and second-placed Club Sando FC (38pts). They’ve all played 15 matches each.
Charles expressed pleasure with the result.
“We came here to get three points and we did it. One of the things I told them is that they have to be aggressive today because Rangers is a running team, so we had to match them, and I think we did that today.”
A clearly disgruntled Rangers owner Richard Ferguson had some choice words for his players, who remain in fourth spot with 31 pts.
“They’re running like how we expected them to play, which is poor. They’re not dribbling, passing, shooting…
"The performance has really been substandard over the past few weeks and it continues to be so,” Ferguson said.
When asked why, he replied, “I think just playing a lot of football. When we played in the Caribbean tour, we came back and had games to make up. We’re playing literally two and three games per week, so they’re getting…it’s stale.”
Meanwhile, Anslem Jackson’s late strike ensured Central FC stayed above Police in the TT Premier Football League standings, in a rescheduled match played at the Police Barracks in St James on Tuesday.
Jackson, who came off the bench, fired the winner in the 78th minute,l in the second match of a double header at the venue. The victory pushed fifth-placed Central FC to 25 points and six points clear of sixth-placed Police. However, Police have played a game less than Central FC.
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Jones, Gill on the move in T&TPFL.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Soca Warriors captain Joevin Jones has made a return to domestic foot eight years after playing for W Connection in the defunct T&T Pro League, while national youth team winger Real Gill is also on the move in the T&T Premier Football League.
This after the 31-year-old Carenage-born Jones was confirmed as having joined T&T Police FC, the club of his father Kelvin Jones, a former national defender himself, employers while Gill has made the shock move from Terminix La Horquetta Rangers to Tiger Tanks Club Sando.
Jones began his club career with W Connection in 2014 and then moved to Finland’s Helsinki on loan from September to December and helped the club to the title before he was signed by US Major League Soccer club, Chicago Fire in January 2015.
His spell with the Fire was short-lived as then moved to Seattle Sounders and enjoyed a very successful two seasons winning the MLS Cup in the 2015/2016 season before a lack of playing time saw him make the move back to Europe, but his first in Germany and Bundesliga Second club Darmstadt in January 2018, only to return to Seattle in May 2019 until 2021 when his contract was not renewed, but not before he lifted a second MLS Cup in 2018/2019 campaign.
Jones then signed with US Major Soccer’s Inter Miami in 2021, but after a positive start his time was blighted by injuries, and at the end of his contract last January, he was released.
Since then, the T&T player has been without a club, and with an eye on maintaining his spot on the Angus Eve-coached T&T team he has opted to join Police on a short-term basis.
The move by Port-of-Spain-born Gill from Rangers comes as a big surprise to many with the former Trendsetter Hawks prodigy of Anthony “Dadda” Wickham only moving to the Richard Ferguson-own East-based club just over a year ago.
Blessed with natural talent and pace, the 20-year-old Gill came to light during the Ascension Football Tournament last year to help Rangers to the title, but this season he has been plagued by a niggling ankle injury, however, once fit, he should provide a major boost to the Cornell Glen-coached Club Sando, where he will link up with national Under-20 teammate, Nathaniel James the leading scorer in the T&TPFL with 13 goals, and national utility player, Alvin Jones, the younger brother of Joevin, who joined the club over a month ago.
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The haves and have nots in TT Premier Football League.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
MANY youths around the world dream of playing football professionally.
Whether it is the English Premier League, La Liga in Spain or Serie A in Italy, a professional career in football is the goal.
After two years lost owing to the covid19 pandemic, local footballers breathed a sigh of relief when it was announced that the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) would kick off on March 10. The league, which replaced the Pro League, is the top tier of football in TT, with the expectation that it would help produce the next crop of national footballers.
The Government has pledged its financial support to the league and FIFA has also invested in it.
The Ministry of Sport and Community Development has committed $3 million per year to the league for the first three years.
FIFA is assisting to the tune of US$300,000 and $400,000 per year.
Matches are being broadcast live on Sportsmax and streamed live on the FIFA+ app.
However, several coaches and players have lamented that the money is not enough to run an entire league with each squad, including staff, comprising approximately 30 members.
Some teams have been struggling to run their programmes since the league kicked off. The allocation allows for $50,000 to be spread across each team per month, which includes paying up to approximately 25 players and five technical staff members.
One coach in the TTPFL said he can only afford to pay some of his players a stipend between $1,200 and $1,500 per month. Additionally, he said players are paid a small match fee of $250 for starters.
Grateful to return to action
A player, who wished to stay anonymous, said footballers are grateful to be back on the field again.
The midfielder (player X) said, “For some people, football is all we have. For it starting, it is a plus. It is motivation again to the dream. It have some youths who want to go further like myself. It is a good thing that we have football back again in Trinidad again. For a country who had high standards in football, we not supposed to be where we at right now. Having the league back again is a plus.”
T&T are currently ranked 104th in the world in the FIFA men's rankings.
Another player (Y) said, “It is a very good feeling to be outside…playing week in and week out because we went nearly two years without football.”
Player Y, 20, recently left school and is solely counting on football to survive.
He has dreams of making it to the pinnacle of the sport.
“I want to make it a career, reach as far as possible…I really enjoy the sport. I see it as a lifestyle more than anything else. The quality of the league not bad, the football playing good. At the end of the day, if you are a footballer in the country your goal should really be to go outside and play…play in bigger leagues.”
Talent lost because of low pay
Player Y said a generation is being lost as a number of talented players are choosing other jobs over football.
“It have some players, youths just like me, say they not playing in the league because it not really making sense. They not making any money.
“According to where you living in the country you might have to go a certain distance to reach training and it costing (a lot) – and is talented players, they could play. If we continue like this we will lose players we did not even know we had,” he said.
He said some players play minor-league football and work other jobs to supplement their income.
Player X said football should be seen as a profession just like any other job.
“We will never reach anywhere if we don’t fix it. A footballer should be a footballer; somebody who working in the government should work in the government; if you working corporation, you working corporation, or whatever it is. It not supposed to be going to train hard and still have to look for a next job.”
Player X said footballers need some level of security to play to their full potential.
"Men will do it half-hearted. Football will not be their number-one priority. I would always bring up Jamaica. In Jamaica, football is their number-one priority. So who is we?
"We could never reach (if we continue like this)…Our football still stagnant. We have a lot of talented youths in Trinidad here, (but) I don’t know what we studying in T&T. We supposed to be studying World Cup 2026. We have to get it right. We are not going to reach nowhere.”
Running a club on shoe-string budget
There is a huge disparity in players' salaries around the league, with some earning around $12,000 at a top club.
At another club, Newsday understands that national players earn at least $7,000.
One coach at a struggling club spoke to Newsday about the difficulty in running a professional club on a shoe-string budget.
“It has been very tough,” he said.
He said transportation costs between $2,000 to $2,500 on matchdays.
He said it is a challenge finding players willing to accept the monthly stipend of $1,200 to $1,500, and this would have an effect on the team's performance.
“You don’t have to be good. You just have to willing to play for that. They don’t have to be good any more…we try to work with them.”
For most of his players, football is their only source of income.
“I have plenty youths (on my team) who not working. 75 per cent of my team not working. I have about four or five big players…maybe they might be 26, but they working.”
He said acquiring sponsors is very difficult and lamented that gate receipts are taken by the league.
Player X said another burden footballers bear is the cost of gears
“$1,200 is a football boots. Yes, it might have some players who getting $1,200 (a month). I don’t think for a country who have money we should be going through these things.”
Player Y said footballers often buy their own boots, but the club will offer to help if needed.
With rising crime a concern for society, player X said sport is the solution.
“Football takes away crime; football brings love back. We have to do a little better when it comes to that because as I said, this is where their bread and butter is. A rent is $2,000 so they still have to go out there and work.”
More interest is needed according to player Y, to earn revenue. “More fans have to come out. The ministry has to put out more money for the clubs and help them out because what they giving is not really enough to sustain a club.”
League trying to earn revenue
A source who works with the league said work is being done to increase revenue and support.
It was announced on the league’s Facebook page recently that two sponsors came on board.
Blue Waters and Sunshine Snacks are now partners for the tier one season and the league is hopeful they will have more sponsors by the time the knock-out phase kicks off in June.
The source is optimistic that the league can only improve in the future as sponsors will be more willing to come forward as the league becomes established.
The source said clubs do benefit from the gate receipts as once venue expenses are covered, the league and the home team split the remainder. The source did not indicate whether it was a 50-50 split.
Some clubs have been proactive in raising funds by setting up concession stands and selling merchandise at matches.
At games, some fans can be seen wearing team jerseys and numbers of their favourite players.
There are also half-time give-aways and fun activities for fans to promote fan engagement.
Football remains arguably the most popular sport in the country but its professional league is still in a development stage with many challenges still to iron out.
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Results
Police FC 2 (Jabari Mitchell 81, Kareem Freitas 89) v Cunupia FC 1 (Germain Hughes 54)
La Horquetta Rangers 7 (Isaiah Junior Assoon 31, 48, 67, Adica Ash 64, Tyrone Charles 84, Nathaniel Garcia 90) v Central FC 1 (Ricardo John 35)
Defence Force 4 (Reon Moore 17, 22, 43-Pen, Justin Sadoo 5) v Prison FC 1 (Shaquille Kurvon Ferrier 90)
AC PoS 5 (Radanfah Abu Bakr 19, Sedale McLean 33, Duane Muckette 72, Jomoul Francois 75, Che Benny 92) v Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Joshua Alexander 41)
W Connection 1 (Nathan Quashie 38) v Club Sando 2 (Alvin Jones 8, 67)
Point Fortin Civic 3 (Marcus Joseph 51, Tyrel Emmanuel 75, Shackiel Henry 86) v San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Jadel-Josiah Carter 41, Kevon Woodley 58)
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https://www.youtube.com/v/UtQca4JY-Do
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The haves and have nots in TT Premier Football League.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
Our football has retrogressed badly. Imagine a proleague where players have to buy their boots. That is like when I played in the early 70s.
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Jones' brace puts Club Sando back in second.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
A double from national midfielder Alvin Jones for Club Sando ensured a 2-1 win over W Connection FC at the Mahaica Sports Complex in Point Fortin, which pushed them back into the second position on the 12-team T&T Premier Football League standings on Sunday.
With the battle for one of the three top spots for the CONCACAF Caribbean Shield (top two teams) and CONCACAF Caribbean Cup (third-place team) tightening with just about two rounds of matches to go, Club Sando, who strengthened its team by signing talented young striker Real Gill from Terminix La Horquetta Rangers last week, did not use his services in the opening half but Jones proved to be a force to be reckoned with all afternoon.
Gleaming with confidence, Jones, in the eighth minute, took down a lifted cross from Acelino Medford on the right side of the W Connection defence and calmly slotted the ball past the advancing goalkeeper Denzil Smith for a 1-0 advantage.
With their strong start, Club Sando enjoyed the better of the exchanges in the early moments that really should have led to another goal in the 31st minute.
This time, Jones' cross from a free-kick on the right side found both Josiah Cooper and Josiah Trimmingham storming inside, however, neither got a touch on the ball, and it rolled out to safety.
W Connection later picked their game up and got the equaliser in the 37th minute. From a right-side cross, striker Jahmalee Barclay's header was pushed wide, and from a resulting goal-mouth scrimmage, the ball rolled nicely for Nathan Quashie to hit hard into the far post for a 1-1 scoreline.
The goal took the teams to the halftime interval, and when they resumed, coach Cornell Glen brought on Gill as an early second-half substitution in the 55th minute. The striker, then on his first touch of the ball, turned past his marker but hit his shot went wide of the post, but it signalled what Club Sando's intentions were.
After a series of constant attacks on the Connection goal area, Club Sando was rewarded for their efforts. Jones, from a free-kick from some 20 yards out, saw his curling effort take a deflection off the wall and it flew past Smith for a 2-1 lead in the 67th minute.
Still, Connection did not lay down and should have equalised for a second time in the 75th minute. From a right-side centre that put Saviola Elva on a one-on-one with goalkeeper Miles Goodman in the Club Sando goal, Elva failed to get the ball past the advancing custodian.
With the win, Club Sando moved to 41 points and ahead of Defence Force as the second-place team. To date, AC Port of Spain leads the standings with 42 points, while the Army Coast-Guard combination team is in third position with 40.
On Monday, Rangers will take on Police FC in a rescheduled fixture at 6 pm at the Phase II Recreation Ground in La Horquetta.
RESULTS
Club Sando 2 (Alvin Jones 8th, 67th) vs W Connection 1 ( Nathan Quashie 37th)
STANDINGS
TEAM*P*W*D*L*F*A*GD*PTS
1*AC PoS*16*14*0*2*45*11*34*42
2*Club Sando*15*13*2*1*36*14*12*41
3*Defence Force*16*13*1*2*38*11*27*40
4*Rangers*15*11*1*3*45*18*27*34
5*Central FC*16*8*1*7*28*29*-1*25
6*Police FC*15*7*1*7*27*26*1*22
7*W Connection*16*5*3*8*15*21*-6*18
8*Point Fortin Civic*15*3*3*9*9*18*-9*12
9*Morvant Caledonia*16*3*2*11*17*40*-23*11
10*Prison Service*16*3*2*11*9*39*-30*11
11*San Juan Jaboloteh*15*2*2*11*15*34*-19*8
12*Cunupia FC*16*2*2*12*9*32*-23*8
RELATED NEWS
Alvin Jones' free kick sinks W Connection.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
Tiger Tanks Club Sando remained one point behind leaders AC Port of Spain in the TT Premier Football League, thanks to a 30-yard free kick from Alvin Jones against W Connection on matchday 16 at Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin on Sunday.
Jones fired home in the 67th minute to give Club Sando a 2-1 win to leapfrog back into second spot, and stay on the heels of the league leaders.
In the eighth minute, national player Jones opened the scoring with a well-taken goal. He controlled a cross with his chest in the 18-yard box and evaded a defender in the process, before finishing from eight yards out.
However, W Connection equalised through Nathan Quashie in the 38th minute. After a short corner caused havoc in the box as W Connection struggled to clear, the ball fell to Quashie who curled a shot into the far post for a 1-1 score at halftime.
In the second period, Club Sando substitute Real Gill, in his first match since transferring from Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, saw his shot blocked by a W Connection player. In an attempt to win the loose ball, W Connection's Saviola Elva handled the ball outside the box.
Jones, known for his long-distance power, went for placement this time, curling a shot over the wall and to the right of goalie Denzil Smith.
Club Sando now have 13 wins, one loss and two draws this season.
After press time on Sunday, Point Fortin Civic and San Juan Jabloteh faced off at Mahaica Sporting Complex.
After the match, Jones said, "Today we did not do that well, but the important (thing) is three points."
The top three teams at the conclusion of the league on May 28 will represent TT at the regional tournaments.
After matchday 18, the top two clubs will qualify for the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, while the third-placed team will qualify for the Concacaf Caribbean Shield, with an opportunity to advance to the Concacaf Caribbean Cup if successful.
Jones said the focus is winning the league and the Concacaf tournaments. "As we all know from the beginning of the season, no one had Club Sando in the top three. Our focus is not just the Concacaf (Championships), but winning the league."
Club Sando coach and former national forward Cornell Glen said, "It is one of those games where we just had to grind it out. I always tell the boys not all the games you are going to blow them out of the park. I am really proud of these guys – they stuck it through."
Gill's debut impressed Glen. "Fantastic player. We are so happy to have him. He is a player for the future and we want to work on him a bit and get him ready for the national team. I think he deserves a spot on the team. He has been working hard and he has been doing the right things since he is here."
Results
Police FC 2 (Jabari Mitchell 81, Kareem Freitas 89) v Cunupia FC 1 (Germain Hughes 54)
La Horquetta Rangers 6 (Isaiah Junior Assoon 31, 48, 67, Adica Ash 64, Tyrone Charles 84) v Central FC 1 (Ricardo John 35)
Defence Force 4 (Reon Moore 17, 22, 43-Pen, Justin Sadoo 5) v Prison FC 1 (Shaquille Kurvon Ferrier 90)
AC PoS 5 (Radanfah Abu Bakr 19, Sedale McLean 33, Duane Muckette 72, Jomoul Francois 75, Che Benny 92) v Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Joshua Alexander 41)
W Connection 1 (Nathan Quashie 38) v Club Sando 2 (Alvin Jones 8, 67)
Point Fortin Civic 3 (Marcus Joseph 51, Tyrel Emmanuel 75, Shackiel Henry 86) v San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Jadel-Josiah Carter 41, Kevon Woodley 58)
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Police FC derails Rangers Concacaf push for qualification.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
Kareem ‘Scooby’ Freitas scored a goal in each half as Police FC dented the hopes of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers qualifying as one of three T&T Premier Football League clubs’ for this year’s CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield and the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup competitions with a 5-2 victory at the Phase II La Horquetta Recreation Ground, La Horquetta on Monday night.
Going into the rescheduled Match Day One clash, Rangers were in fourth spot on the 12-team standings with 34 points from 15 matches, six adrift of the third placed Defence Force with two rounds of matches left to play before the May 28 deadline given to the T&T Football Association by CONCACAF to select the three local clubs to compete in the CONCACAF tournaments. Two teams to contest the Caribbean Club Shield and one to challenge for Caribbean Cup honours.
However, the Lawmen, who have endured a very inconsistent campaign thus far which resulted in coach Richard Hood losing his job had other ideas and were happy to play spoilers as visitors, thus handing their rivals Defence Force the upper hand in the race for the top three finish, with a win of their own on the night.
In the 29th minute, the Lawmen, now under the charge of interim-coach Wendell Joseph were the first to get on the scoresheet, through De Freitas in the 29th minute.
But the visitors’ lead was short-lived as Rangers drew level within two minutes thanks to Isaiah Lee, and seven minutes later, Kadeem Corbin fired the host ahead.
But Rangers’ good vibes soon turned sour as central defender Jevon Morris was then given his marching orders for a reckless challenge leaving his team to play the second half with ten men.
Within five minutes of the restart, Police made its man advantage count as Jabari Mitchell quickly tied up the scores at 2-2 and two minutes later, his team regained the lead at 3-2 via Kadeem Hutchinson, before De Freitas put the results beyond doubt with his team’s fourth, and his second on the night in the 62nd. Veteran midfielder Josimar Belgrave, aformer standout with Defence Force capped off the stellar display with a fifth item on the stroke of full-time.
With the win, Police moved ahead of Central FC on goal difference into fifth spot with 25 points from 16 matches, but more importantly and disastrously it further dented the chances of Rangers objectives to secure a top-three finish by the end of Round 18 as they remained on 34 points, from 16 matches, six behind third-placed Defence Force (40), while AC Port-of-Spain leads the table with 42 points, and is certain of qualification spot along with the second-placed Tiger Tanks Club Sando.
Tomorrow, the league will continue with a full slate of matches with Defence Force travelling to the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella for a clash with Club Sando from 4 pm, with the visitors needing a point to be certain of cementing a top three spot by Sunday, and with title ambitions on both team’s agenda as well with six rounds of matches left to play.
Monday’s Results
Police FC 5 (Kareem Freitas 29th, 62nd, Jabari Mitchell 50th, Kadeem Hutchinson 52nd, Josimar Belgrave 90th) vs La Horquetta Rangers 2 (Isaiah Lee 31st, Kadeem Corbin 39th)
Sunday’s Results
Club Sando 2 (Alvin Jones 8th, 67th) vs W Connection 1 (Nathan Quashie 38th)
Point Fortin Civic 3 (Marcus Joseph 51st, Tyrel Emmanuel 75th, Shackiel Henry 85th) vs San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Jadel-Josiah Carter 41st, Kevon Woodley 58th)
Friday’s Results
AC PoS 5 (Radanfah Abu Bakr 18th, Sedale Mc Lean 32nd, Duane Muckette 72nd, Jomoul Francois 75th, Che Benny 90+2) vs Morvant Caledonia AIA (Joshua Alexander 40th)
Police FC 2 (Jabari Mitchell 81st, Kareem Freitas 89th) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Germain Hughes 54th)
Defence Force 4 (Reon Moore 17th, 22nd, 43rd pen, Justin Sadoo 45th) vs Prisons Services 1 (Shaquille Ferrier 90th)
La Horquetta Rangers 7 (Junio Assoon 31st, 45+3, 67th, Isaiah Lee 8th, Adica Ash 64th, Tyrone Charles 84th, Nathaniel Garcia 90th) vs Central FC 1 (Ricardo John 35th)
Latest Team standings
Place Team P W D L F A Pts
1 AC PoS 16 14 0 2 45 11 42
2 Club Sando FC 16 13 2 1 36 14 41
3 Defence Force 16 13 1 2 38 11 40
4 L.H Rangers 16 11 1 4 48 23 34
5 Police FC 16 8 1 7 32 28 25
6 Central FC 16 8 1 7 28 30 25
7 W Connection 16 5 3 8 15 21 18
8 Point Fortin Civic 16 4 3 9 12 20 15
9 Morvant Caledonia 16 3 2 11 17 40 11
10 Prisons Service FC 16 3 2 11 9 39 11
11 Jabloteh 16 2 2 12 17 37 8
12 Cunupia FC 16 2 2 12 9 32 8
Tomorrow’s matches
Prisons Services FC Police FC, La Horquetta Rec. Grd, La Horquetta, 5 pm
Central FC vs AC Port-of-Spain, La Horquetta Rec. Grd, La Horquetta, 7.15 pm
Club Sando FC vs Defence Force, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, 4 pm
Cunupia FC vs La Horquetta Rangers, St James Police Barracks Grd, St James, 5 pm
Morvant Caledonia AIA vs Point Fortin Civic, St James Police Barracks Grd, St James, 7.5 pm
San Juan Jabloteh vs W Connection FC, Ato Boldon Rec. Grd, San Juan, 5 pm
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AC PoS returns as TTPFL leader with win.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
A few hours after being knocked off the top position in the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) by Defence Force on Thursday night, AC Port of Spain resumed as the leader by beating Central FC 3-2 at the Phase II Recreation Ground in La Horquetta.
In Thursday’s second match of a doubleheader, the men from the capital city produced another commanding performance to earn the three points, despite a fighting Central FC which ended the match-up with two goals.
As expected, the Port of Spain team forged ahead early from John-Paul Rochford in the 37th minute. Despite the AC Port of Spain’s dominance all season long, the Central Sharks, at fifth on the standings, were out to fight, evidenced by their equalising goal from Keron Cummings in the 44th minute from the penalty spot.
It was the start that the Central men, demolished by La Horquetta Rangers 6-1 a week ago, were hoping for.
Later, they took the lead for the first time in the match, courtesy of Kesean St Rose’s 66th-minute goal.
However, the men from the capital city fought back valiantly for the equaliser in the 69th minute from Jamoul Francois. Che Benny sealed the win in the 71st minute with a thunderous freekick that flashed past the goalie for the win.
AC Port of Spain will next face Cunupia FC at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima. A win will assure them the top spot heading into the CONCACAF Caribbean Shield, while a battle will take place for the second spot between Club Sando (41 points) and Defence Force (43 points).
The second-place team will also contest the CONCACAF Caribbean Shield, while the team that finishes third will play in the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.
Meanwhile, there were also wins for Police FC, 3-1 over Prison Service FC at the St James Barracks and Point Fortin Civic, who prevailed over Morvant Caledonia United 3-0 at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground.
Talented national midfielder Joevin Jones marked his return to local football with a goal in the 75th minute, which spearheaded the Police winning result.
Thursday’s results
Police FC 3 (Nathaniel Perouse 43 own goal, JoevinJones 75th, Kadeem Hutchinson 90+6) vs Prison Services FC 1 (Akiem Bibby Bailey 70th)
AC PoS 3 (John-Paul Rochford 37th, Jamoul Francois 69th, Che Benny 71st) vs Central FC 2 (Keron Cummings 44th, Kesean St Rose 66th)
Point Fortin Civic 3 (Wesley John 9th, Tyrell Emmanuel 28th, Shackiel Henry 86th) vs Morvant Caledonia United 0
Defence Force 2 (Dwight Quintero 35th, Hashim Arcia 90+2) vs Club Sando 0
Rangers 4 (Nathaniel Garcia 29th, Junior Assoon 31st, Daniel David 46th, Tyrik Lee 90+3) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Luke Boucaud 35th)
W Connection 2 (Neil Benjamin 13th, Jahmalee Barclay 90+4) vs Jabloteh 2 (Kevon Woodley 45+1, 59th)
STANDINGS
TEAM*P*W*D*L*F*A*GD*PTS
1*AC PoS*17*15*0*2*48*13*35*45
2*Defence Force*17*14*1*2*40*11*29*43
3*Club Sando*17*13*2*2*36*16*20*41
4*Rangers*17*12*1*3*49*19*30*37
5*Police FC*16*8*1*7*30*27*3*25
6*Central FC*17*8*1*8*30*32*-2*25
7*W Connection*17*5*4*8*17*23*-6*19
8*Point Fortin Civic*16*4*3*9*12*20*-8*15
9*Morvant Caledonia*16*3*2*11*17*40*-23*11
10*Prison Service*17*3*2*12*10*42*-32*11
11*San Juan Jaboloteh*17*2*3*12*19*39*-20*9
12*Cunupia FC*17*2*2*13*10*36*-26*8
RELATED NEWS
Che Benny's wicked strike keeps AC PoS top.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
A wicked freekick from AC Port of Spain midfielder Che Benny clinched a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Central FC, to remain top of the TT Premier Football League, on matchday 17, on Thursday night.
Earlier on Thursday, Defence Force had taken the lead in the standings, for a couple hours, after getting past Tiger Tanks Club Sando 2-0 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
At the La Horquetta Recreation Ground, AC Port of Spain opened the scoring in the 37th minute through national midfielder John-Paul Rochford, but Keron Cummings equalised for Central FC before half-time with a 44th minute penalty.
Kesean St Rose gave Central FC their first lead of the match in the 66th minute in what started an exciting five-minute passage of play. The Central boys could only hang on to the lead for three minutes as Jamoul Francois found the target in the 69th minute.
But two minutes later, Benny grabbed the winner for AC Port of Spain with a 71st minute freekick from about 23 yards out. Benny's strike, hit with the outside of his left boot, looked headed for the top right corner but suddenly changed direction and swerved past the Central FC goalie and into the net.
AC Port of Spain now have 45 points with a record of 15 wins and two losses from 17 matches. Defence Force are second with 43 points and Club Sando are still in contention for the title with 41 points.
Two other matches were completed after press time on Thursday.
Eighth-placed Heritage Pt Fortin Civic FC earned a 3-0 victory over Morvant Caledonia at the Police Barracks in St James. Wesley John gave Pt Fortin an early lead in the ninth minute, before Tyrell Emmanuel doubled the team’s advantage in the 28th minute. Shackiel Henry found the back of the net in the 86th minute.
At the Ato Boldon Recreation Ground in Santa Cruz, a brace from former national beach soccer player Kevon Woodley helped struggling San Juan Jabloteh draw 2-2 with W Connection. Neil Benjamin opened the scoring in the 13th minute for W Connection, before goals by Woodley in first-half stoppage time and the 59th minute gave Jabloteh the lead.
Jabloteh seemed to do enough to win their third match of the campaign, but Jahmalee Barclay equalised in second-half stoppage time as W Connection fought back to earn a draw. Jabloteh are 11th in the 12-team standings.
Matchday 18 will be held on Sunday.
STANDINGS
Team*GP*W*L*D*GD*Pts
AC POS*17*15*2*0*35*45
Defence Force*17*14*2*1*29*43
Club Sando*17*13*2*2*20*41
Rangers*17*12*4*1*28*37
Police*17*9*7*1*6*28
Central FC*17*8*8*1*-3*25
W Connection*17*5*8*4*-6*19
Point Fortin Civic*17*5*9*3*-5*18
Caledonia*17*3*12*2*-26*11
Prisons*17*3*12*2*-32*11
Jabloteh*17*2*12*3*-20*9
Cunupia FC*17*2*12*2*-26*8
SUNDAY’S FIXTURES
W Connection vs Defence Force, Manny Ramjohn Stadium, 4 pm
Police FC vs Tiger Tanks Club Sando, Police Barracks, 4 pm
AC Port of Spain vs Cunupia FC, Larry Gomes Stadium, 4 pm
San Juan Jabloteh vs Morvant Caledonia, Ato Boldon Stadium, 4 pm
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers vs Prison Service FC, La Horquetta Recreation Ground, 6 pm
Point Fortin Civic vs Central FC, Mahaica Oval, 6 pm
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https://www.youtube.com/v/4oCRCtFhGeg
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Defence Force whip W Connection, qualify for Caribbean Cup
T&T Express
The clouds and rain resulted in a dull afternoon in some parts. But Defence Force made full use of the bright sunshine in Marabella to confirm their presence in this year’s CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, yesterday.
Brent Sam, Reon Moore and Justin Sadoo gave their side a 3-0 victory over W Connection at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in round 18 action of the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League, thus confirming Defence Force’s spot in CONCACAF Champions League qualifying.
While there are still four rounds to go in the Premier League, the top two in the standings at the end of yesterday’s round of games—AC Port of Spain and Defence Force—will play in the Caribbean Cup, while third-placed Club Sando will enter the second tier CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield. Both competitions offer teams a way into the CONCACAF Champions League.
Yesterday, current leaders AC Port of Spain (48 points), their place in the Caribbean Cup already clinched, eased to a 4-0 win over cellar-placed Cunupia FC at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar.
However, the “Army” (46 points) had work to do still in order to hold off Club Sando for that second Caribbean Cup spot. At the start of the day, Sando—whose match against Police FC was delayed by a waterlogged ground at the St James Barracks—were just two points behind Defence Force, so a win was necessary for coach Lloyd Andrews’ team against W Connection.
However, Andrews had to play the patience game. There were no goals in a first half which Defence Force controlled. Goalkeeper Christopher Bigette was a spectator all afternoon, without a shot to save as his teammates stroked the ball around with comfort.
However, outside of a sharp right-side cross from Sam that was palmed away by Connection custodian Denzil Smith, and a low drive by Sadoo on the right side of the penalty area that Smith stopped at his near post, Connection were comfortable in the first period.
Sadoo and company could not fashion the penetrating passes to create clear-cut chances and the Army went to the break still waiting for the goal to put them on victory road.
“We didn’t have any intensity at all,” said Defence Force assistant coach Hutson Charles of the first-half effort. “As soon as they did that, we got the results.”
Sam turned up the pressure on Connection very early in the second half. In the second minute after the break (47th), a pin-point cross from the right side found Moore on the left side of the six-yard box. He headed back across goal to strike partner Sam who placed his uncontested header past Smith.
The Connection back door was now unlocked and the Army forced their way through again two minutes later. A Jelani Felix cross from the left flank found Sam who headed the ball into the middle where Dwight Quintero’s point-blank effort was pushed away by Smith, only for Moore to put away the loose ball.
The game as a contest was over. Connection’s holding effort had collapsed and it was just a question of whether Defence Force could add to their tally. They managed one more through Sadoo in the 77th minute, when his angled shot from the right side, coming from a rebound off an initial effort by substitute and new recruit Kaihim Thomas, beat Smith.
Despite the scoreline, the W Connection keeper had had a good afternoon. But he was powerless against the Army’s firepower.
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Defence Force credit proper planning for good TTPFL season
By Sheldon Pierre (T&T Newsday)
Defence Force FC have achieved one of their two goals in the inaugural T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL), qualifying for the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, after a 3-0 result over W Connection on Sunday. Their second objective – which is still in play – is winning the league crown. Trailing league leaders AC Port of Spain (who also qualified for the Concacaf Caribbean Cup) by just two points with four rounds to go, Defence Force are dreaming of further success.
They owe their strong start to the season to their administrators and former senior players who trusted the process of rebuilding the team through proper planning.
Assistant coach Devin Elcock is not surprises by the results and was full of praise for their decision makers and hard work.
He said, “Thanks to the administration for believing in succession planning. This team has been playing together for six years. We had senior players acting the role of mentors, which allowed the newcomers to understand the style of play. We are focused now on building on our fitness and mental strength knowing that we are coming up against our Caribbean counterparts.”
He credited former players such as Devorn Jorsling and Jerwyn Balthazar for their role in the current crop showing their potential.
“We had a long-term goal of recruiting players to the Defence Force, so (former) players like Devorn Jorsling and Jerwyn Balthazar assisted the coaching staff in selection of players as well as mentoring them, and we have seen the growth in the team.”
Defence Force have 15 wins, two losses and one draw this season, with striker Brent Sam, forward Reon Moore, midfielder Justin Sadoo and defenders Justin Garcia and Jelani Felix having outstanding seasons.
Army are no strangers to playing football at the Concacaf level, having represented the country countless times in the past and winning the Concacaf Champions` Cup in 1978 and 1985 – the only team from TT to achieve that feat.
The “Teteron Boys” are coached by Lloyd Andrews with Elcock and former national senior men`s coach Hutson Charles as his deputies. Keston Charles (chairman) and Basil Thompson (manager) complement the managerial team. Elcock said this combination is one of the best in their team`s history.
Elcock, the younger brother of former national defender Ansil Elcock, has been with Defence Force football since 2007 and has been assistant coach since 2017. He is the head coach of the Defence Force women's team and is pursuing his TTFA A-Licence coaching badge and a master’s in sport management at UWI.
Defence Force had a stuttering start to the TTPFL, but they gathered their legs as the season progressed. Elcock said, “We identified our shortcomings and worked on it. We didn’t have an ideal pre-season and some of our players were out with the national team. When they returned to the team, the spirit in the squad was lifted and we became more focused on training. The guys channelled that energy into the games, and you could have seen the mindset and determination of the players.”
With the league title in their grasp and a top-of-the-table clash with AC Port of Spain looming, Elcock said the team is taking it one game at a time. “The next game is the most important game. Our focus is solely on Police FC who have been showing good form in the last few matches. We must play one game at a time to maintain our position, then we will turn our focus to AC POS when that time comes.”
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Woodley scores 3 as Jabloteh destroys Central FC.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Kevon ‘Showtime’ Woodley gave a display on the field for San Juan Jabloteh on Friday night, scoring a hat-trick to guide his team to a 5-1 demolition of Central FC in the first Tier of the T&T Premier Football League at the Arima Velodrome.
On Saturday, W Connection and Point Fortin Civic FC were in winner’s row against Caledonia 1-0 and Cunupia FC 2-0 at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima, and the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, respectively.
Already unable to make it to the top three spots that earned berths at the CONCACAF Caribbean Shield and CONCACAF Caribbean Cup, both of which will take place in August, the San Juan men who were second from bottom on the 12-team standings, lifted themselves two spots up to ninth position on 12 points after 19 matches, with the winning result.
They leapfrogged Prisons Service and Morvant Caledonia who were in 10th and ninth positions, respectively. On Friday, the Prison officers were scheduled to face leaders AC Port-of-Spain in the other game of a doubleheader at the Arima venue, before poor markings on the field after the first match, forced officials not to play the game.
After 12 losses to date, the Jabloteh men sought to put some respectability back to their statistics and were rewarded after just the 15th minute when Jadel-Josiah Carter handed them the advantage.
Central FC, currently mid-table, was also eager to make amends for a start that went awfully wrong. And despite going down early, they found the equaliser 1-1 on the stroke of halftime from Ricardo John.
It was a different ball game when the match resumed, however, as ‘Showtime’ Woodley showed Cunupia what they are sadly lacking without him. He restored the Jabloteh advantage to 2-1 with his item in the 52nd minute, and nine minutes later, he made it 3-1, a goal that appeared to have snatched the game out of the Central FC’s reach.
Still, with the game in its midway stage, Woodley completed his hat-trick and gave his team a 4-1 lead.
Now beaten, Central FC surrendered the match in the 85th minute when Ishmael Sawyer fired in his Jabloteh fifth and final goal of the match.
The win pushed them to 12 points, a mere one-point difference from the Prison officers who have now gone to 11th position.
Meanwhile, in Arima, Connection got a solitary goal from the boot of Isaiah Hudson in the fourth minute to secure maximum points, while the pair of Marcus Joseph and Shackiel Henry was on target for the Point Fortin men, ensuring that they stay in the seventh position with 24 points.
Results
Friday
Jabloteh 5 (Jadel-Josiah Carter 15, Kevon Woodley 52nd, 59th, 67th, Ishmael Sawyer 85th) vs Central FC 1 (Ricardo John 45th)
Saturday
W Connection 1 (Isaiah Hudson 4th) vs Caledonia 0
Point Fortin Civic 2 (Marcus Joseph, Shackiel Henry) vs Cunupia FC 0
Sunday’s matches
Club Sando vs La Horquetta Rangers, 4 pm at Manny Ramjohn Stadium
Defence Force vs Police FC, 4 pm at Larry Gomes
Standings
Place*Team*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts
1*AC PoS*18*16*0*2*52*13*48
2*Defence Force*18*15*1*2*43*11*46
3*Club Sando*18*13*2*3*37*18*41
4*L.H Rangers*18*13*1*4*56*25*40
5*Police*18*10*1*7*37*30*31
6*Central FC*19*8*1*10*31*39*25
7*Point Fortin Civic*19*7*3*9*18*20*24
8*W Connection*19*6*4*9*18*26*22
9*Jabloteh*18*3*3*12*24*24*12
10*Morvant Caledonia*18*3*2*13*17*44*11
11*Prisons Service*18*3*2*13*11*46*11
12*Cunupia FC*19*2*2*15*10*42*8
RELATED NEWS
Woodley hat-trick gives Jaboteh 5-1 win over Central FC.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
A hat-trick from Kevon Woodley propelled San Juan Jabloteh to their biggest win of the TT Premier Football League tier one on Friday as they blew past Central FC 5-1 at the Arima Velodrome.
Jadel-Josiah Carter opened the scoring for Jabloteh in the 15th minute but Central FC drew level just before half-time courtesy of a Rocardo John strike.
But seven minutes into the second period, Jabloteh regained the lead from a Woodley goal. The in-form player found the back of the net twice after, in the 59th and 67th minutes, to seal a well-worked hat-trick in just 15 minutes.
Jabloteh’s Ishmael Sawyer put them out of reach in the 85th as he made it 5-1.
The win for the San Juan-based team (14pts) propelled them from 11th place to ninth on the 12-team standings while Central remain in sixth (25pts).
The other contest between league leaders AC Port of Spain and Prisons Service FC at the Velodrome on Friday was postponed.
Up to press time on Saturday, matches featuring W Connection and Morvant Caledonia and Cunupia FC versus Point Fortin Civic Centre were still in action at the Larry Gomes and Manny Ramjohn stadia respectively.
On Sunday, third-placed Tiger Tanks Club Sando meet fourth-ranked Terminix La Horquetta Rangers at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella and second-place Defence Force FC battle Police FC, fifth, at the Velodrome. Both matches kick off from 4pm.
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Defence Force stumble in Premier League race.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
SECOND-PLACED Defence Force failed to capitalise on their chance to move to the top of the TT Premier Football League standings, after being held to a 1-1 draw against Police.
A victory for Defence Force would have pushed them past AC Port of Spain as the latter’s match against Prison Service FC on Friday was postponed.
In the battle of the servicemen, Jabari Mitchell gave Police FC the lead in the 62nd minute from the penalty spot, at Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima.
But Tobagonian Lashawn Roberts got an equaliser in second-half stoppage time to salvage a point for Defence Force.
Defence Force are now one point behind AC Port of Spain, who have a game in hand, with three matches to go.
Third-placed Club Sando defeated the spiralling fourth-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers 1-0 .
A 53rd minute freekick by Alvin Jones was enough to give Club Sando the win over Rangers at Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
Club Sando moved to 44 points on the standings, three points behind second-placed Defence Force and four points behind leaders AC Port of Spain.
Rangers remained on 40 points.
On Saturday, W Connection grabbed a 1-0 win over Morvant Caledonia with a fourth-minute strike from Isaiah Hudson at Larry Gomes Stadium.
Point Fortin Civic defeated Cunupia FC 2-0 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium thanks to goals from Marcus Joseph and Shackiel Henry.
Results
Cunupia FC 0 v Point Fortin Civic 2 (Marcus Joseph, Shackiel Henry)
Morvant Caledonia United 0 v W Connection 1 (Isaiah Hudson 4)
Club Sando 1 (Alvin Jones 53) v La Horquetta Rangers 0
Police FC 1 (Jabari Mitchell 62-Pen) v Defence Force 1 (Lashawn Roberts 90)
AC Port of Spain - Prison Service FC - Postponed
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AC Port of Spain coach credits Arsenal brand for success
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
Athletic Club (AC) Port of Spain, the new team on the block, have already made their mark in the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL), having qualified for the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, scheduled to kick off in August.
The top two teams in the TTPFL, after round 18, qualified for the Concacaf competition.
The Duane Muckette-captained side have led the inaugural league for the majority of the season and are strong favourites to lift the title.
AC PoS lead Defence Force by one point, with three rounds to go. However, AC PoS have a game in hand, which could be crucial, given they still have to face each other.
AC PoS head coach Walt Noriega isn't throwing any parties just yet, as Concacaf qualification was not their sole goal.
He said, “When the club assembled, the objective was to qualify for the Concacaf tournament. It wasn’t a big surprise, because the squad had the potential to do it. So in essence, we ticked the box.”
On the benefits of playing at the Concacaf level, he said, “It augurs well for both the club and country that the players in and around the national team can play at the highest level. The players in TT will have something to look forward to and the club is going in the right direction, so we will get an influx of players to carry the club further.”
The coach is hoping his players grasp the opportunity when the action starts.
“You never know who are looking at you at that level. We don’t want to keep our boys from playing overseas, because it will benefit the country in the end.”
AC PoS, formerly North East Stars, boast a coaching staff with a wealth of knowledge that brings calmness in the dressing room.
Noriega said, “Technical director and assistant coach Gilbert Bateau has been around for ages – since I was a youngster; Jefferson George, former national goalkeeper and coach; I have been coaching for almost 20 years. People will now be hearing about Walt Noriega, because all the time I was assistant coach.”
Noriega coached at local professional club Joe Public before going to England for ten years, where he coached at the Arsenal Development Programme in the North Kent District and got his UEFA B licence. Oon returning to TT, he coached at Central FC and the Stern John Academy before joining AC PoS.
Arsenal-style football
Noriega said their success on the field is dueto pre-season adjustments made to their squad. “We brought in experienced players like Radanfah Abu Bakr and Robert Primus to lend their experience to the youngsters and to help the club grow with an easier transition moving forward.
“Our midfield is one of the strongest in the league right now, and it's something we thrive on.
Our midfielders are attack-minded players, but we had to get them to buy in to the defensive part of the game. Not all the time we will be able to possess the ball, and there will be spells we have to defend and switch on when we are out of possession.”
Noriega patterned his possession-based football style to that of his favourite team, Arsenal FC.
“We like to put down the football and play it, possess the ball to expose our opponents. So we selected players who are comfortable on the ball. Our midfielders are ball-handlers who want the ball at their feet.”
Noriega said he was confident his engine-room workers – midfielders Michel Poon-Angeron, Duane Muckette, Che Benny and John-Paul Rochford – would make national coach Angus Eve's Provisional Gold Cup 2023 Squad, because of their positive showings in the league.
Noriega played down the importance of their upcoming fixture against Defence Force.
“We must keep the boys focused, because Defence Force are two points (one point) behind – and we still must face them. All games are important, because football is played on the day, but Defence Force are chasing us now."
On the clash with Army he said, "It would be tactical, but we have the edge. In the first round we got the better of them, and we will try to penetrate their weaknesses, and vice versa.
"The players who want it the most on the day will prosper, but we are confident going into the game.”
He said their position atop the league was the result of hard work and sacrifice.
“The boys were off for a long period because of the pandemic and there wasn’t any football. They are asking the players to put in a lot of work in a short space of time, when they haven’t played football for almost three years. It’s a balance to not push the guys too much to avoid injuries.”
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Defence Force climb top of TT Premier League.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
Defence Force climbed to the top of the TT Premier Football League, with two matches to go, following a resounding 3-1 victory over Point Fortin Civic at the Arima Velodrome, Arima on Sunday.
Dwight Quintero's scoring streak continued as he netted the opening goal for Defence Force in the 20th minute. Quinter, on a one-on-one with goalie Tyrese Reefer, showed good composure to slip the ball between his legs for a 1-0 advantage.
Veteran striker Hashim Arcia doubled the lead for Army on the stroke of half-time. The lanky striker converted a penalty to head into the half-time interval with a 2-0 lead.
Brent Sam erased any doubts for the “Teteron Boys” as he bagged the third goal in the 57th minute. Sam, 27, has been one of the leading scorers in the league this season and can consider himself unlucky not to be included in national coach Angus Eve`s provisional squad for the Gold Cup 2023. Marcus Joseph's consolation item in the 64th added some respectability to the final score-line.
The victory saw Army (50 points from 20 games) leapfrog AC Port of Spain (49 points from 19 matches) who dropped crucial points in their title hunt on Saturday.
AC PoS were held to a 1-1 draw against fifth-placed Police FC at the Police Barracks, St James.
The “Town Boys” are without core players in the midfield – skipper Duane Muckette, Michel Poon-Angeron and Che Benny – who are all on national duty in preparation for the Concacaf Gold Cup qualifiers a few days away.
National utility player Joevin Jones joined Police FC three weeks ago and has certainly changed their fortune since leaving Inter Miami. Jones scored his third goal of the campaign in the 33rd minute for the lawmen. However, his goal was cancelled out by Sedale Mc Clean in the 42nd minute. The second half ended goalless. Police FC remained in fifth position with 33 points.
In another match, Willis Plaza scored a first-half brace to secure a 3-1 win for Central FC over cellar-placed Cunupia FC.
Former national striker Plaza gave his team the 1-0 lead at the half-hour mark. However, Cunupia FC equalised three minutes later through Ricardo Williams. Central FC regained the lead via Plaza in the 36th minute.
Cunupia FC were searching for the equaliser in the second half but Kesean St. Rose`s goal in the 53rd sealed the victory for the Central team.
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I am absolutely loving it. Trying to keep up-to-date with the games but failing at the moment (work is crazy until the end of this month)
The TTFA made a list of matches with FIFA+ links in case you didn't know, see below;
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iFnjK1gZ-s2ZIFco0uEYuND4jN4nju0W/edit#gid=1008088244
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AC POS sink Club Sando to close in on TTPFL title.
By Sherdon Pierre (T&T Newsday).
The inaugural TT Premier Football League title is within the grasp of AC POS courtesy of Duane Muckette`s 90th-minute penalty which resulted in a 3-2 victory over Club Sando in a scintillating encounter on Wednesday at the Phase Two La Horquetta Recreation Grounds, Arima.
AC Pos are in the driver's seat with 52 points and two matches remaining against Prison Services FC (rescheduled fixture) and Defence Force on the last day of the league. Army were up against Terminix La Horquetta Rangers up until press time with the hope of a positive result to keep the pressure on AC POS.
AC Pos enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening minutes of the game. However, against the run of play, Club Sando took a 1-0 lead through the brilliance of national player and teenager Nathaniel James notching his 14th goal of the campaign. James collected in the 18-yard box and dribbled past his defender to drill past a helpless goalkeeper Jadon Poon-Lewis.
Knowing the importance of the game AC piled on the pressure and were rewarded within minutes as Robert Primus`s header tied the match in the 23rd minute. Four minutes later, Sedale Mclean gave the “Town Boys” a 2-1 advantage. Muckette`s exquisite, lofted pass was chested by national utility player Jameel Neptune who then laid into the path of Mclean who side-footed it past Sando`s goalie Miles Goodman.
Club Sando`s head coach Cornell Glen seemed to have inspired his troops at the half-time interval as they equalised three minutes after the resumption through Nicholas Dillon from a play that started with a defence-splitting pass from James.
Player of the match Jadon Poon-Lewis, who has been the deputy custodian behind national goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, for the last 12 games, showed his ability with crucial saves in the second half that kept his team in the match.
In the 90th minute, referee Kwinsi Williams awarded AC Pos a penalty when captain Muckette was fouled with his back turned to the goal. Muckette took the penalty himself and he slotted it to the right of goalie Goodman who got a hand to the shot, but it was too powerful. AC POS eventually won the match 3-2 keeping destiny in their own hands.
In another match at the Ato Boldon Recreation Ground Santa Cruz, San Juan Jabloteh defeated Cunupia 3-1. Goal scorers for Jabloteh were Jadel Josiah- Carter, Lindell Sween, Trevis Byron whilst Jaimol Layne was the lone scorer for Cunupia.
Akeem Roach`s lone goal was good enough to give Central FC a 1-0 victory against Morvant Caledonia United at the Larry Gomes Stadium.
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Wednesday's matches
W Connection vs Police, Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin, 5 pm
Point Fortin Civic vs Prisons Service, Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin, 7.15 pm
AC Port-of-Spain vs Club Sando, Phase II Rec. Ground, La Horquetta, 5 pm
La Horquetta Rangers vs Defence Force, Phase II Rec. Ground, La Horquetta, 7.15 pm
San Juan Jabloteh vs Cunupia FC, Ato Boldon Rec. Ground, 5 pm
Morvant Caledonia vs Central FC, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 4 pm
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Army set up title showdown vs AC PoS.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
DEFENCE Force set up a title decider against AC Port of Spain on the final matchday of the TT Premier Football League following a 4-2 victory over Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in the penultimate round at the La Horquetta Recreation Grounds on Wednesday night.
The win for Defence Force over Rangers took the Army men to 53 points, one point ahead of AC Port of Spain. AC Port of Spain will still fancy their chances as they have a match in hand against Prison Service FC.
Defence Force will play AC Port of Spain on the final matchday.
Justin Garcia opened the scoring for Defence Force with a penalty in the fourth minute. It remained 1-0 until the 35th minute when Isaiah Lee equalised for Rangers in the 35th minute. But four minutes later, Brent Sam put Defence Force back in front with a 39th minute goal.
Cassim Kellar gave Defence Force a 3-1 lead in the 47th minute, but Rangers kept fighting as Nathaniel Garcia pulled a goal back in the 56th minute.
Darrius Ollivierra ensured Defence Force ended with full points with a goal in stoppage time.
In other matches which finished late on Wednesday, Police FC continued their late season form with a 3-0 win over W Connection and the match between Heritage Pt Fortin Civic and Prison Service FC ended in a 2-2 draw.
Premier League Standings
Teams*W*L*D*GD*Pts
Defence Force*21*17*2*2*+36*53
AC POS*20*17*2*1*+40*52
Club Sando*21*14*4*3*+19*45
Rangers*21*14*6*1*+32*43
Police*21*11*7*3*+10*36
Central FC*21*10*10*1*-5*31
Point Fortin Civic*21*7*10*4*-4*25
W Connection*21*6*11*4*-15*22
Jabloteh*21*5*12*4*-13*19
Caledonia*21*4*15*2*-27*14
Prisons*20*3*14*3*-37*12
Cunupia FC*21*2*17*2*-36*8
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Correct me on this. I read where Joevin Jones is playing for Police. How is this possible ?
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Correct me on this. I read where Joevin Jones is playing for Police. How is this possible?
;D
I will take that in the light most favorable to the player (and not the question of who goes from Inter Miami to Police). Answer: Yuh doh have to be a member of the TTPS to play for Police.
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No u dont Police have civilian players and now witht he new league structure u can get a salary as u sign a contract. I believe Joevin have something line up he jus signed with Police until the ending of this season to get the match fitness leading up to the Gold.Cup ive heard he supp to have something lined up for Canada im guessing prob he may move bk overseas from next season
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Yuh doh have to be a member of the TTPS to play for Police.
All my life playing and following football, that was never the case for the protective services teams. Never. You had to be employed. I more believe Trinidad Sports Reality on this one.
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Yuh doh have to be a member of the TTPS to play for Police.
All my life playing and following football, that was never the case for the protective services teams. Never. You had to be employed. I more believe Trinidad Sports Reality on this one.
I have to take that back. I was just told on a chat that the TTPS has amended their rules several years ago to allow non-officers to rep. them. I definitely did not know that.
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AC Port of Spain a point away from TTPFL title
By Sheldon Pierre (T&T Newsday)
AC Port of Spain are one point away from lifting the inaugural T&T Premier Football League title setting up an exciting showdown against the second-placed Defence Force on the final matchday of the season.
Defence Force are on 53 points from their 21 matches whilst AC PoS are on 55 points from the same number of matches. Therefore, Army will need a victory whereas a draw will be sufficient for a maiden league trophy for AC PoS.
The “Town Boys” routed Prison Services FC 6-0 in a rescheduled match at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar on Saturday. AC attacking maestro Che Benny opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an easy tap in goal. Then, captain Duane Muckette extended the lead to 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 15th minute and that scoreline stood until the halftime interval.
Benny scored his second goal of the match with a ferocious left-footed strike that bulged the back of the net before goalkeeper Evon Bourne could react in the 52nd minute for the 3-0 advantage. The floodgates were opened because seven minutes later John Paul Rochford calmly slid home his team`s fourth goal.
In the 72nd, Jomoul Francois ran onto a well-weighted through ball to finish past a diving goalie Bourne at the far post making it 5-0. Jean- Heim Mc Fee rounded off the scoring for the match when he collected and slapped home against a helpless Bourne for the 6-0 victory.
In another match, Morvant Caledonia United defeated Cunupia FC 2-1 at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium. Shade Louis scored a double for Caledonia whilst Ricardo Williams was the lone scorer for Cunupia FC who remain at the bottom of the table.
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So Police has a team in Div2 also. So if the Police was to win Div. 2, will there be two Police team in Div. 1
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AC PoS not playing for a draw vs Defence Force
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
DESPITE needing a draw to seal the T&T Premier Football League title, head coach of leaders AC Port of Spain Walt Noriega said his team will be gunning for three points against runners-up Defence Force, in the final round on Saturday.
The teams will square off at the Arima Velodrome at 4 pm with everything at stake.
AC Port of Spain lead the standings with 55 points, two points ahead of Defence Force.
Noriega said his team will not be conservative.
“We will take the game as we take every other game. We go out to try to win the game,” Noriega said.
If the match is not going to plan, the strategy will change, Noriega said. “Worst-case scenario, if things not looking good we will settle for the draw, but we will go out to try to win the game.”
Many of AC Port of Spain’s players have been overlooked for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and as a result the team will benefit this weekend with a near full-strength team. Only goalkeeper Marvin Phillip will be missing in action.
AC Port of Spain midfielders Michel Poon Angeron, captain Duane Muckette, John-Paul Rochford and Che Benny have all seen playing time with the Soca Warriors over the past year, but were not selected for the Gold Cup, which kicks off on Saturday.
Muckette, Rochford and Benny have led the attack for AC Port of Spain this season providing goals and assists. Angeron plays as a busy holding midfielder.
Defence Force have quality of their own and will be fancying their chances. Attacking midfielder Reon Moore, who also missed out on national selection, will be a key player for the Army men.
The imposing figure of forward Brent Sam also stands in the way of AC Port of Spain winning the title. Justin Sadoo in midfield has also provided a number of assists to the Defence Force cause.
Noriega expects a tougher contest than their 3-0 victory over the "Teteron Boys" earlier this season.
“Defence Force also started off slow and as the season progressed they picked up form. Defence Force have the experience, they know about winning these titles and they are a quality team.
"It will be a good game, it will a challenging game. We are not taking them lightly. We know their strengths as well as we know some of their weaknesses, and we hope to capitalise on those weaknesses and execute on the day.”
In the absence of Phillip, goalie Jadel Poon-Lewis has delivered when called upon for AC Port of Spain. He has the trust of his coach and his teammates.
“We have a dependable second-choice goalkeeper in Jadel Poon. We will be all right,” Noriega said.
The AC PoS coach said he is proud of his players' execution of the team tactics. “The boys settled in well. They started to understand what we want from them…Game to game we got stronger with the understanding of how we want to play and how we want to win back the football. It augurs well for us going into this last game.”
Noriega has patterned his coaching style after English team Arsenal, which includes possession football and keeping the ball on the ground.
There has been stiff competition for places within the squad and Noriega believes this has kept his players sharp.
“They know that we have some quality players and they would have to fight for their position…I keep telling them not because you coming training guarantee you a pick on the team, but when you do get the chance you have to show that you can match with the boys.”
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From #ttsportsdiary.
The downside of sport in general and football in particular. Joumal Francois of AC POS has broken his leg in a training session tonight. They are to play Defence Force this Saturday for the TTPFL league. Last game I believe. So sad. Blessings and quick recovery.
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Army ready for AC PoS: 'We know how to finish'
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
DEFENCE Force coach Hutson Charles has said keeping composure in front of goal of late has led the team to the brink of the T&T Premier Football League crown.
A win for second-placed Defence Force on Saturday over leaders AC Port of Spain at Arima Velodrome from 6.15 pm will see the Army men lift the inaugural TTPFL crown.
AC Port of Spain are hanging on to a two-point lead with 55 points and a draw will be enough for them to be crowned champions.
After match day one, many may have thought Defence Force would not be title-contenders heading into the final day after being crushed by AC Port of Spain 3-0.
But the records of AC Port of Spain and Defence Force are similar. AC Port of Spain have 18 wins, two losses and one draw, and the Army men have 17 wins, two losses and two draws.
Both teams have been in impressive form of late, winning four of their last five matches.
Looking ahead to today’s match, Charles said, “I am feeling confident, not just me, but the players too. We have been putting in the work this week, and as I say, we are confident that we can win the title tomorrow.”
Addressing the team’s slow start, Charles said the players took some time to understand the philosophy of the coaches.
“We had a plan in terms of how we wanted to go about the season. Yes, we started slow, but with the training and getting to understand what the staff wanted out of the players, I think we built a nice little momentum…we keep going from strength to strength, and hopefully tomorrow we can come away with the championship.”
Being clinical in front of goal has contributed to the turnaround by Defence Force.
“I think the players having that confidence that they could go out there and perform well at the highest level (has been the difference). We started to put away our chances.
"In most of the games we have been lacking that final touch. I think for the last couple of games the guys have been spot-on in terms of putting away their chances.”
Charles said in terms of attacking, many players have been delivering.
“Not surprising (to see the players perform), because being around these guys a lot, we know their ability. The last couple games (striker) Reon Moore has been getting back to himself. That made him get called up to the national team. Dwight Quintero is one that has stepped up, and of course Brent Sam is Brent Sam.”
Sam, who is a tall striker, is the leading goal-scorer for Defence Force this season, with 11 goals.
Charles said Kevon Goddard and defender Justin Garcia are among the other players who have shown their quality this season. Midfielder Justin Sadoo is another integral member of the squad.
Charles said Defence Force will not adjust their plans much for today’s match because they need three points.
“We just have to be disciplined tomorrow and put away our chances. As long as we do that, we will win.”
In other matches today, Police FC will play Terminix La Horquetta Rangers at 4 pm at Arima Velodrome and at Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Tiger Tanks Club Sando will face Pt Fortin Civic FC at 4 pm.
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DF won 2-1. Entertaining game. Congrats to them. Congrats to AC for their consistent performance throughout the season. Unless this league get a massive infusion of money, I don’t know where our football is heading.
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Army snatches dramatic $125,000 title in Arima.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).
T&T Defence Force claimed a dramatic 2-1 win over AC Port-of-Spain in a winner-take-all T&T Premier Football League Tier decider watched by a crowd of more than 2,000 spectators at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima on Saturday night.
With the win, the “Teteron Men” took home the $125,000 title with 56 points from 22 matches, while AC Port-of-Spain who started the match with a two-point advantage and just needed a draw, had to settle for the $75,000 runner-up cheque after leading the 22 rounds of football for most of the season, ended with 55 points.
The Defence Force was last crowned champions in 2019 of the defunct T&T Pro League.
Needing to win against AC PoS, Defence Force was on the front foot from the onset and took the match to the slow-starting AC Port-of-Spain with goalkeeper Jadel Poon-Lewis being called up to make numerous saves to keep the league leaders in the contest.
However, despite their early dominance and chances created Defence Force had nothing to show at the half-time whistle as both teams went into the break still goalless and all to play for.
On the resumption, Defence Force led by coach Lloyd Andrews started the better of both teams with Reon Moore seeing a side-footed effort from close range skim the bottom of the left-sided post from a Darius Ollivierra right-sided cross in the 52nd minute.
Six minutes later at the other end, Che Benny had AC PoS’s best chance, a header which crashed off the crossbar after he was picked up by Duane Muckette’s flighted ball in the 58th.
However, the breakthrough finally came for 20th domestic league champions Defence Force when lanky defender Justin Garcia headed home a deep right-sided corner, his seventh of the season, from Justin Sadoo at the far post for a deserved 1-0 lead in the 65th.
Two minutes, Defence Force moved a step closer to clinching the title when mid-season transfer Kaihim Thomas connected with a right-sided centre from Kendell Hitlal, on the right-footed volley, while falling back to put the ball out of the reach of Poon-Lewis for a 2-0 cushion and within sight of the $125,000 winner’s prize.
With nine minutes left in the contest Thomas almost got a second goal on the night, and his team’s third when he unleashed a stinging right footer from at the top of the 18-yard box, however, he was denied by the crossbar, with the ball ricocheting back into play, and off the back of a sprawling Poon-Lewis away for a corner.
There was still a chance for AC Port-of-Spain to get into the match as substitute Haile Beckles, did his best to lift his team, with a long-range strike slamming into the bottom of the left post, with Defence Force goalkeeper Christopher Biggette beaten.
Three minutes into time added on, AC PoS finally pulled a goal back when a left-sided freekick from John-Paul Rochford was re-directed back across the goal mouth by Maurice Ford for Muckette to guide over the line just ahead of a challenge from Biggette.
In the end, Defence Force survived a few nervous moments to secure the win and lift the title.
Down at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Tiger Tanks Club Sando ended the season on a high with a 2-0 win over Heritage Point Fortin Civic thanks to strikes from Nathaniel James, his league-best 15th of the season, as early as the eighth minute, and Isaiah Thompson, in the 89th.
With the win, Club Sando, who like Defence Force and AC Port-of-Spain will now focus on Concacaf Club competitions in August, ended with 48 points from their 22 matches, ten adrift of the league champions, and five behind the runners-up for the third spot and $50.000.
In the opening match at Arima, Police dashed any chances of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers ending in the third spot with a 1-0 result via a Kadeem Hutchinson 21st-minute goal to cement the fifth spot with 39 points. The focus now shifts to the knockout competition which will involve the Tier II clubs as well.
Yesterday’s Results
Defence Force 2 (Justin Garcia 63rd, Kaihim Thomas 66th) vs AC Port-of-Spain 1 (Duane Muckette 90+3)
Police FC 1 (Kadeem Hutchinson 21st) vs La Horquetta Rangers 0
Club Sando 2 (Nathaniel James 8th, Isiaiah Thompsomn 89th) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
FINAL 2023 LEAGUE STANDING
Pos Team P W D L F A Pts
1. Defence Force 22 18 2 2 53 16 56
2. AC PoS 22 18 1 3 63 18 55
3. Club Sando 22 15 3 4 43 22 48
4. LH Rangers 22 14 1 7 62 31 43
5. Police 22 12 3 7 43 32 39
6. Central FC 22 11 1 10 38 41 34
7. Point Fortin Civic 22 7 4 11 21 27 25
8. W Connection 22 6 4 12 19 36 22
9. Jabloteh 22 6 4 12 35 46 22
10. Morvant Caledonia 22 5 2 15 24 50 17
11. Prisons Service 22 3 3 16 16 61 12
12. Cunupia FC 22 2 2 18 13 50 8
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Andrews credits ‘Teteron Men’ fitness for title win
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)
Lloyd “Sonoltee” Andrews, coach of the Defence Force has credited their fitness level and entire support staff for his team’s capture of the inaugural T&T Premier Football League title on saturday, the record-extending 24th in the team’s history.
The 60-year-old coach Andrews also led Defence Force to its fourth and final T&T Pro League in the competition’s 20-year history in the 2019/2020 campaign, his debut season as coach, and the first for the team since 2012/2013.
The Army/Coast Guard, a dominant force in local and Concacaf football back in the day, previously won the national league crowns from 1974 to 1995.
They missed out on titles in 1986, 1991 and 1994. The team celebrated as Semi-Professional League champions in 1996 and 1997 and captured the inaugural T&T Pro title in 1999, and then in 2010/2011.
The team’s success in the 2019/2020 season came after the league competition was cut-short with three matches left for each club in the 11-team Pro League season due to the worldwide coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Defence Force was Concacaf champions in 1978 and 1987.
However, a decision was then taken by the then competition organisers to declare the ‘Teteron Men’ as league champions with three matches left to complete the season.
After no local competition was held for the past two seasons for various reasons, the T&TPFL under the supervision of Chief Executive Officer Colin Wharfe took kicked off in mid-March, and going into Saturday’s final match day of the 12-club competition which consisted of two rounds of matches, the ‘Teteron Men’ with 53 points, trailed the Walt Noreiga-coached AC Port-of-Spain (55 points), and needed nothing less than a win to snatch the title.
At the end of a pulsating contest watched by 2,000-plus spectators at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, goals from national defender Justin Garcia and Kaihim Thomas were enough to get the Army/Coast-Guard combination over the line in a 2-1 win over AC PoS, who had captain Duane Muckette on target late on.
Speaking after the win Andrews said his team’s triumph could not be accomplished without the tremendous support behind the scenes as well.
“I will like to thank Chief of Defence Staff, Major Thompson, Col. Charles, Lt Dookie, and Lt Ottley who have all been very supportive to us, working hard and giving their full backing in the background.”
He added: “My assistant coaches Devin Elcock, and Hutson “Barber’ Charles, chairman Keston Charles and team manager Basil Thompson, and most importantly, the players and all other supporting personnel.
“Because this is a result of us all working together with the same vision and goal, and in the end, we were able to come away with the league title, stated Andrews.
The “Teteron Boys” also won the Ascension Football Invitational Tournament, which was hosted by businessman Richard Ferguson, owner of Terminix La Horquetta before the start of the 2019/2020 Pro League season when local football resumed after the pandemic.
However, last year the “Teteron Men” had to settle for the runner-up spot behind the Rangers in the second edition of the Ascension Tournament.
When the inaugural season of the T&T Premier Football League kicked off in March, the perennial kings of domestic football were eager to be among the title contenders but suffered a shock 3-0 loss at AC Port-of-Spain at the Arima Municipal Stadium, on March 11, 2023. According to Andrews, that defeat ignited his team into the machine they ended the league campaign in, winning their last five matches to claim the $125,000 winners’ prize.
He said: “At the beginning of the competition we lost our first match, and it was a matter of us being unable to prepare for the start of the tournament in the way we wanted to, and to be honest it served as a wake-up call for us, in terms of our lack of intensity and physical preparation.
“What worked in our favour as well was that our next match against Rangers had to be postponed due to them being out of the country on a Caribbean tour and we didn’t play for about two weeks, and during that time we worked on our physical fitness level and intensity because it is unheard of that a Defence Force team will go into any competition, not in top physical shape, and that’s what happened with us.”
“And when we got up to speed it was evident that a lot of the things which were affecting us was mainly due to our lack of fitness, and after the next two matches against Pt Fortin Civic (2-1 win), and Police (2-0 win) you could have seen the work we managed to get in during the break for us helped us to correct a lot of our weak points.
Andrews also credited the depth of his squad and being able to give players a break as key to his team’s run to the title.
He noted: “During the campaign we had a few players going out on national duty like Justin Sadoo, Justin Garcia, Kevon Goddard, Reon Moore, Jelani Felix, Kaihim Thomas, and Curtis Gonzales.
“And losing these players to national duty didn’t create a problem, as we were able to create a strong core whereby if one man was missing it was the next man up, and players like Cassim Kellar, captain Jamali Garcia (captain), Darius Ollivierra, Kendell Hitlal Hashim Arcia, Dwight Quintero, Brent Sam and Lashawn Roberts all stepped up and played key roles throughout the season.
“In the end, we had to chop and change the team due to the international matches for the national team, but having created that pool of players I think it helped us to finish strong, as we were always there in the hunt waiting for the teams around us to slip up, and in the end, we got the chance to claim the title, and we took it on the final day.”
Despite claiming the league crown, his second in as many outings in charge, Andrew admitted that it was not his team’s first target.
“Our first target was to qualify for the Concacaf Club competitions, and to do so, we needed to be among the top three clubs by a certain stage of the competition. And we said to ourselves, once we are there in the top three, we are in with a chance to win the title.
With the T&TPFL knockout competition and the Concacaf competition to come, Andrews said much more focus will be put towards the international tournament.
He added: “We will not be putting much attention on the knockout because we want to make a major impact in the Concacaf competition. So, while we want to keep the players’ energy levels up and focus, we will be making a few changes to the team as we have made our choice as to which tournament to put more focus on.
“For the knockout, we will still be putting out a strong team, but at the same time, if we fail to win that competition, it must not in any way affect our preparations for the Concacaf tournament.
In the Concacaf Caribbean Cup Defence Force and AC PoS will compete in Group A with Cavalier FC (Jamaica), Moca FC (Dominican Republic), and the Caribbean Club Shield runner-up.
Group B comprises Cibao FC and CA Pantoja, both of the Dominican Republic, Harbour View FC (Jamaica), Dunbeholden FC (Jamaica), and the Caribbean Club Shield champion.
At the end of the two round-robin groups, the top two teams will qualify for the semifinals, and then the final, with the tournament serving as the qualifier for the new-look 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, which will feature 27 clubs from the competition.
T&T’s Tiger Tanks Club Sando will contest Group D of the Concacaf Caribbean Shield with SV Dakota (Aruba), Solidarité Scolaire (Guadeloupe), SWA Sharks FC (Turks and Caicos Islands), and at the end of the four groups the group winners will qualify to the semifinals with the finalist advancing to the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, as well.
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TTPFL Knockout Cup Kicks Off.
TTFA Media.
The TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) will launch the PFL Knockout Cup which begins with a Prelim Round on 28 June 2023 and concludes with a Final on 15 July 2023.
This competition will involve Clubs from the TTPFL Tier 1 and Tier 2 which means that teams from the top divisions in local football, from communities across Trinidad and Tobago, will face off against each other to be crowned Cup champion.
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The FA trophy is the tournament for that.
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Premier League Knock-out Cup kicks off
T&T Newsday Reports.
THE TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) will launch the Knock-out Cup which begins with a preliminary round on Wednesday and concludes with the final on July 15.
The competition will involve clubs from the TTPFL tier one and tier two.
Five matches will be played in the preliminary round involving the five lowest ranked tier one clubs versus the five lowest ranked tier two clubs as per TTPFL standings last Monday.
The five winners of the preliminary round will join the five highest ranked tier one clubs and the six highest ranked tier two clubs as per the TTPFL standings last Monday. Those teams will be entered into the round of 16 random draw which will be held on Thursday. The Round of 16 matches will be played on Saturday.
The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held on July 4 and 7 respectively.
Wednesday Preliminary Round Fixtures:
San Juan Jabloteh vs TT Defence Force FC II, La Horquetta Recreation Ground, 5 pm
Central FC vs Guaya United, La Horquetta Recreation Ground, 7 pm
Heritage Petroleum Pt Fortin Civic vs Petit Valley Diego Martin Utd, Mahaica Sports Complex, Pt Fortin, 6 pm
Prison Service FC vs Matura Reunited, YTC Grounds, Arouca, 5 pm
Cunupia FC vs Bethel United SC, To be determined
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Central, Point Fortin Civic book round-of-16 spots.
T&T Guardian Reports.
Central FC and Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic joined fellow T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) Tier I clubs Prisons FC and San Juan Jabloteh in the round of 16 in the TTPFL Knockout competition with wins in their preliminary round matches on Wednesday night.
At the Phase II Recreation Ground, La Horquetta, Gary Griffith III netted on the stroke of half-time to put Central FC 1-0 ahead against Guaya United before Ricardo John made it 2-0, five minutes after the restart. This was followed by Anslem Jackson’s 66th-minute effort for a 3-0 lead before Keston Frontin pulled a goal back for the Southerners in the 73rd, but it was too little too late.
At the Mahaica Sporting Complex, host Point Fortin Civic got a brace from Shackiel Henry in the 20th and 89th while Shivaughn Best also netted in the 90th in their 3-0 defeat of visitors Petit Valley/Diego Martin United.
In Wednesday’s early matches, San Juan Jabloteh and Prisons Service registered contrasting victories over Defence Force II FC and Matura Re-United at the YTC Ground in Arouca and La Horquetta, respectively.
Bottom of the 12-team standings in Tier I, Jabloteh signalled their intention to make amends for a less-than-expected finish by edging Defence Force 2-1 at Phase II recreation ground, while Prisons Services FC was more convincing in their victory, hammering Matura Re-United 4-0.
Kevon "Showtime" Woodley seemed to have regained his goal-scoring touch since leaving Cunupia FC earlier this season, with the opening goal in Jabloteh's triumph. The other goal came courtesy of an own goal by Tevin Latapy of the Defence Force which handed the San Juan men an easy passage through to the round of 16.
The lone Defence Force goal, on the other hand, was scored by Jerwyn Balthazar.
At the YTC ground in Arouca, the home team produced a menacing performance to cruise into the round of 16. Jordan Devonish propelled them into the lead with a 27th-minute item, which was one of three goals scored before the half-time interval.
Akeem Bibi-Bailey then handed the prison officers a two-goal advantage in the 35th minute, before Anthony Parris sent them to the break comfortably with a three-goal lead with a 44th-minute strike.
Josiah Joseph then sealed the win in the 85th minute with his goal.
The round-of-16 kicks off tomorrow (on Saturday), with newly crowned Tier I champions Defence Force facing Prisons Service to kick off their bid for a double crown and Police FC meeting Jabloteh in the two all-Tier I encounters following the draw at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex, on Thursday morning.
Results:
San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Kevon Woodley, Own Goal Tevin Latapy) vs Defence Force II 1 (Jerwyn Balthazar)
Prisons Services 4 (Jordan Devonish 27th, Akeem Bibi-Bailey 35th, Anthony Parris 44th, Josiah Joseph 85th) vs Matura Re-United- 0
Central FC 3 (Gary Griffith III 45th, Ricardo John 50th, Anslem Jackson 66th) vs Guaya United 1 (Keston Kadeem Frontin 73rd)
Point Fortin Civic 3 (Shackiel Henry 20th, 89th, Shivaughn Best 90+3) vs Petit Valley/Diego Martin 0
Round-of-16 matches: - Tomorrow Saturday, July 1:
Defence Force vs Prisons Service
Harlem Strikers vs AC Port-of-Spain
Police FC vs San Juan Jabloteh
Phoenix FC vs Point Fortin Civic
UTT vs Central FC
La Horquetta Rangers vs Police (Tier II)
San Fernando Giants vs QPCC
Remaining preliminary match:
Cunupia FC vs Bethel FC
Remaining round-of-16 match:
Club Sando vs Cunupia FC/Bethel FC winner
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Brent Sam hat-trick puts Defence Force in quarter-finals
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
DEFENCE Force made a convincing start in their effort to win another title this season when the Army men destroyed Prisons Service FC 5-1 in the round of 16 of the TT Premier Football League Knock-out Cup at Arima Velodrome on Saturday.
Brent Sam, who scored more than ten goals during the league campaign, continued his prolific form netting a hat-trick. What was even more impressive is that he only needed 20 minutes to do so.
Sam opened the scoring as early as the tenth minute, before finding the net again in the 12th and 20th minutes of play to give Defence Force a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Shaquille Holder took over for Defence Force in the second half with a goal in the 50th minute followed by another in the 61st minute.
Prisons FC grabbed a consolation goal through a 78th minute item from Kemuel Rivers.
AC Port of Spain defeated Harlem Strikers II at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex 2-0 with goals from Moses Jaikaran and Sedale McLean to advance to the quarter-finals. AC Port of Spain will be eager to win the knock-out cup after losing out on the league title in the final round against Defence Force.
Police I also recorded a resounding victory on Saturday with a 5-2 win over San Juan Jabloteh at La Horquetta Recreation Grounds.
The goals were shared among the Police players as Jabari Mitchell (23rd minute), Kadeem Hutchinson (56th), Kern Roberts (60th), Anthony Wolfe (65th) and Kidane Lewis (79th) were all on target.
Finding the back of the net for Jabloteh were Elijah Seecharan (74th) and Dwight Jordan (89th).
In other results, Central FC edged University of TT Patriots 2-1, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers recorded a 2-1 win over Police II, Heritage Petroleum Pt Fortin Civic grabbed a narrow 2-1 win over Phoenix FC and QPCC II defeated San Fernando Giants II 2-1.
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AC POS joins Army in knock-out quarters
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
AC Port-of-Spain, joined their rivals Defence Force in the quarterfinal round of the T&T Premier Football League Knock-Out Competition after they defeated central outfit Harlem Strikers 2-0 at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex on Saturday night.
The capital city men, playing their first game since their heart-wrenching 2-1 loss to the Defence Force at the Arima Velodrome on June 24, took just 16 minutes to take the advantage in the encounter, coming from the boot of Maleek Moses.
Strikers, who were fourth on the Tier 2 standings only due to an inferior goal difference to Queen’s Park and San Fernando Giants, were hoping to produce an upset after the Giants went down to the Parkites 2-1 in the opening match of the Diego Martin venue at 5 pm, but it was always going to be an improbable task.
And as expected, they defended for most of the 90 minutes, until they were worn down, and Sedale Mc Clean sealed the win for the capital city men with a 79th-minute goal to send them into the quarters.
AC Port-of-Spain may be eager to have another crack at the Army Coast-Guard Combination, but there are other teams hoping to lift the knock-out title as well.
In the running, Police FC defeated San Juan Jabloteh 5-2 in an all-tier 1-contest at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground in Phase II La Horquetta. Playing in the first game of the doubleheader at La Horquetta on Saturday, the Lawmen, boosted by a five-game unbeaten streak, took the advantage after just the first minute of play from Anthony Wolfe.
Jabari Mitchell then fired them to a 2-0 lead in the 23rd minute, which they took to the halfway break.
Soon after the interval, Police, who finished the tier 1 League in the fifth position with 39 points, then raced to a 3-0 advantage when Kadeem Hutchinson found the nets in the 56th minute. Four minutes later, they increased their advantage with a Kern Roberts item in the 60th minute.
Jabloteh, forced to defend for long periods, then pulled a goal back in the 74th minute from Elijah Seechan 4-1, reducing the deficit to three.
However, it only seemed to have angered the Lawmen who responded almost immediately, in the 79th minute from Kidane Lewis for a 5-1 lead.
Jabloteh though, had the last say in the encounter, as Dwight Jordan found the nets a minute before the end of regulation time, in the 89th minute, for a result that send them packing out of the knock-out play-offs.
Meanwhile, Central FC, another of the Tier 1 teams in action on the day, got a double strike from Ricardo John in the 10th and 39th for maximum points over the University of T&T 2-1, as well as passage to the quarterfinal round of the knock-out.
In another game, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers prevailed over Police FC, the Tier 2 team 2-1.
Jamal Creighton fired the Easterners ahead in the 55th minute before an own goal by Ricky Morris gave them a 2-0 advantage. The Police goal came from J’deem Parris in the 90+5 minutes.
RESULTS AT THE WEEKEND
AC PoS- 2 (Maleek Moses 16th, Sedale Mc Clean 79th) vs Harlem Strikers- 0
Defence Force- 5 (Brent Sam 6th, 12th, 20th minute (pen), Shaquille Holder 50th, 61st) vs Prison Service- 1 (Kemuel Rivers 78th)
Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic- 2 (Rondel Phillip 24th, 90+3) vs 1976 Phoenix- 1 (Jariel Arthur 37th)
Police FC- 5 (Anthony Wolfe 1st, Jabari Mitchell 23rd, Kadeem Hutchinson 56th, Kern Roberts 60th, Kidane Lewis 79th) vs San Juan Jabloteh- 2 (Elijah Seechan 74th, Dwight Jordan 89th)
Central FC- 2 ( Ricardo John 10th, 39th) vs UTT Tier 2- 1 (Warren Chase 85th)
Terminix La Horquetta Rangers- 2 (Jamal Creighton 55th, Ricky Morris own goal 88th minute) vs Police FC Tier 2- 1 (J’deem Parris 90+5)
QPCC- 2 (Sean De Silva 20th, Jose Parra 38th minute) vs San Fernando Giants- 1 (Denton Headley 62nd)
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So Police has a team in Div2 also. So if the Police was to win Div. 2, will there be two Police team in Div. 1
TTFA statutes prevent this I think... Most FIFA nations have stipulations that teams can't be from the same club, or indeed the same ownership. A couple Caribbean nations do allow though - hell the Turks and Caicos had three academy teams (Academy Jaguars, Cougars, and Falcons, and confusingly whether they were the first, second, or third team changed depending on the year...).
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Brent Sam, Justin Garcia keep Defence Force rolling
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)
A BRACE each from Brent Sam and Justin Garcia kept Defence Force’s dream alive of doing the doubles this year after crushing Queen’s Park 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the T&T Premier Football League Knock-Out tournament at Arima Velodrome on Tuesday night.
Defence Force are in the hunt for more silverware after winning the tier one league crown less than two weeks ago.
The knock-out tournament is featuring both tier one and tier two teams.
Queen’s Park, who are playing in tier two this season, were no match for the Army men.
National striker Reon Moore opened the scoring for Defence Force in the 22nd minute, before Sam notched his first goal of the match with a 29th minute item. Defence Force did not let up as Garcia netted his first of the match with a 34th minute goal.
Former national player Sean De Silva gave Queen’s Park a glimmer of hope with a goal in the 44th minute, but the Parkites still had a mountain to climb trailing 3-1 at half-time.
Any chances of a Queen’s Park comeback was put to bed as Sam scored his second goal in the 47th minute, before Garcia completed his double in the 61st minute.
Rivaldo Coryat, not known for his goal scoring, rounded off the scoring in the 69th minute.
In the second match of the double-header, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers defeated AC Port of Spain 2-1 to book a spot in the semi-finals.
Tyrone Charles converted in the 17th minute and Ross Russell Jnr made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute. Sedale Mclean got a consolation item in stoppage time for AC Port of Spain.
At the Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Police FC progressed in the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Central FC.
Anthony Wolfe and Kadeem Hutchinson scored for Police and finding the back of the net for Central FC was Ricardo John.
On Wednesday, a rescheduled round of 16 match between Tiger Tanks Club Sando and Cunupia FC was held. Club Sando won 1-0 through a 75th minute goal from Nicholas Dillon. Club Sando will now face Heritage Petroleum Pt Fortin Civic in the quarter-finals.
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Anthony Wolfe the score sheet ?? oh gosh ??? ???
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Club Sando, Point Fortin battle for final Knock-Out semis spot
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)
Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic will on Saturday attempt to join three other teams in the semifinal of the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) Knockout playoffs when they take on Tiger Tanks Club Sando FC from 4 pm at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
Club Sando, the TTPFL qualifier for the CONCACAF Caribbean Shield next month, edged Cunupia FC 1-0 in a revised round of 16 fixture on Wednesday at the same venue.
Their win came courtesy of a Nicholas Dillon strike that put them on a collision course with the Point Fortin team that has been waiting since they defeated Tobago team 1976 Phoenix 2-1 at the Arima Velodrome on July 1.
To date, the truncated League winner Defence Force has booked a spot into the semifinals, alongside Police FC and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, who shocked AC Port-of-Spain 2-1 at the Velodrome on the weekend.
The winner of today's encounter will face the Defence Force on Tuesday at the first match of a doubleheader at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex, while the Lawmen and Rangers will tangle in the other semifinal.
Club Sando will have the services of their new signing, striker Kadeem Corbin who has just returned from T&T's humiliating 6-0 loss to the United States in Group A of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA. With that loss, the Soca Warriors were booted out of the tournament.
Yesterday, Club Sando manager Eddison Dean said his team will not be at full strength for the match as defender Josiah Trimmingham is currently away on trials in the USA. However, he said he is not a believer in taking any team for granted as football is played and decided on the day.
"It will no doubt be a competitive match. I do not think any team will have the advantage because in a match anything can happen. We will wait until later to see what happens," Dean said.
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Angus Eve, what was that?
T&T Express
What’s the point of giving local players the opportunity to impress if they aren’t selected at major tournaments?
Is it that locals are for friendlies and the overseas players are for the competitive matches?
This isn’t about our local league compared to overseas either.
Local players in national colours who played under Angus Eve, impressed and won football games (Jamaica, Guatemala) should have been rewarded with selection at the Gold Cup. Not being told hard luck and next time.
It doesn’t matter that they were friendlies, those opponents were full strength, and our players have a psychological edge of knowing that they can turn them over.
What were Joevin Jones and Kevin Molino doing on that team? Not because they have a load of caps means they’re guaranteed a position. Is it a Carenage thing?
They were clearly not fit and nowhere near up to speed.
Joevin Jones’ primary position is left back, so he should be playing left back! Triston Hodge couldn’t cross the halfway line, far less cross the ball.
Who are Leland Archer and Malcolm Shaw anyway and why are they making their debuts at such a major tournament?
Andre Rampersad refusing to track back when he gave away the ball, and centre backs Bateau and Moses could barely play out from the back or get goal side!
I looked at the games against Jamaica and USA, and we looked lazy, stiff, and stagnant. There was no movement, there were no shapes, no tracking back, no running with the ball, and no exploitation of space or gaps.
Players looked like they were just going through the motions, waiting for something to happen, not even calling for the ball or making themselves available.
I saw the opposing managers marching up and down the touchline, barking out orders, while our manager is having a laugh with his staff.
John-Paul Rochford in the No 10, Justin Sadoo pulling the strings from box to box, Justin Garcia pinging it from the back, Ross Russel Jr as an industrious full back, Reon Moore or Nathaniel James leading the line would’ve battered Jamaica and the USA.
I saw caution and fear in that team, and the players whom Angus Eve selected are the ones who let him down.
Whenever we showed some fight and intent like Auvray, Gill and Levi, or took a damn shot like Gomez, was when we looked dangerous.
Not everything white is right, players should be selected based on performance, and performance must be rewarded, regardless of who is overseas.
It’s not that we are behind Concacaf giants, problems with football administration, or the colour of our skin, squad selection let us down, because at the end of the day, it’s the football on the pitch that matters.
Kendell Karan
Chaguanas
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Club Sando, Point Fortin battle for final Knock-Out semis spot.
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian).
Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic will on Saturday attempt to join three other teams in the semifinal of the T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) Knockout playoffs when they take on Tiger Tanks Club Sando FC from 4 pm at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella.
Club Sando, the TTPFL qualifier for the CONCACAF Caribbean Shield next month, edged Cunupia FC 1-0 in a revised round of 16 fixture on Wednesday at the same venue.
Their win came courtesy of a Nicholas Dillon strike that put them on a collision course with the Point Fortin team that has been waiting since they defeated Tobago team 1976 Phoenix 2-1 at the Arima Velodrome on July 1.
To date, the truncated League winner Defence Force has booked a spot into the semifinals, alongside Police FC and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, who shocked AC Port-of-Spain 2-1 at the Velodrome on the weekend.
The winner of today's encounter will face the Defence Force on Tuesday at the first match of a doubleheader at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex, while the Lawmen and Rangers will tangle in the other semifinal.
Club Sando will have the services of their new signing, striker Kadeem Corbin who has just returned from T&T's humiliating 6-0 loss to the United States in Group A of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the USA. With that loss, the Soca Warriors were booted out of the tournament.
Yesterday, Club Sando manager Eddison Dean said his team will not be at full strength for the match as defender Josiah Trimmingham is currently away on trials in the USA. However, he said he is not a believer in taking any team for granted as football is played and decided on the day.
"It will no doubt be a competitive match. I do not think any team will have the advantage because in a match anything can happen. We will wait until later to see what happens," Dean said
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Army one win away from Premier League double.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).
DEFENCE Force stayed in contention to complete the double this season with a 3-2 win over Heritage Petroleum Pt Fortin Civic in semi-final one of the TT Premier Football League Knock-out competition at Diego Martin Sporting Complex on Tuesday night.
The Army men won the league crown on the final matchday with a victory over AC Port of Spain last month and are now one win away from another title.
Defence Force opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a header. Defender Justin Garcia has a knack for scoring in important matches as he found the back of the net when he got on the end of a Justin Sadoo corner.
In the last round of the league competition against AC Port of Spain, Garcia scored a header which helped Army clinch the league title.
Shortly after Garcia's opener, Pt Fortin Civic striker Marcus Joseph had the chance to level the match from the penalty spot, but he could not convert.
In the 35th minute, Joseph made amends as he got a second chance to equalise from the penalty spot and he did not disappoint on this occasion.
Defence Force dominated possession in the closing minutes of the first half, but the teams remained locked at 1-1.
Defence Force had 57 per cent possession in the first half, but Pt Fortin had seven shots compared to Defence Force's four attempts.
Thirty seconds into the second half, Reon Moore put Defence Force up 2-1. After a cross from the right side was deflected twice the ball fell to Moore near the penalty spot and he slotted home.
Seconds later Garcia almost scored his second goal of the match, but this time in his own net. In attempting to make a clearance the ball sliced off his foot and struck the post. Defence Force goalkeeper Christopher Biggette in an attempt to clear the ball slammed into the post and injured himself which led to a long delay.
Pt Fortin then went in search of the equaliser creating a few chances.
In the 60th minute, Moore attempted a curling shot from just outside the box but it did not trouble Civic goal-keeper Terrence Lewis
In the 63rd minute, prolific goalscorer Brent Sam made it 3-1 to Defence Force. Pt Fortin left Sam wide open on the far post who accepted the gift and converted the header.
Civic kept on fighting and in the 68th minute pulled a goal back when captain Hughton Hector controlled the ball with his thigh and in one motion turned and volleyed past Biggette eight yards from goal.
In the 78th minute, Defence Force had a chance to take a two-goal lead. Dwight Quintero and Kaihim Thomas combined well and the latter had a golden chance to score but could not find the back of the net and Lewis made the save.
Civic continued to attack the Defence Force goal in search of the equaliser. Substitute Ackeel Jacob got all his power behind a free kick and Biggette made a meal out of it as in attempting to hold the ball he could only push it onto the post. Defence Force survived as Civic could not score the rebound.
Despite eight minutes of stoppage time, Civic could not find the equaliser as Defence Force advanced.
The second semi-final between Police FC and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers ended after press time on Tuesday at the same venue.
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Defence Force complete Premier League double with 5-3 win over Rangers.
By Jonathan Ramnanansingh (T&T Newsday).
Defence Force captured the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) double after battling to an intense 5-3, extra-time victory over Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in the Knockout Cup final at Diego Martin Sporting Complex, Diego Martin, on Saturday.
A hat-trick from veteran Brent Sam and a goal each from Kaihim Thomas and man of the match Reon Moore saw off Rangers, who started well with the opening goal from in-form striker Tyrone Charles in the 15th minute.
In muddy conditions, Defence Force equalised nine minutes later as Moore placed a neat through-ball to a surging Thomas who made no mistake to beat Rangers custodian Jabari Brice.
Moore continued to pester the Rangers' defence and earned a penalty in the 32nd minute. However, Sam’s shot sent Price the wrong way but the ball deflected off the left post and out.
The score remained level at the half but Defence Force came right back into it eight minutes in, as Sam slotted home from close range and then headed past Price, courtesy of a Jelani Felix cross, to make it 3-1 in the 58th minute.
The army’s two-goal cushion was soon cut in half as Tyrone Charles’ smart free-kick ricocheted off the bar and into the path of Ross Russell Jr, who scored past Defence Force goalie Christopher Bigette in the 68th.
Moore, Thomas and Sam continued to pester Rangers’ backline and should have regained Defence Force’s two-goal lead before the final whistle. But five minutes from regulation time, Rangers won a penalty courtesy of a Jules Lee handball, to which Charles rifled home to level the contest at 3-3.
Into the first period of extra time, Moore continued to cause problems up front and chipped the ball onto the cross bar which fell to Sam’s feet, for his first Cup hat-trick.
Sam’s goal sent them 4-3 up and reignited Defence Force. Rangers though, began to press harder looking for another possible equaliser. But it was not to be, as Moore, who played provider for the entire game, shared a nice one-two with Thomas in the final minute (120’) of extra time to get on the scoresheet and affirm Cup victory.
For his valiant efforts, Moore was adjudged man of the match.
The win for Defence Force saw them cap off the nation’s first season of domestic pro football, post-pandemic, with two titles; league and knockout cup.
They now shift focus to the Concacaf Club Championship in August.
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PSV ziet middenvelder Dante Gilbert uit Trinidad en Tobago (18) als een mogelijke versterking. Hij heeft een goede indruk gemaakt in twee weken. Het vervolg is nog onbekend. De Egyptische keeper Nader en verdediger Cissé Faroukou komen niet terug. PSV gaat niet door met hen.
https://www.ed.nl/psv/psv-gelooft-in-middenvelder-uit-trinidad-en-tobago-en-haalt-hem-naar-eindhoven~ab2d59f5/?
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PSV believes in midfielder from Trinidad and Tobago and brings him to Eindhoven
PSV has decided to permanently recruit 18-year-old midfielder Dantaye Gilbert. If everything works out, and it looks like it at the moment, he will soon come over from San Juan Jabloteh from Trinidad and Tobago. That club previously gave permission for an internship in Eindhoven. Gilbert did well in this and that is why PSV was interested in adding him to their own training.
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When does the TTPL tier 1 season kick off /