WoLF Thread.

[Tallman]

Flanders new WoLF president
By Walter Alibey (T&T Guardian)

After two deaths and as many resignations, women’s football is back on a stable footing with the election of Vernetta Flanders as the new president of the T&T Women’s Football League (T&TWoLF).

Flanders who now holds the position of manageress of the country’s Under-17 girls team was elected unopposed, thereby replacing Susan Joseph-Warrick who resigned in 2020 from all football in T&T, inclusive of her position as second vice president of the T&T Football Association and president of the T&TWoLF.

Joseph-Warrick called an end to her involvement in local football in September 2020 when FIFA appeared to have won a battle through the local courts to have its Normalisation Committee replace the legitimately-elected football administration of which she was a member of the executive.

That year, FIFA also suspended T&T from all FIFA sanctioned football tournaments.

From 2020 to now women’s football endured a rigorous existence, not only because of Joseph-Warrick’s resignation but also due to the deaths of Claire Orr, the then assistant secretary of tournaments and competitions and Jameela Mohammed, the then general secretary of the organisation.

But at a virtual TTWoLF Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections on March 31, Flanders, who took over the position of general secretary following Mohammed’s untimely passing last year, was elected unopposed as president of the organisation as Hoyte opted not to contest the elections, and Marie Mouttet was chosen for the vacant assistant secretary of tournaments and competitions that was left by George who also died last year.

Also joining Flanders’ executive was Mohan Ronnie Persad who was uncontested for the public relations officer; Annleyes Collette- first vice president; Carel Percy- ordinary member; Keidi Brathwaite- ordinary member; Samantha Kissoon- assistant secretary operations; Patrice Superville- assistant secretary administration; and Christine Rose - who got the better of Ikenna Joseph for the position of treasurer six votes to four.

Meanwhile, Jenelle Nedd is the lone newcomer to the women’s football administration following her appointment as general secretary by Flanders soon after.

Flanders in an interview yesterday said her objective is to ensure that women’s football is restored to the position it once was and that there is a league this year. “ I have been involved in women’s football for a very long time so I am very much aware of the task ahead of me. I know it’s going to be an arduous task if I can get a bye-in by all the stakeholders.

I understand the task ahead of me as well so it’s just to promote or propel women’s football so that we can get back to where we once were.

The women’s team actually is the foundation for the national programme, there is where the players develop, this is where they’re supposed to come from, so if we do our jobs correctly and feed into the national programme then we can only strengthen the national team.”

According to Flanders: “ The first thing we want to do is get a league going before the year is out, but after that, WoLF has to have a bit more presence in the national landscape.

We’re trying to not make WoLF seasonal, WoLF shouldn’t exist only for a few months out of the year, but there should be stuff happening all-year round if we’re serious about development.”

The new women’s football boss said she also wants to add a few age-group categories to the WoLF competitions and tournaments this year.

[Flex]

WoLF Ascension Tournament kicks off Sunday.
By Jelano Beckles (T&T Newsday).

THE TT Women’s League Football (TT WoLF) Ascension tournament will kick off with a double-header at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground, Arima, on Sunday.

At 3 pm, Police FC and Defence Force will square off and, from 5 pm, Terminix La Horquetta Rangers will tackle Trincity Nationals.

Those attending the opening day of the TT WoLF tournament will be provided with musical entertainment.

Gates open at 1 pm.

This is the first time women’s club football will be played in T&T since the covid19 pandemic brought a halt to sport in March, 2020.

[Tallman]

Rangers edge Trincity Nationals in feisty Women’s Ascension opener
By David Scarlett (T&T Newsday)

TERMINIX La Horquetta Rangers kicked off the Trinidad and Tobago Women’s League Football (TTWOLF) Ascension Tournament in dramatic fashion as they netted a late winner to overcome Trincity Nationals 2-1 at Phase 2 La Horquetta Recreation Ground on Sunday.

Both teams battled on a soggy pitch due to the torrential rain that plagued the evening’s proceedings. However, Rangers began on the front foot and enjoyed the majority of possession as well as chances created. Their early dominance was rewarded in the 12th minute when Alexcia Ali pounced on a ball parried by goalkeeper Nicole Mitchell-Thomas, and the Rangers number 12 calmly tapped home from six yards out.

After the half-time break, the pendulum swung in Trincity’s favour as they conducted most of the play.

Felicia King brought the Nationals back on level terms with a well-struck free-kick from the top of the penalty area in the 60th minute.

But with the help of the loud and zesty support of the home crowd, Rangers found the winning goal nine minutes from the final whistle through Sharain Cummings’ clinical volley from a cross delivered from the right flank. The second-half substitute escaped her marker to find open space near the penalty mark and smartly rifled the ball into the back of the net.

The hosts strongly saw the game out and ensured that they began their season with all three points. In his post-match interview with Newsday, Rangers coach Dale Quamina expressed his delight with his team’s opening day victory but admitted that there is still work to be done.

He said, “We can always improve. Today, the conditions were not the best for both teams and I think we can both be better.

“However, the game was entertaining for the crowd; it was quite a big crowd for a women’s game, which was good to see… and things can only progress from here.”

When asked about his team’s dip in quality in the second half, Quamina claimed, “The ground in the first half was a bit lighter (than in the second half) and the girls had to adapt to the difficult conditions after the break. But they showed their grit and determination to drag through and get over the line.”

Quamina then praised the scorer of his team’s first goal, Alexcia Ali, but believes that there is more that needs to be added to her game. “I think she needs to work on her fitness”, he said, “fitness in the women’s game is very crucial.”

“Our ladies in this part of the world struggle with fitness and that is one of the main things that we are trying to work on. We are also developing them to play the La Horquetta way and we are looking forward to how things progress as we go along.”

The Rangers coach also expressed that his team doesn’t feel any pressure to win as tournament hosts but racking up victories will be difficult as there are many quality teams in the competition that wants to win as much as they do.

The game between Defence Force and Police, initially carded to be the tournament’s opening fixture, was abandoned after half an hour due to lightning and heavy rainfall. It was then regarded as an exhibition match. The official Battle of the Forces will be replayed at a later date to be determined.

[Tallman]

Cornwall scored a double in Rangers’ 3-1 win
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

The pair of J’eleisha Alexander and Jalia Martin scored two goals each as Tobago Chica trounced Jewels FC 4-0 to maintain their 100 percent winning record in the Tobago Conference of the revamped cash-infused Ascension T&T Women’s League Football Ascension Tournament on Sunday.

Alexander opened the scoring at the Plymouth Recreation Ground, Plymouth in the 20th minute and Martin made it 2-0 four minutes later for a comfortable half-time advantage.

Martin was first to complete her double in the 64th minute while Alexander did likewise in the 84th minute to secure their third win from as many matches in the three-team table for a maximum of nine points and three matches left to play.

With the loss, Jewels FC remained second with three points from as many matches, while cellar-placed Black Panthers are without a point.

In the four-club Northern Conference, Queen’s Park Cricket Club romped to a 6-1 victory over Diego Martin Central at Patna/River Estate Ground, Patna, Diego Martin for their second win in three matches.

Leading the way for the Parkites was Jessica Harrigan with two goals while Ashlee Alonzo, Brittany Mahabir, Jewel Blackwell, and Orielle Martin chipped in with one each for the winners who led 3-0 at the half-time interval while Diego Martin Central got a lone second-half item from Akilah Crawford.

The victory improved QPCC women to six points from three matches at the top of the four-club table, three points ahead of Diego Martin Central and Defence Force, who have one and two matches in hand, while North Coast is without a point after two matches.

In the South/Central Conference, front-runners, Club Sando leap-frogged St Augustine FC to the top spot after a 1-0 win in their top-of-the-table clash courtesy of a strike from Kayla Taylor at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium Training Field, Marabella.

The win lifted Club Sando to seven points from three matches, one more than St Augustine while UTT Patriots (one point), and Kamilllionare FC (without a point), saw their match at UTT Ground, San Fernando postponed.

And, in the lone Eastern Conference Terminix LA Rangers got a double from Afiya Cornwall in Rangers’ 3-1 win whipped Trincity Nationals 3-1 at the Eddie Hart Savannah, Tunapuna.

At the end of the four conferences’ respective two rounds of round-robin matches, the top two clubs from each conference will advance to the national quarterfinal playoffs, then to the semifinals and final.

The winners of the tournament will pocket $20,000 while the second-place finisher gets $15,000 and the third spot, $10,000.

[Tallman]

UTT Patriots near playoffs in Ascension WoLF tourney...QPCC drubs D/Martin Central 17-0
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Shenelle Jordan scored a hattrick to lead the University of T&T (UTT) Patriots to an 8-0 demolition of Kamillionare in their must-win Southern/Central Conference clash of the Ascension T&T Women’s League Football (WoLF) Tournament at UTT Grounds, San Fernando on Sunday.

Jordan got her goals in the 31st, 39th and 75th minutes for UTT Patriots while Jaydime Mohammed added a double, in the 16th and 56th and the trio of Jasandra Joseph (37th), Avanelle Loraine (61st) and Tyrese Cooper (80th) chipped in with one each.

The win lifted UTT Patriots to 13 points from eight matches in the second place, and one match left to play against the same winless Kamillionare with a win cementing the second spot behind Club Sando and passage to the national quarterfinal playoffs.

Third-placed St Augustine, with 12 points from eight matches, was trailing leader Club Sando 1-0 midway in the first half of their final league when bad weather forced the match to be halted.

In the Northern Conference at St Mary's College Ground, Serpentine Road, St Clair, Queen's Park trounced Diego Martin Central 17-0 with Ashlee Alonzo scoring a beaver trick in the 19th, 43rd, 59th and 90th minutes while Kachelle Clarke (9th, 23rd, 41st), Jessica Harragin (26th, 44th, 49th) and Orielle Martin (36th, 57th, 68th) all got hattricks.

The Parkites also got a pair of goals from Britany Mahabir in the 73rd and 78th minute while Hannah Vieira (71st), and Emily Nanton (93rd) scored one each against Diego Martin Central.

The Parkites despite the lopsided scoreline and wasted chances were denied the chance to add to their tally after the referee Nathalya Williams was forced to call off the contest four minutes into added-on time when Diego Martin was reduced to six players, with no fewer than four players sighting injury as reasons for not continuing.  

The win saw Queen's Park complete their nine-match campaign with 19 points from nine matches, six behind Defence Force who won by default from North Coast.

The Army/Coast-Guard combination women had earlier in the week outgunned QPCC 4-2 led by a treble from Shanice Pierre, and one from Kamile De Gale to cancel out Alonzo's double.

In the Tobago Conference, Jewels defeated Black Panthers 4-0 at Plymouth Recreation Ground, Plymouth with Celine Loraine scoring twice, and one each from Aaliyah Alvarez, and Crystal Toney to end with ten points from six matches, six behind group winner Tobago Chicas.

Police and LA Rangers have already secured the two quarterfinal spots from the Eastern Conference with 15 and 12 points respectively.

At the end of the four conferences, the top two teams will advance to the national “Big-Eight” playoffs from which the eventual tournament winners will pocket $20,000 while the second-place finisher gets $15,000 and the third spot, $10,000.

RESULTS

Northern Conference:

QPCC 17 (Kachelle Clarke 9th, 23rd, 41st, Ashlee Alonzo 19th, 43rd, 59th, 90th, Jessica Harragin 26th, 44th, 49th, Orielle Martin 36th, 57th, 68th, Hannah Vieira 71st, Britany Mahabir 73rd, 78th, Emily Nanton 93rd) vs Diego Martin Central 0

Defence Force 3 vs North Coast 0 - by default

Wednesday, August 24:

Defence Force 4 (Shanice Pierre 3, Kamile De Gale) vs QPCC 2 (Ashlee Alonzo 2)

South/Central Conference:

UTT Patriots 8 (Shenelle Jordan 31st, 39th, 75th, Jaydime Mohammed 16th, 56th, Jasandra Joseph 37th, Avanelle Loraine 61st, Tyrese Cooper 80th) vs Kamillionare FC 0

Tobago Conference:

Jewels 4 (Celine Loraine 2, Aaliyah Alvarez, Crystal Toney) vs Black Panthers 0


Latest standings


Eastern Conference

Teams P W D L F A Pts

Police 6 5 0 1 11 2 15

LA Rangers 6 4 0 2 9 5 12

Trincity Nationals 6 0 0 6 3 16 0


Northern Conference

Teams P W D L F A Pts

Defence Force 9 8 1 0 52 7 25

QPCC 9 6 1 2 56 11 19

D/Martin Central 9 3 0 6 11 50 9

North Coast 9 0 0 9 2 53 0


Tobago Conference

Teams P W D L F A Pts

Tobago Chicas 6 5 1 0 24 3 16

Jewels SC 6 3 1 2 15 7 10

Black Panthers 6 0 0 6 2 31 0


South/Central Conference

Teams P W D L F A Pts

Club Sando 8 7 1 0 34 2 22

UTT Patriots 8 4 1 3 16 7 13

St Augustine 8 4 0 4 28 5 12

Kamillionare 8 0 0 8 1 58 0


Top scorers

19 - Aaliyah Prince (Defence Force)

14 - Jessica Harragin (QPCC)

12 - Ashlee Alonzo (QPCC),

10 - Khadidra Debestte (Club Sando), Orielle Martin (QPCC)

8 - Breanna Smith (St Augustine FC), Celine Loraine (Jewels)

7 - J’Eleisha Alexander (Tobago Chicas),

6 - Luann Craig (St Augustine FC), Talia Martin (Tobago Chicas), Hannah Vieira (QPCC),

5 - Jahra Thomas (Club Sando), Tamika Isaac (Defence Force)

[Tallman]

Jordan fires UTT Patriots to Ascension WoLF quarters
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Shenelle Jordan scored a pair of first-half goals to lead the University of T&T (UTT) Patriots past Kamillionare 5-1 for a second win against the same opponents inside a week to seal a quarterfinal spot from the South/Central Conference of the Ascension T&T Women’s League Football (WoLF) Tournament on Saturday.

Playing six days after beating the same Kamillionare 8-0 led by a hattrick from Jordan, the Patriots were stunned in the third minute when Jillanda Sandy put Kamillionare ahead at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

However, within seven minutes Jaydime Mohammed got the Patriots on level terms before Jordan netted in the 25th and 30th minutes for a 3-1 lead which they took into the half-time interval.

Six minutes into the second half, Jasandra Josep extended the Patriots’ lead to 4-1 while Tisha Belfon added a fifth item in the 67th to seal a fifth win from their nine round-robin matches on the four-team table to end with 16 points, nine behind table-toppers Club Sando, and more importantly, out of reach of St Augustine FC who has 12 points.

When quarterfinal matches kick off this weekend, Club Sando and Terminix LA Rangers will face off in the second match of a quarterfinal doubleheader on Saturday, September 10 at a venue to be determined after the original venue, the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella was deemed unsuitable for matches at present.

Rangers enter the last-eight after they ended in second spot in the Eastern Conference with 12 points from six matches, three behind Police FC who will do battle with the South/Central Conference runner-up, UTT Patriots in the first quarterfinal on September 10.

A quarterfinal double-header is also carded for the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago on Sunday, September 11, with Northern Conference duo, winner Defence Force and runner-up Queen’s Park Cricket Club playing away to Jewels and Tobago Chicas, respectively.

The semifinals will take at the Phase II La Horquetta Recreation Ground, La Horquetta on September 18 with the winner of the UTT Patriots/St Augustine FC and Police FC tie facing the victor of the Jewels/Defence Force quarterfinal from 4 pm followed by the Club Sando/Termini LA Rangers winner against the Tobago Chicas/QPCC winner, two hours later for a spot in the September 25 final at the same La Horquetta venue.

The eventual tournament winners will pocket $20,000 while the second-place finisher gets $15,000 and the third spot, $10,000.

[Bianconeri]

If only WOLF would fix their internal matters and get more organised.

Season is wrapping up and it looks like the big 8 competition is gonna be controversial because of it's late ending and clashing with SSFL

This is what happens when the tournament took so long to begin and was sadly met with teams showing up short and crazy scorelines
Hopefully this doesn't go unnoticed and teams are pulled up for it

[Tallman]

Two sent off in WoLF fracas...Rangers, Police, Defence Force advance to semis
T&T Express

Trinidad and Tobago’s national team goalkeeper Kimika Forbes and West Indies cricketer Britney Cooper were both sent off during an ill-tempered, Ascension-sponsored Women’s League Football (WoLF) quarter-final clash, at the Hasely Crawford Stadium last Saturday.

The knockout stage of the WoLF tourney got under way last weekend with Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, Police FC, Defence Force and QPCC all making their way into the semi-final phase.

Police edged UTT Patriots 1-0, via an 18th minute Anique Walker item. Defence Force was due to travel to Tobago, but won by walkover after Tobago’s Jewels withdrew from the competition. Meanwhile, the final quarter-final between QPCC and Tobago Chicas will be played this weekend.

Last weekend Rangers won 2-0 over South champions Club Sando, with strikers Laurelle Theodore and Adanya Phillip getting the goals. Theodore struck in the opening minute. The combination of a good through pass, poor defending, and her own pace, got Theodore to a position where she squeezed a low shot past goalkeeper Keri Myers.

After Forbes and Cooper had been ejected, Phillip provided Rangers with a second when finding the top of the net with a shot from outside the penalty area in the 85th minute.

But it was not for brilliant individual goals, but other reasons that the match stood out — mainly shoddy refereeing and a brawl between players. Referee Garfield Weekes did neither the league or himself proud. His questionable officiating and his lack of maintaining control contributed to tempers flaring and physical confrontations between opposing players.

Despite the theatrics, Forbes had two earlier incidents which could have seen her either sent off, or a penalty awarded against Rangers. Weekes failed to punish Forbes or her team when the goalkeeper completely missed the ball and handed Club Sando striker Khadidra Debesette a “clothes line” -- catching Debesette by the neck with an outstretched arm, while inside the penalty area.

Later, Weekes also let play continue when Forbes charged erratically out of the penalty area, again getting none of the ball when upending goal-bound Kelly-Ann Williams with a vicious tackle. It was at this point, following Weekes’ lack of decisive action, that events spiralled out of control.

A team official walked onto the playing field. Cooper protested about Forbes’ tackle and was also having a verbal spat with another player, Aaliyah Pascall, when Forbes approached with a confrontational posture. Cooper pushed Forbes. Weekes red-carded Cooper, who took it well, touching the referee gently on his chest before proceeding to make her way off the field.

Weekes then approached the penalty area and also issued a red card to Forbes. She did not take her expulsion as well and immediately took off running toward the half-line to engage Cooper in another brief physical confrontation, before team members from both clubs quickly separated the two women.

[Tallman]

Alexander, Martin fire Tobago Chicas to WoLF semis
T&T Guardian

J’Eleisha Alexander and Talia Martin struck late in the second half to lead host Tobago Chicas FC to a 2-0 win over Queen’s Park Cricket Club in the lone remaining quarterfinal match of the T&T Women’s League Football (WoLF) Ascension Tournament at the Plymouth Recreation Ground, Plymouth, Tobago on Sunday.

With the win, Tobago Chicas set up a semifinal meeting with Terminix LA Rangers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 4.30 pm on Wednesday, while Police FC and Defence Force face off in the second semifinal from 7 pm at the same venue with the winners to clash in the final at a date and venue to be decided.

The Parkites started the match in Tobago as favourites after a second-place finish in the four-team Northern Conference with six wins from their nine matches to end with 19 points, six adrift of table-toppers Defence Force and scorers of a league-high 58 goals scored led by the duo of Jessica Harragin and Ashlee Alonzo with 14 goals each, and ten from Orielle Martin.

However, at the end of the first 45 minutes, Tobago Chicas who topped the Tobago Conference with five wins from six matches, for 16 points, powered by Alexander with seven goals, and six from Martin managed to keep the visitors at bay.

And with the minutes ticking away it was Alexander who fired the home team ahead in the 70th minute, with Martin adding the insurance item, a minute from full-time.

The trio of Police FC, Terminix LA Rangers and Defence Force all booked their places in the semifinal with contrasting wins.

At the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Police FC got a lone strike from former national youth captain Anique Walker in the 18th minute to slip past a spirited University of T&T (UTT) Patriots while Rangers got a goal each from Laurelle Theodore and Adanya Phillip to beat Club Sando 2-0.

However, for the semifinals, Rangers will have to do without the services of national goalkeeper Kimika Forbes who was issued a straight red card by referee Garfield Weekes for unsportsmanlike behaviour along with Club Sando’s Britney Cooper

The Army/Coast-Guard combination women secured their spot in the final four after they were awarded a win by default against Jewels of Tobago after the latter opted out of the competition due to the unavailability of players because of their commitments with their respective teams in the Secondary Schools Football League. Admission to the double-header is $20.

The eventual tournament winners will pocket $20,000 while the second-place finisher gets $15,000 and the third spot, $10,000.

[Flex]

Rangers, Police clash for WoLF title.
By Walter Abiley (T&T Guardian).

Terminix La Horquetta Rangers will clash with Police FC for the Ascension-sponsored Women’s Football League title on Sunday at 4 pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain.

Both teams had contrasting journeys on the way to the final, with Police holding off arch-rival Defence Force 3-2 in the second match of a doubleheader at the Mucurapo venue on Wednesday, while Rangers needed kicks from the penalty spot to get past Tobago Chicas 5-4 in the other semifinal matchup which ended 1-1 at the end of regulation time.

In the first game, the Chicas’ Jeleisha Alexander cancelled out an earlier goal from Monisa Mejias in regulation time in a 1-1 tie that sent the teams to the penalty spot.

Mejias again led the scoring in the shoot-out with the first goal, while Adanna Phillips, Sonica Paul, Tsianne Fernandes and Natasha St Louis also converted in the win.

For the Chicas, it was Talia Martin, NJemeile Charles, Jeleisha Alexander and Tsianne Leander who found the nets for the Tobago team.

In the other game, Cherelle Amendes scored a brace in the ninth and 25th minutes, while former national standout Anikke Collins added a third in the 68th minute for the Policewomen to seal their entry into the final.

For Defence Force, Tamika Isaac and Aaliyah Prince were the scorers.

The final promises to be a mouth-watering affair with Rangers going after their first-ever women’s title as a new team. Entry for the match will be $20.

[Tallman]

Kimika Storm...Debate over keeper’s eligibility for Big 8 final
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express)

THERE is debate over whether Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Kimika Forbes will be allowed to take the field for today’s Ascension-sponsored Big 8 tournament which will be played at the Diego Martin Regional Complex, from 4 p.m.

Police Football Club will meet Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in an all-Eastern Conference final. The final will feature several players who have worn Trinidad and Tobago national team colours, among them goalkeeper Tenesha Palmer, Anastasia Prescott, Rhea Belgrave, Jemila Mathlin and Tasha St Louis-Joseph for Police. Star-studded Rangers also have Laurelle Theodore, Afiya Cornwall, goalkeeper Nicolette Craig, solid defender Annalis Cummings, Sharain Cummings, Shenieka Paul and Natasha St Louis.

Forbes, a member of the sponsor’s team, Rangers, was red-carded following an incident and given a two-match suspension by the TTFA’s disciplinary committee, thus ruling her out of today’s final. However, Rangers protested Forbes’ ineligibility to play today’s match, arguing that Forbes had served what they considered to be a one-match ban during Wednesday’s semi-final round.

Referee Garfield Weekes had issued red cards to both Club Sando’s Britney Cooper and Forbes during the Big 8 quarter-final. Both women had a physical confrontation. Generally, a red card results in an automatic suspension of one to three games and for violent conduct, the punishment is normally a three-match ban.

The Sunday Express learned that a TTFA disciplinary committee met yesterday morning and handed Forbes a two-match ban, ruling her out of the final. The Express also learned that the decision was subsequently changed.

Yesterday, Ascension Tournament director Kieron Edwards confirmed that Forbes had been given the go-ahead to play today.

“Yes, she is,” Edwards stated. “She served her ban on Wednesday.”

Edwards acknowledged that there was a disciplinary committee meeting yesterday, but insists that a one-day suspension was already served.

“They met but the suspension was already served,” Edwards said. “There is not an issue for the Disciplinary Committee to treat with. She had already served the ban. You can’t serve a ban, and after the ban is served, they say they will give you an extra game.”

Asked specifically who made the decision to have Forbes serve a one-match ban instead of two, Edwards replied: “The board, the executive made the decision,” Edwards confirmed.

Asked specifically if the WoLF board had made the decision, Edwards stated: “That is where we get our information.”

Vernetta Flanders, former manager of the T&T Under-17 girls team, replaced Susan Joseph-Warrick as WoLF president in April 2022. Expressing surprise that the matter had reached the press, Flanders told Sunday Express that up to that point, WoLF had not yet made a decision.

“For the record, no official communication between the executive and the TTFA’s disciplinary committee was made and we are currently, the (WoLF) executive, still deciding our way forward with the situation,” Flanders stated.

“The letter to Kimika was sent after she would have served her first ban and what is being debated by the (WoLF) executive is whether it was valid, since it was sent after the game.

Flanders argued that with Terminix La Horquetta Rangers having appealed Forbes’ red card to allow her to play in Wednesday’s semi-final against Tobago Chicas, it would have been expected that the TTFA’s disciplinary committee would have acted swiftly.

“The appeal was made for the purpose of that game against Tobago (Chicas). Once she did not play the game, is that decision still valid. That is the issue before the executive at this point in time,” Flanders stated. “It is not an issue with the decision that was made by the disciplinary committee. It’s more an ethical decision.”

[asylumseeker]

Everything is comedy?

[asylumseeker]

Two sent off in WoLF fracas...Rangers, Police, Defence Force advance to semis
T&T Express

...

But it was not for brilliant individual goals, but other reasons that the match stood out — mainly shoddy refereeing and a brawl between players. Referee Garfield Weekes did neither the league or himself proud. His questionable officiating and his lack of maintaining control contributed to tempers flaring and physical confrontations between opposing players.

Despite the theatrics, Forbes had two earlier incidents which could have seen her either sent off, or a penalty awarded against Rangers. Weekes failed to punish Forbes or her team when the goalkeeper completely missed the ball and handed Club Sando striker Khadidra Debesette a “clothes line” -- catching Debesette by the neck with an outstretched arm, while inside the penalty area.

Later, Weekes also let play continue when Forbes charged erratically out of the penalty area, again getting none of the ball when upending goal-bound Kelly-Ann Williams with a vicious tackle. It was at this point, following Weekes’ lack of decisive action, that events spiralled out of control.

A team official walked onto the playing field. Cooper protested about Forbes’ tackle and was also having a verbal spat with another player, Aaliyah Pascall, when Forbes approached with a confrontational posture. Cooper pushed Forbes. Weekes red-carded Cooper, who took it well, touching the referee gently on his chest before proceeding to make her way off the field.

Weekes then approached the penalty area and also issued a red card to Forbes. She did not take her expulsion as well and immediately took off running toward the half-line to engage Cooper in another brief physical confrontation, before team members from both clubs quickly separated the two women.

Under what rational disciplinary assessment would that conduct merit sitting out ONE match?

[Flex]

WoLF's new format and changes will guarantee 2023 season.
By Walter Abiley (T&T Guardian).

Women's football in T&T will take place this year as planned, but only after a few key changes are made to fall in line with T&T Football Association (TTFA) requirements.

Vanetta Flanders, president of the Women's Football League (WoLF) told Guardian Media Sports on Wednesday that the challenge of having the senior women's football league stopped because of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) season every year is being dealt with finally.

She explained that due to the large number of players who represent clubs in WoLF, the league can only take place for a few months otherwise the league has to give way to allow the players who attend to school to play in the SSFL competition.

Flanders said there are several issues, social and otherwise, that have been preventing female players from making the transition from the schools to the clubs.

She pointed out that: "There are issues with their peers, there are issues where players may have to go out and get a job to help out in the households etc that's posing challenges."

However, she promised that WoLF will work around these issues to minimise the impact on all parties involved.

Flanders, who was elected unopposed last year to take over from Susan Joseph-Warrick, who had resigned back in 2020, said they have several options to solve the problem, but they first want to take them to the membership, the clubs, and the executive before going public.

WoLF is set to hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 29, following which a determination will be made on whether to start the league a month after.

"The options we have are geared towards mitigating these challenges. We are trying to work around it and all I can say is that we will have to change the format of the league," Flanders explained.

She added: "These changes will, in fact, auger well for women's football in the country."

Last year the Women's Football League was sponsored by Ascension and produced an exciting final affair between Police and La Horquetta Rangers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain, which the Lawwomen won to lift the title.

This year, women's football got a major boost with a new TTFA Girls U-14 League that kicked off on March 5 among eight teams from Trinidad and four from the sister isle of Tobago.

The tournament is expected to be a major development programme.

[Tallman]

Ali, Cornwall lead Club Sando to 12-0 WoLF win
By David Scarlett (T&T Newsday)

Club Sando women demolished league debutants Atlas Athletic International Academy 12-0 to stay perfect on matchday three of the TT Women’s League Football (TTWoLF), at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, on Saturday afternoon.

The victory followed a slender 1-0 result against fellow title favourites AC Port-of-Spain last weekend. Club Sando went into the matchday boasting a perfect record of two wins, three goals scored and no goals conceded.

At the final whistle in Marabella, they remained top of the standings with a massive goal-difference of +15 and are still yet to be breached defensively.

Last season’s standout player Alexcia Ali – who previously starred for La Horquetta Rangers – continued her fantastic scoring form for her new club with four goals – the perfect statement ahead of the upcoming Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup qualifiers.

Soca Princess and former SSFL star Afiyah Cornwall grabbed an impressive hat-trick to contest Ali for the most goals in the match, and 2010 Under-17 Women’s World Cup midfielder Khadidra Debesette also got her name on the scoresheet as the star-studded Club Sando dominated their opponents.

More goals from Jahra Thomas, Kelly-Ann Williams, Tayeann Wylie, along with an own-goal, led Club Sando to a comprehensive showing, and sent a message to the rest of the league that they are out to win the title.

AC Port-of-Spain rebounded in fine style to bully their foes from the east Trincity Nationals 6-1 at the Eddie Hart Recreation Ground, Tacarigua, on Saturday afternoon.

The women from the capital showed no mercy to a club which has shown great pedigree in previous seasons. Shakeema Forestine led the charge for POS with two goals. Ketara Munroe netted for Trincity Nationals, but Anique Walker, Naomi Guerra, Minty Cruickshank and Jada Cupid scored for Chris Bailey’s POS team as they cruised to a five-goal victory.

In other results, St Augustine/Cunupia United stormed past Police FC 8-1. Police, who were slaughtered 11-0 by Defence Force last weekend, are still searching for their first win of the season.

The final Trinidad match resulted in the other league debutants, Playfit Football Academy, earning their maiden three points with a 4-2 win against QPCC at St Anthony’s College Ground on Sunday afternoon.

The match between the University of the West Indies (UWI) Women and Defence Force FC was postponed.

In Tobago, Combined Ballerz FC and Jewels SC played to a 0-0 stalemate. The other match in the conference between RSS Phoenix and Tobago Chicas ended in a forfeit as the former were unable to field a team to play. As a result, Tobago Chicas were awarded a 3-0 win and three points.

[Tallman]

Club Sando Women claim Inter-Island title
T&T Express

TIGER TANKS Club Sando confirmed their dominance over AC Port of Spain women when defeating their arch-rivals 2-0 on Friday night at the Arima Velodrome to lift the Women’s League Football (WoLF) Inter-Island Cup.

Goals either side of half-time by striker Dennecia Prince (31’) and Afiyah Cornwall (71’) saw the Southern team complete the extended 2023 season unbeaten.

The Inter-Island Cup matches the champions and runners-ups of the Trinidad-based Claire George Conference of WoLF against the champions and runners-up of the Tobago-based Jamilya Muhammed Conference.

It was the second win for Club Sando over AC PoS in three meetings for the 2023 season, the first match ending in a draw. Club Sando finished as Trinidad champions with a comfortable 3-0 win over AC PoS late last year.

The Trinidad teams also dominated their Tobago opponents at the semi-final stage; AC PoS defeating Tobago champions Jewels 3-0 while Club Sando decimated the Tobago runners-up, Black Panthers, 7-0.

Among those who attended Friday’s final were national women’s coach Richard Hood, former TT Pro League CEO Julia Baptiste, as well as former national players Ricarda Nelson and Tasha St Louis.

What was on display was plenty enthusiasm if not very good football, with Club Sando often not being able to put together two good passes for long periods of the first half, but having plenty potency up front. To their credit, the finalists were not in season, the competition due to take place at the end of the league late last year.

Former youth striker Prince was good on the night, holding up the ball, and she opened the scoring with a powerful low shot from atop the penalty area, which slipped through the grasp of goalkeeper Mikael Yearwood. Renee Mike almost got Club Sando a second, a minute into first-half added-on time, her shot from outside the penalty area crashing onto the crossbar.

Also looking good for Club Sando was Khadidra Debesette, intercepting passes in central midfield and starting the counter-attack. However, playing in an unaccustomed more central role, skilful winger Alexcia Ali struggled on the sodden Velodrome turf and was eventually taken off.

It was only deep in the second have when Club Sando final killed off AC PoS. Prince again got the ball on top and shifted it wide to Cornwall, who did the rest, dribbling past several players and scoring with a low shot.

Left winger Shakeema Forestine was AC PoS’s biggest threat on the night, combining well with tall striker Bianca Mungalsingh. Forestine almost carved out an equaliser for AC PoS in the 34th minute, with her cross just flashing past the outstretched leg of Daneelyah Sandy on the far post.

With her team having fallen behind, Forestine cut inside in the 78th minute, her shot then going off the fingertips of goalkeeper Keri Myers, and onto the crossbar. AC PoS applied some late pressure and anxious moments in the Club Sando goalmouth, while at the same time always looking vulnerable to conceding a third goal themselves.