2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Thread

[Tallman]

Defence Force tackle 'strong' Cavalier FC in Caribbean Cup
By Roneil Walcott (T&T Newsday)

Inaugural TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) champions Defence Force will begin their quest to conquer the Caribbean Thursday night, when they tackle Jamaican outfit Cavalier FC from 8 pm in their Concacaf Caribbean Cup opener at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

Defence Force, who completed a TTPFL double by defeating Terminix La Horquetta Rangers in the knockout final last month, are optimistic of carrying that momentum into the Concacaf tournament. Defence Force assistant coach Hutson "Baba" Charles said his team will be going after three points in each of their four group matches, but he is aware of the threat posed by their Jamaican rival.

"(Cavalier) seem like a strong team and they have to be doing something good to get to this level," Charles told Newsday. "They have some decent players. They have one or two technically gifted players and we will not be taking them for granted."

Defence Force have reinforced their squad since their exploits in the TTPFL campaign, with cousins Isaiah Garcia and Nathaniel Garcia joining, alongside defender Darnell Hospedales and goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire. The Garcias have made a handful of caps for TT's senior men's team and Charles is expecting the duo to bring their wealth of experience to the Defence Force setup.

Nathaniel and St Hillaire were members of the Rangers team who lost in the TTPFL knockout final. On Thursday though, Defence Force's new recruits will have a different mission.

"Even before the TTPFL started, we set our sights on qualifying for the Concacaf Champions Cup," Charles said. "And to do that, we first have to qualify from the Concacaf Caribbean Cup group stage."

Defence Force are in Group A of the 10-team Caribbean Cup, with Cavalier, Moca FC (Dominican Republic), Golden Lion (Martinique) and fellow TTPFL outfit AC Port of Spain rounding out the group. Each team will play each other once in round-robin play, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout stage.

The knockout stage comprises of home-and-away semifinals, a third-place playoff and the final which will be contested in the later in the year. The Caribbean Cup winner qualifies for the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16, while the runners-up and third-place team will qualify for round one of the competition.

Defence Force have been training assiduously at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima and the Hasely Crawford Stadium training field in the build-up, and Charles said the mood in the camp is excellent.

He said all his players are healthy.

"The boys are all excited and raring to go," Charles said of the final 32-man roster. "This is the perfect opportunity for us to start the tournament on the right foot. It's a good opportunity for the crowd to come out as well and we are expecting a bumper crowd."

"We put the tickets at just $25 (uncovered stands) and $50 (covered) with that in mind. Those prices are very reasonable so we are expecting a good turnout on Thursday," Charles said, urging supporters to paint the stadium with their blue and yellow.

According to TTPFL officials, just under 2,000 spectators turned out to witness the knockout final at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex last month. Tomorrow night, Defence Force would hope for similar backing at the national stadium.

"Right now, our whole focus is Cavalier FC from Jamaica," Charles said. "We are just taking it one game at a time. Every game Defence Force plays for a win and we will be going for three points."

After their tussle with Cavalier, Defence Force have an away game to Golden Lion on August 30, followed by games on local soil vs AC Port of Spain and Moca on September 28 and October 4 respectively.

[Flex]

Defence Force adds four recruits for Cavalier clash.
By Caston Cupid (T&T Guardian).

Defence Force will head into CONCACAF Caribbean Cup action against Jamaica’s Cavalier FC at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo on Thursday from 8 pm.

Playing in Group A the Teteron Barracks men will have one thing and one thing only on their minds, and it’s to start the campaign positively with three points. It has been a perfect season thus far for the army/coastguard combination unit winners of both the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (T&TPFL) league and Knockout titles in July.

The team is seeking to take that momentum into the Concacaf campaign seeking a third title of the season.

The return to this regional stage has been long in coming after they won CONCACAF Champions Cup crowns in 1978 and 1985 and were also winners of the 2001 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship.

Captain and the defender with the goal-scoring touch Justin Garcia is relishing the opportunity to lead the squad into battle as they aim to create even more history.

Speaking during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday he said: “This is a tournament we have been wanting to play in for the longest while. It was one of our goals at the beginning of the season and we have worked really hard to get here. We have been putting in that extra work since the season ended locally, we know where our weaknesses were so we ratified them and are stronger now.”

Evidence of this is the signing of four new players to strengthen their squad with midfielder Nathaniel Garcia and goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire, both of whom last played for Terminix La Horquatta Rangers, Defenders Isaiah Garcia was signed from Point Fortin Civic and Darnell Hospedales, a former AC Port-of-Spain standout.

Having a sneak peek of the opposition, the head coach of the Defence Force Lloyd Andrews also told the media: “Despite their speed, technically they seem to be not as sound. We are going to play our game and do the things we know and do them well. We will be aiming to spread the ball, use the entire width of the pitch and starve them of the ball.”

Cavalier FC who arrived in T&T on Monday are no strangers to big occasions, They have some pedigree under their belt having won two Jamaica Premier League titles along with three knockout titles in recent years including this season to book their place in this tournament.

However, they will be lacking some firepower as they will be without their marquee player Colin Anderson who secured a contract with North Macedonia outfit F.C Bregalnica. The 23-year-old scored 20 goals over the season propelling them to finish second in the Jamaican Premier League standings and all the way to the Cup Final.

Head coach Rudolph Speid is confident his side can get the job done on the road despite transferring six players overseas. “We know we have a tough game tomorrow, we have seen that they (Defence Force) are big and strong, they are champions who know how to win games. In contrast, we have the youngest professional football team in the world and with a lot of teenagers within the squad and the oldest player just 24 years old That speaks to the youth and eagerness that we will be aiming to play with, giving the young and brave a chance”.

Tickets are priced at $50 for Covered and $25 for Uncovered and can be purchased at the venue.

RELATED NEWS

Cavalier FC counting on new blood for Army clash.
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday).

HEAD coach of Cavalier FC, Rudolph Speid, is confident his players can fill the void left by top goal scorer Collin Anderson when the Jamaican outfit tackle TT's Defence Force in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain at 8 pm on Thursday.

Defence Force had a memorable year winning the TT Premier League knockout and league titles. Cavalier narrowly missed out on winning the Jamaica Premier League title losing in the final 2-1 against Mt Pleasant. Anderson, who found the back of the net 20 times during the season, was the goal scorer for Cavalier on the night.

Anderson left Cavalier last month to play in Macedonia for Bregalnica Stip.

On missing Anderson, Speid said, "We transferred six players overseas since the start of the year...so we are going to see some new players this time. It is the next man up, we have a lot of good players. People like Ronaldo Robinson are going to be taking over that role and let's hope that he does a good job."

The players are ready for the match, said Speid. "Our mood is good. We know we have a tough game tomorrow, so we are preparing well. We came here on Monday and we have settled in, so it is just a matter of trying to execute tomorrow."

Speid described his team as the youngest professional team with the team made of players between 16 and 24. He knows Defence Force have more seasoned campaigners in their roster.

Asked about Cavalier's game plan for Thursday's match, Speid did not want to give out the team's secret.

"We do have a game model and a game strategy, but we don't want to give away too much."

Fans interested in watching the match must pay $50 for the covered section and $25 for the uncovered section.

[Deeks]

Good Luck DF

[vb]

Any chance for a link?

[frico]

This is very heart breaking,are we a football loving nation or not,seems like we are not.Still no one cares to put the result of Defense Force vs Cavalier of Jamaica.I live in England for donkey bloody years and still feel the way I did more than 40 years ago of my love for TT football.This is the Socawarriors football site and not one Trini can tell or jus post the result of the match,makes you wonder,what do we like.

[rastafari]

Defence force 1 vs Cavalier 1

[Tallman]

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

[Tallman]

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

[Tallman]

Dominant Army held 1-1 by Cavalier in Caribbean Cup
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)

AFTER controlling possession for the majority of the match, Defence Force failed to capitalise as the Army men were held 1-1 by Jamaican club Cavalier FC in the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Thursday.

A crowd of over 5,000 people almost filled the covered section, but they were left unsatisfied. Head coach of Defence Force Lloyd Andrews was also hoping for the victory. He said, "It is a disappointment not to come away with three points, but I think the way we played tells the story - too many backward and square passes."

Lloyd added, "At home you always want to come away with three points, so it is a bit disappointing. However, the game plan was not executed consistently."

Lloyd explained that the plan was to attack Cavalier on the flanks because the Jamaican club also likes to play that way. In the early stages of the match, Defence Force had space but Cavalier pushed more players into the defence which reduced the space for the Army wingers.

Cavalier head coach Rudolph Speid said it was a challenging match. "It was a difficult game for us playing away from home. We are grateful for the point, but it was just a really difficult game for us. As I said we are rebuilding and going down early it was always a struggle to get back." Cavalier lost six players this year to transfers including prolific goal scorer Collin Anderson.

As early as the fifth minute, Shaniel Thomas had half a chance to give Cavalier the lead when his shot from just outside the box went just wide of the post.

Almost immediately, Reon Moore continued his prolific form giving Defence Force the lead in the sixth minute. Jelani Felix played a ball to Moore on the left side and he skipped over a challenge from a Cavalier defender before slotting home past Vino Barclett who came out of his goal to narrow the angle.

In the 14th minute, Cavalier had a golden opportunity to equalise. Ronaldo Robinson received a through ball Thomas and with only Christopher Biggette to beat could not convert as the Defence Force goal-keeper made the save.

Moore continued to show energy, but his shot from a tight angle in the 32nd minute was comfortably saved by Barclett.

Cavalier levelled the contest before half-time. Thomas was fouled by Biggette and he picked himself up to convert the penalty in the 39th minute.

It was a dominant performance by Defence Force in the second half as all the Cavalier players were behind the ball for long periods. In the 60th minute after Cavalier got a rare chance to attack, Kaihim Thomas led an Army counter attack but his pass to Moore did not have enough weight on it and the opportunity was eventually lost.

In the 65th minute after a corner kick was initially cleared, Defence Force midfielder Justin Sadoo whipped a ball back into the box. Justin Garcia got his head on the ball, but a Cavalier defender also made contact with the ball to spoil the chance.

Defence Force continued to press for a second goal, but the Cavalier defence held firm to hold on for the draw.

On Friday, T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) runners-up AC Port of Spain suffered a 1-0 loss in their Caribbean Cup opener versus Dominican Republic's Moca FC.

Playing hours after the fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged field on Thursday night, AC created quite a few chances in the first half but were unable to capitalise against their hosts in Cibao, Dominican Republic. The visitors would have counted themselves unlucky though, as they struck the woodwork twice within the space of a minute in the first half. First, John-Paul Rochford hit the post with a curling free kick from about 25 yards in the 16th minute, while new AC PoS signing Tyrone Charles hit the bar with a free kick of his own just seconds later.

AC PoS had penalty appeals waved away by referee Steffon Dewar in the 50th minute as captain Duane Muckette took a tumble in the area. Moca would soon rub salt in the AC PoS wounds, as defender Manuel Vidal beat Radanfah Abu Bakr in an aerial duel to head past goal-keeper Marvin Phillip following a 55th-minute corner.

Vidal's contribution to the Moca cause didn't end there though, as he made a pair of dramatic goal-line clearances in the 75th minute to stop efforts by Charles and substitute Che Benny as AC PoS desperately searched for an equaliser.

The equalising goal never came for the T&T team though, as Moca jump to the top of Group A with three points following Defence Force's goalless draw with Cavalier on Thursday. AC PoS will look to redeem themselves quickly, as they travel to Jamaica to contest Cavalier at the National Stadium in Kingston on August 31.

TEAMS

Defence Force (4-2-3-1): 31.Christopher Biggette (GK); 3.Isaiah Garcia, 26.Justin Garcia, 23.Jamali Garcia (captain), 7.Jelani Felix; 66.Kevon Goddard, 21.Justin Sadoo (13.Rivaldo Coryat 75); 45.Kaihim Thomas (14.Kendell Hitlal 75), 28.Nathaniel Garcia, 18.Reon Moore; 8.Brent Sam (11.Dwight Quintero 85).

Unused substitutes: 80.Jabari St Hillaire (GK), 6.Rodell Elcock, 15.Shaquille Bertrand, 17.Curtis Gonzales, 24.Shaquille Holder, 25.Darnell Hospedales, 34.Keilon Burnett-Acevaro, 37.Cassim Kellar.

Coach: Lloyd Andrews

Cavalier FC (3-4-3): 1.Vino Barclett (GK); 19.Adrian Reid, 15.Kyle Ming (captain), 20.Gadail Irving; 13.Dwayne Allen, 4.Shamar Watson, 18.Ronaldo Robinson (25.Jalmaro Calvin 83), 11.Christopher Ainsworth (21.Kymani Silvera 76); 8.Nickache Murray, 17.Shaniel Thomas, 16.Orlando Russell (27.Jerome McLeary 59).

Unused substitutes: 31.Jeadine White (GK), 3.Makenson Cadet, 12.Ronaldo Barrett, 22.Brian Joshua Elshot, 24.Mario Smith.

Coach: Rudolph Speid

Referee: Shavin Greene (Guyana)

[frico]

rastafarithanks mate

[Tallman]

Vidal does it all for Moca FC in victory over AC Port of Spain
concacaf.com

Manuel Vidal scored a goal and saved two others to lead Dominican Republic side Moca to a 1-0 victory against Port of Spain of Trinidad and Tobago in Group B action on Friday in the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago De Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.

Vidal’s winning score came in the second half and then later he made two sensational defensive interventions to help his team nail down the three points. Moca now sit atop the group with three points.

It was a busy start with three shots, all from free kicks, hitting the woodwork in the first 20 minutes. Moca’s Sebastian Valencia did it first in the 6’, followed by the Port of Spain duo of John Paul Rochford and Tyrone Charles hitting the post back-to-back in the 16’ and 17’.

There was an increase in intensity at the start of the second half from both teams, and a Moca corner kick in the 55’ would yield the game’s first goal when Vidal rose above the Port of Spain defense and nodded home a header for a 1-0 Moca advantage.

Port of Spain were left stunned by the Moca goal, but eventually started to get forward in search of an equalizer.

It looked like it was going to come on 74 minutes on some nifty footwork from Che Benny, who slalomed past three defenders and had Moca GK Odalis Baez beaten with a shot, but goalscorer Vidal was there on the goal-line to prevent the goal.

The rebound fell just feet away to Charles, yet Vidal again answered the defensive call with a block to keep his side ahead.

From there, Vidal and the Moca defense battened down the hatches until the final whistle to collect the club’s first ever Concacaf win.

[Flex]

Defence Force’s Moore tames Golden Lion.
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian).

T&T international Reon Moore scored the lone goal and his second in as many matches to earn T&T Premier League double crown champions Defence Force a 1-0 win over Concacaf Club Shield runner-up Golden Lion of Martinique at the Stade Pierre-Aliker Stadium, Fort De France, on Wednesday night.

The scorer of his team’s goal in their tournament-opening 1-1 draw with Jamaica’s Cavalier FC at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, a week ago, Moore scored three minutes into the second half to hand the two-time Concacaf Champions Cup winners in 1978 and 1985 the lead.

However, the Army/Coast-Guard combination, also winners of the 2001 CFU Club Championship, then suffered a setback eight minutes later when former Rivaldo Coryat had to be replaced by his brother Nathaniel Garcia due to injury.

With less than ten minutes to go in regulation time, the visitors introduced fresh legs in Isaiah Garcia, and Jameel Cooper, at the expense of the injured Cassim Keller, and midfielder Justin Sadoo to boost his team’s defensive effort while Shaquille Holder came in for striker Brent Sam with two minutes left.

The host also went to its bench twice, first with Jordy Boriel being replaced by Kirane Gracien in the 72nd, and Kenterly Faucher, scorer of four goals in the Club Shield a late introduction for Thierry Catherine as they pushed for the equaliser.

In the end, Defence Force, the T&T record domestic champions secured the win for their first in two matches to improve to four points at the top of the five-club table, one ahead of Moca FC who edged T&T’s AC Port-of-Spain 1-0 in their opener on Friday last while Golden Lion stayed bottom of the table without a point.

The T&T champions will next be in action on September 28 against fellow local club, AC Port-of-Spain, the T&T PFL runners-up, who come up against Cavalier FC at the historic Sabina Park Stadium venue from 6.06 pm today in their second match in the pool.

AC Port-of-Spain qualified for the tournament by being the first team on the T&TPFL standings at the stipulated cut-off point for the T&T Premier Football League ahead of fellow qualifier, and eventual league champions Defence Force, and Tiger Tanks Club Sando, which contested the Club Shield competition, but missed out on qualification to this tourney after a semifinal loss, and in the process missed a chance to qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Cavalier FC won the 2021 Jamaican National Premier League championship and qualified as the third-place team in their domestic league in 2022.

The Jamaicans, who will be facing their second straight opponent from T&T after a 1-1 draw away to Defence Force at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, on Thursday night, appeared in the 2022 Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship and will aim for a deeper run in this new Caribbean competition in 2023.

The regional cup is part of the Confederation’s new men’s club ecosystem, which also includes regional cups in North America and Central America, all leading to a revamped 27-club Concacaf Champions Cup (replacing the Concacaf Champions League).

After round-robin play, where each club plays every other club in their group once, two matches at home and two matches away, the first and second-place finishers advance to the knockout stage.

The knockout stage comprises home and away semifinals, third place, and final. After the Caribbean Cup, the Champion qualifies for the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16, while the runners-up and third-place finisher for round one.

[Tallman]

Cavalier get by AC Port of Spain 2-1 in Caribbean Cup
By Rachid Parchment (Jamaica Observer)

Cavalier Technical Director Rudolph Speid was not pleased with his team's performance in spite of a 2-1 win over AC Port of Spain (POS) in their Concacaf Caribbean Cup match at Sabina Park in Kingston on Thursday.

Jalmaro Calvin and Christopher Ainsworth got Cavalier's goals while Port of Spain got theirs through Captain Duane Muckette.

Although the scoreline favoured the Jamaican team, POS from Trinidad and Tobago created more chances but lacked accuracy.

While Speid says the approach from his team was casual at times throughout the game, he admits that his players are still not at optimum fitness, having played only their second game so far this season.

"It's a new team and we're trying to rebuild, but it's three points and we were able to get them," Speid said in the post-match press conference. "Based on how young the players are, and also that we're really rebuilding a team again from last season, and this is our second game of the season, you have to give and take. We're not pleased but we have another match on the 19th and we'll put in some work to that end."

Cavalier started brightly and needed only eight minutes to go in front. Ronaldo Robinson received a pass as they broke into the POS area and quickly released Calvin, who put his effort to the far post, beating goalkeeper Marvin Phillip.

Cavalier sat back and allowed POS to take more possession of the ball and the visitors, through quick movement and good defence-splitting passes, were able to create a number of dangerous moments from there.

John Paul Rochford created their first close chance in minute 15, with a shot from the edge of the area forcing a save out of Cavalier goalkeeper Vino Barclett.

But 11 minutes later, Cavalier's complacency almost hurt them. Barclett played a short goal kick to right back Jeovanni Laing, who dwelled on the ball and was dispossessed by POS's Che Benny, who was their brightest spark in attack until his substitution in minute 67.

He advanced and chipped a shot to the back post from the edge of the area, but the ball hit the bar on the way over.

POS came close to equalising in first-half stoppage time when Tyrone Charles received the ball in the area from good build-up play. He turned and put his shot to the far post, forcing Barclett to stretch to pull the ball back into his grasp, just preventing it from crossing the goal line.

The second half had a similar momentum, with Cavalier sitting back and soaking up pressure. But they were able to break in minute 60 and the ball was laid off to Ainsworth, who was unmarked when he arrived in the area. He only had Phillip to beat and coolly finished off the one on one to make it 2-0.

But POS kept trying to find a way back into the game and did in the 71st minute.

A free kick from just outside the Cavalier box was whipped in and Muckette outjumped the Cavalier defence to glance a header beyond Barclett, who rushed off his line too soon.

"We were doing some things wrong, but then, we had two young players who never played at this level before in the centre of midfield, and that was a little problem," Speid said. "In the second half, we kind of fixed it, but it's a long road. We're happy for the break but we'll move on and get better as we progress."

POS Head Coach Walter Noriega was pleased with their performance but says their execution let them down.

"It's a disappointing result," he said in his press conference. "I think the boys didn't execute in the attacking play. We dominated possession, but possession doesn't win you games. We'll work on the finishing part and the execution, but just tonight, we fell short."

Cavalier move to the top of Group A on four points, same as Defence Force, who they drew 1-1 with in Trinidad last week. Defence Force defeated Golden Lion of Martinique 1-0 on Wednesday. Port of Spain remain fifth out of five teams after their second straight loss.

Cavalier play host to Moca of the Dominican Republic on Tuesday, September 19. Port of Spain host Golden Lion a day before.

[Flex]

Misfiring AC PoS make homestand vs Golden Lion.
By Ronel Walcott (T&T Newsday).

TRINIDAD and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) runners-up AC Port of Spain will need a win on Wednesday versus Martinique champions Golden Lion FC at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, if they are to keep their hopes of advancing from the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

AC PoS currently sit bottom of group A with no points from their two matches, following road defeats to Moca FC (1-0) and Cavalier FC (2-1) on August 25 and 31 respectively. Meanwhile, Golden Lion are yet to earn a point in the five-team group, as they were beaten 1-0 by inaugural TTPFL winners Defence Force on August 30 in their lone match thus far.

From 6 pm on Wednesday in Mucurapo, the talented AC PoS team will need to change their fortunes immediately.

"The team is ready to play. I think we were ready to play from the time the tournament started. But sometimes, these things do happen," said AC PoS coach and technical director, Gilbert Bateau, speaking at Tuesday's pre-match press briefing.

"We don't have any points just yet. But looking at the standings right now, it gives us a window of opportunity where we can compete and try and win these two games."

Up to press time, Defence Force and Cavalier led group A with four points apiece, although the youthful Jamaican team had a slight edge over the Army on goal difference and played Moca in a late kickoff on Tuesday night. After four group matches, the top two teams will advance to the Caribbean Cup semifinals, while the tournament winner qualifies for the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16. The Caribbean Cup runners-up and third-place team will qualify for round one of that competition.

AC PoS captain Duane Muckette featured in TT's two Concacaf Nations League (CNL) A wins over Curacao and El Salvador on September 7 and 10 respectively. The midfielder says his team is now in a "do-or-die" situation and he is confident they can turn things around.

"The team is ready. We have prepared well. We understand the position that we have put ourselves in," Muckette said. "We just have to do what we can do to give ourselves the best chance of progressing to the next phase.

"It's very important for us to bounce back. We are actually in a do-or-die situation now to get the points. We have to give everything because we still have a chance to progress from this tournament. Those were two good results for the national team and obviously, I was a part of it and it boosted my confidence. It allows me to bring confidence to my team here as well."

AC PoS have experienced TT internationals such as goalkeeper Marvin Phillip and defender Radanfah Abu Bakr within their ranks, as well as a promising midfield quartet that includes Che Benny, Michel Poon-Angeron, John-Paul Rochford and Muckette. AC PoS scored over 60 goals in the TTPFL season, but they have been unable to replicate their goal-scoring touch on the regional stage so far.

Bateau says his team has been unlucky in front of goal, and they are working on their production in the attacking third.

"To give out the game plan here right now wouldn't be wise," Bateau said. "Having said that, our sessions were mostly based on final-third play and getting the ball in the back of the net because we have the quality of players to do that.

"When we played those games, we actually dominated both games with about 60 per cent ball possession. Sometimes it happens that way and it just doesn't go in the net for you – especially in the second game (versus Cavalier). We had 19 shots at goal and that's just unfortunate that we couldn't capitalise."

Tyrone Charles, who moved to AC PoS from Terminix La Horquetta Rangers prior to the start of the tournament, has been cleared to play by the team's medical staff after being ruled out of contention for the CNL matches with an injury.

"We brought in Tyrone Charles and we brought in (Mark) Ramdeen," Bateau said. "These two players would be valuable assets to how AC Port of Spain wants to play football."

Both Bateau and Muckette commended their Golden Lion opponents, who ousted Tiger Tanks Club Sando from the preceding Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield tournament.

"I've been watching Golden Lion since the tournament started and even in the (Concacaf Caribbean Club) Shield. This is a good team," Muckette said. "They play very good football. We have to come out and do the best that we can do."

At the end of 90 minutes at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Muckette will hope AC PoS can tame Golden Lion and get their first Caribbean Cup win.

[vb]

Any links for today's game?

[vb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXSM2niRSfE

[Deeks]

AC POS lost 3-2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0EqJJ26zXA

[Tallman]

AC Port of Spain eliminated from the Caribbean Cup after losing 3-2 to Golden Lion
T&T Express

Whatever could have gone wrong, went wrong for AC Port of Spain in the first half of their 2023 CONCACAF Caribbean Cup Championship Group A preliminary round match last night against visitors Golden Lion of Martinique.

A late Kevin Parsemain penalty in the 83rd minute saw AC Port of Spain lose 3-2 to the Martiniquan champions at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, having at one point come from two-goals down to equalise. With Jamaican team Cavalier FC on seven points after beating Moca of Dominican Republic 3-0 on Tuesday, and Defence Force second on four points, AC Port of Spain have been eliminated with one match to go.

Once again, there was no doubt that AC Port of Spain was the better team, but defensive errors saw the Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League runners-up trailing by two goals just past the quarter hour mark.

During that period, T&T national team midfielder John-Paul Rochford also hit a post, and strike partner Mark Ramdeen spurned another chance in the opening minute. Given a clear but slightly wide path to goal from Rochford’s excellent pass, Ramdeen unwisely chose to cut inside, allowing a defender to block his eventual attempt.

At the other end, the decision-making was far better from Martinique veteran Parsemain, who was quick to pounce on a weak back pass from Malik Meres, the nervous and relatively new Capital Boyz right-back. Parsemain quickly funnelled a low pass inside of Mieres, and found Thierry Catherine, who beat goalkeeper Marvin Phillip with a low shot for 1-0 in the second minute.

Rochford was perfectly placed to equalise when facing only goalkeeper Giles Meeslien, after collecting Duane Muckette’s ball over the top. But after hitting the woodwork with his first effort, Rochford also failed to chip the goalie.

Similarly, as with the opening goal, the visitors scored within a minute of almost conceding. This time defender Robert Primus scored an own goal, slicing the ball past his goalkeeper Phillip when trying to clear a cross, making it 2-0 in the 16th minute.

Central defender Radanfah Abu Bakr headed in a free-kick to bring AC Port of Spain closer at 2-1 in the 27th, and the Capital Boyz launched into full attack, pressing the visitors back for the rest of the half.

Coach Walt Noreiga tossed the dice with a triple substitution in the 42nd minute and almost had immediate dividends when substitute Tyrone Charles escaped up the flank and cut back perfectly to Rochford, who had a powerful shot defected wide, so many of the Golden Lions footballers having been in their own penalty area to defend. Noreiga had made all of his five changes early in the second half and by the 68th minute, AC Port of Spain were level at 2-2, a combination of Charles’ dogged persistence, Sedale Mc Lean’s ball across the box and Jameel Neptune’s pressure forcing an own goal.

The home team went into all-out attack, stretching Golden Lion but also leaving themselves vulnerable. And for a third time, AC Port of Spain conceded within a minute of almost scoring. This time, Charles struck the woodwork from a wide angle in the 81st minute, and at the other end, notoriously slow Abu Bakr lunged in recklessly on an attacker.

Following an injury delay, Parsemain converted for 3-2, despite goalkeeper Phillip getting a hand onto the ball. This time, there was no comeback, although goalkeeper Meeslien had to make at least one more big save to keep the Lions ahead.

[Tallman]

Noreiga blames poor finishing for AC PoS woes
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Walt Noreiga, coach of AC Port-of-Spain, has identified that his team's poor finishing as the sole reason for their 3-2 loss to Martinique's Golden Lion in their Group A clash in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo, Port-of-Spain on Wednesday night – a result which has eliminated them from the tournament.

Entering the match with zero points from their previous two matches, victory was a must for both teams to maintain their slim chances of advancing to the next phase and coach Noreiga, blames yet another sub-par performance in front of goal by the “Capital Boyz” as the reason for being at the bottom of the five-team group, still without a point after three matches.

“We continue to have problems on how to find the back of the nets. We are creating the chances, the problem is not the creation of the chances, the problem is in executing. I also think that we are making too many mistakes and starting slow which leads to conceding early goals so it's something that we have to look at. Our possession of the ball is pretty alright, but I keep saying the execution in the final third just keeps letting us down all the time,” said Noriega.

"When you look at the games, we are getting some clear-cut chances and it's something that we just have to correct and work on at the training ground, get the right touch and get back that feeling of putting the ball in the back of the net,” lamented the former T&T international.

Golden Lion moves up to third with three points with the away win, one point behind T&T champions Defence Force, a team that has already blanked them in the opening match. Jamaica's Cavalier FC, who whipped Dominican Republic's Moca FC 3-0 on Tuesday night, are current group leaders with seven points, leaving the DR team joint third with three points.

With the match just two minutes old and in front of a small crowd, a defensive blunder by the home team allowed Thierry Catherine to snatch the opener for the visitors before Jordy Boriel made it 2-0 in the 16th minute.

Radanfah Abu Bakr was able to give the T&T side some hope going into the halftime interval pulling a goal back for the "Captial Boyz".

Noreiga tried to capitalise on this momentum on resumption by making a few changes and introducing Kerron St Cyr and Che Benny, for Kareem Eastman and Anthony Charles. The switches seemed to breathe new life into the local lads as they took control and created several chances with yet another of the substitutes, Tyrone Charles, who had replaced an out-of-sorts, Jean-Heim Mc Fee just before the break, being instrumental.

The constant pressure and the inspirational play of AC PoS eventually caused a mistake in the Loin’s defence which resulted in a 2-2 score line with Samuel Mondesir diverting the equalising goal past his own keeper and into his net during the 68th minute.

Charles moved from potential hero to villain when in the 81st minute he wasted a glorious chance to hand the host a deserving lead and within a few seconds was regretting this miss as Abu Bakr was whistled for a penalty at the other end. The resultant spot kick was converted for the winner in the 83rd minute, by Kevin Parsemain, Martinique's all-time leading scorer.

After the match, Noreiga admitted it was a bitter loss to cope with, saying: "It’s a difficult result as we were expecting to do much better than we did tonight (Wednesday) and I think our play in the final third let us down again, in this our third game. It is something we have to look at as we continue in the tournament and represent as best as we could.”

Noreiga said it's up to him and his coaching staff to get the boys back into focus and with just one match left and already being eliminated from advancing look further ahead.

"I think we have to implement some of the younger boys now into the team, and keep pushing, and keep working. We fell off the boil in this competition but it’s not the end of AC Port-of-Spain as we will regroup and fix what needs to be fixed and come back stronger again," said Noriega.

Looking at some of the good coming out of the game, he was pleased that even after falling behind 2-0 early and being somewhat rattled, the team battled back and played well to draw level, as the opposition was also giving them chances.

“I knew at some point we would have come good and take some of the chances, which we did, so I was glad for that. I also thought we would have pushed on from the two goals we scored, but again in this tournament, like it's just not falling for us and as I said before, there is work that we need to do. We have to look in the mirror and try to rectify it as best and as quickly as possible for when the league (T&T Premier Football League) restarts."

About his halftime changes, "I felt I would have gotten more joy with the wing-backs pushing on, and for some reason, the boys and they were hesitant to go forward in the first half. So, I thought the changes I made would get the wingbacks and them to open up the pitch a little wider for the men in the middle of the park, so that was the reason behind the changes."

Noreiga gave the opponents their due saying: “They played well in spurts, and they did their job. They came to Trinidad, and they got the result, so hats off to them that they did what they had to do."

With one match left to play against fellow T&T club and reigning national champion Defence Force at the same venue on September 28, Noreiga said his team will always go into their matches with pride and passion.

"No matter that we can’t advance in the competition, we will try to finish and do our best, get some of the youngsters exposed and try to build from this tournament," said Noreiga.

[Tallman]

Caribbean Cup: Army score late in 1-1 draw vs AC Port of Spain
By Jelani Beckles (T&T Newsday)

SECOND-HALF substitute Brent Sam gave Defence Force a late equaliser against AC Port of Spain in Group A of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Thursday.

Defence Force were hoping for a win to move into the top two in the group, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Michel Poon-Angeron gave AC the lead before Brent Sam levelled the match.

Army had a couple of opportunities to take the lead early on, but it was AC showing more quality going forward.

In the 17th minute, a free kick by Tyrone Charles just outside the 18-yard box was blocked by the wall and a follow-up effort by the same player was shut down again.

Charles was at the centre of many of AC's attacks on goal, but it was Liam Burns who got the crowd on their feet. Burns flicked the ball past a defender on the right flank, but his low shot was cleared.

Against the run of play, Defence Force's Jelani Felix got a shot on goal but it was comfortably saved by AC goal-keeper Jadel Poon-Lewis.

In the 33rd minute, Army's Reon Moore showed speed and skill on the left flank but his low cross into the box was cleared. The first half ended goalless.

The second half started lively with both teams playing at a frenetic rate. As the half progressed Defence Force started to control possession. In the 60th minute, Justin Sadoo's shot just inside the box was brilliantly saved by Poon-Lewis. Minutes later, AC's Jameel Neptune had one of the best chances of the match, but his close-range effort from a tight angle was struck over the crossbar.

In the 77th minute, AC took the lead through an unlikely source. Poon-Angeron got behind the defence and slotted home a shot near the penalty spot after receiving a through ball.

As expected, Defence Force went in search of the equaliser with substitutes Hashim Arcia and prolific goalscorer Sam proving a handful.

Poon-Lewis was called on to make a couple of spectacular saves to deny Arcia.

In stoppage time, Sam's low shot from just outside the box beat a diving Poon-Lewis as the match ended 1-1.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

[vb]

Am I missing something?

How could ACPOS be eliminated after three games. Isn't this a home and away competition?

VB

[Trini _2026]

No home and away  they play each opponent once

[Deeks]

That is strange. But I think they trying to rush this part of the tournament thru. Disappointed with AC. I think Rangers may have put up a better fight.

[vb]

That sounds nonsensical. Who organized this tournament the TTFA? 

[Tallman]

Defence Force in must-win Moca clash
By Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian)

Two-time former Concacaf Club champions in 1978 and 1987, T&T Defence Force will go into its final match in Pool A of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, needing nothing less than a win against second-placed Moca FC of the Dominican Republic to advance to the semifinals.

Going into Wednesday night’s clash at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo from 8.06 pm, Jamaica’s Cavalier FC leads the five-club round-robin table with seven points and is certain of a place in the semifinals.

The Jamaicans will be joined by either, Moca (six points) or Defence Force (five points), while Martinique’s Golden Lion, who has three points, is out of contention ahead of its clash away against the group leader at the Pierre Aliker Stadium, in Forte De France, Martinique also kicking from 8.06 pm Wednesday night.

The Dominican Republic team, who has already defeated T&T’s other team in the group, AC Port-of-Spain 1-0 last month on home soil, will enter the winner-take-all clash with a slight advantage by sitting in second place in the group with six points, a single point ahead of Defence Force and will be tempted to be on the counterattack, something which can work in the host club’s favour.

However, for Defence Force and coach Lloyd “Sonoltee” Andrews, the mission is straightforward - win and earn the full three points to guarantee a semifinal spot and could possibly be enough to win the group as well, depending on the outcome of the match between Golden Lion and Cavalier.

Moca also defeated Golden Lion 3-0 to put themselves in this position to advance, while Defence Force edged Golden Lion 1-0 but drew 1-1 at home to Cavalier and AC PoS, the last result coming seven days ago in a lacklustre performance which dented their chances of qualification to the next stage.

Having only scored three goals from as many matches, coach Andrews will hope his attacking options of Reon Moore, who has a pair of goals, Jamali Garcia, Jameel Cooper, Hashim Arcia, Brent Sam and Lashawn Roberts could find their scoring boots which has deserted them so far in the competition, along with defender Justin Garcia, who came up with vital goals during their successful T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) and Cup-double triumph earlier this season.

Speaking ahead of the all-important match, Andrews admitted that his team has hit a bad patch after a long and gruelling season.

“We would have played 16 matches unbeaten to end the 22-match TTPFL and our season began since January with preparations, so with us now being in October, it’s kind of expected that our level would drop off a bit.

“Sometimes even during a good run, a team can have a bad game and against AC PoS, we had a really bad game by our (Defence Force) standards and against Moca, we will be looking to put the wrong, right,” said a confident Andrews.

For tonight’s encounter, Andrews said national player Kaihim Thomas will be the lone player out as he is yet to fully recover from the effects of being involved in a car accident.

Questioned on his team’s lack of goals after racking up 53 in the domestic league competition, Andrews said it has hit his team at a bad time.

“We are suffering from a lack of goals when we need to be scoring goals, and it’s the same thing which has happened to AC PoS, and maybe it’s because of the pause in our local season, which has caused our form to drop off.

“But, we go into this match full of confidence that the players will come good. We have to continue to be patient and hope that when one goes in, it will continue to flow because we need to win to advance.

Commenting on his opponent, Moca, the Defence Force coach he has not seen much of them.

“What we do know is that they like to play a short passing intricate game, so we have to be focus and alert and win the key match-ups and challenges, play as a team and take our chances,” said Andrews.

For Moca coach Sergio Guzman will look to the duo of Gustavo Ascona and Victor Sanchez to get his team past the host with a combined three goals between the pair of the four scored by the club.

Overall, Defence Force have 13 Concacaf Champions Cup appearances to their name and an all-time record of 24 wins, 11 draws, and 18 losses in the tournament

In Group B, Jamaica’s Harbour View leads with seven points and is already through to the semifinal ahead of its clash away to Cibao, which is bottom of the table with one point from three matches, while second-placed Robin Hood with six points host Pantoja, with three points.

The knockout stage comprises home and away semifinals, third place, and final and at the conclusion of the Caribbean Cup, the champions qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16, while the runners-up and third-place finisher for the opening round.


Match Officials Defence Force FC (T&TI) vs Moca FC (Dom Rep)

Referee: Shavin Greene (Guyana)

Assistant Referee 1: Kleon Lindey (Guyana)

Assistant Referee 2: Sardjoe Widjay (Suriname)

Fourth Official: Shekiel Jokil (Suriname)


Current standings

Group A

Teams*P*W*D*L*F*A*Pts

Cavalier*3*2*1*0*6*2*7

Moca*3*2*0*1*4*3*6

Defence Force*3*1*2*0*3*2*5

Golden Lion*3*1*0*2*3*6*3

AC PoS*4*0*1*3*4*7*1


Group B

Harbour View*3*2*1*0*5*3*7

SV Robinhood*3*2*0*1*5*3*6

Dunbeholden*4*1*1*2*3*5*4

Pantoja*3*0*3*0*3*3*3

Cibao*3*0*1*2*2*4*1

[Tallman]

Defence Force fails to march on in Concacaf Caribbean Cup after 2-0 loss to Moca FC
By Caston Cupid (T&T Guardian)

Defence Force campaign in the 2023 CONCACAF Club Caribbean Cup has ended after going down 2-0 against Moca FC of the Dominican Republic at the Hasley Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on Wednesday night.

The mission was simple for the Defence Force, to win and secure a spot in the semifinals of the tournament but the team stumbled at the critical stage needing all three points to advance, while the visitors needed only a draw to stay alive and secure the second spot in the group.

The 2023 T&T Premier Football League (TTPFL) champions saw their supporters come out in their numbers in what they hoped would be a regiment performance identical to teams of the past, the 1978 and 1987 who were crowned champions.

From the start, head coach Lloyd Andrews’ game plan was clear to take the game to the opponents.

In doing so, the visitors soaked up all the pressure in the early exchanges as they too had a plan and the host’s poor finishing was playing right into their hands.

After 45 minutes of steady pressure Moca’s defence didn’t budge, and the teams went into the dressing room evenly match at 0-0.

In the second period, the visitors noticed they could make it more difficult for the soldiers if they scored a goal and they amended their game plan to seek the desired result.

They found success in the 64th minute and what a crucial opening goal it was, a deep cross from Juan Angeles was initially deflected out by the host team’s defence and Moca’s Gustavo Ascona was first to react to the loose ball, poking home the finish for an invaluable 1-0 lead while silenced the thousand-plus fans cheering the Army/Coast guard combination team.

The goals also ignited the urgency level of the Teteron unit which was not in the hunt for two goals.

Coach Andrews made five substitutions trying to inject some form of life and finishing with results in the final third into his squad but all he got was half chances and wasted opportunities as the Moca defence stood resoloute despite the constant attack on their goal.

As the time ticked away and reality began to set it was Moca, who extended its lead injury added on time when Ronaldo de Pena finished off a counterattack after a defensive slip-up to complete the 2-0 scoreline cementing their second-place finish in the group on 9 points.

In response to his team’s performance coach Andrews said that he was disappointed that his guys didn’t get the victory and that scoring numerous goals in a single match has been plaguing them for the entire tournament. He continued, that the one-all draw against Cavaliers FC of Jamaica in their opening encounter came back to haunt them for not taking full points in that fixture.

He also dispelled claims that the similar result to local rivals AC Port-of-Spain was the reason they are now out of the competition.

Defence Force finished third in group A with five points while Golden Lions lies fourth with three, and AC Port-of-Spain finished fifth with just one point. Moca FC progressed in second spot with nine points and Jamaica’s Cavaliers FC topped the group with 10 points after hammering Lions 5-2 in their final group game.


MATCH HIGHLIGHTS