Ataulla Guerra scored one goal and made the other for fellow out-of-favour national player Kadeem Corbin to lead Terminix La Horquetta Rangers to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Central Soccer World to extend their lead in the ten-club Ascension Football League at Phase II Recreation Ground in La Horquetta on Friday night.
Playing the feature match of a double-header, Guerra and his team-mates were made to work hard against a resilient Central Soccer World before taking the lead a 1-0 in the 31st minute when Guerra connected with a rebound off goalkeeper Keston Guy and a defender for a joint-league leading tenth goal of the campaign, level with Defence Force’s Jameel Boatswain.
Rangers were then thwarted in their attempt to extend their advantage by Guy while at the other end of the field, Central Soccer World’s efforts from Nicholas Dillon, Kemeul Rivers and Moses Jaikaran were also turned back by Rangers’ custodian and recent senior national team call-up Jabari St Hillaire.
However, on the hour mark substitute Corbin, who replaced Jomoul Francois just before the half-time interval ran onto a through ball from Guerra to fire a right-footed shot into the far corner to double the lead, with his eighth goal of the competition.
Both teams continued to have a go at each on the very heavy surface and with seconds left on the clock, Central Soccer World was rewarded for their efforts when Simon Joseph curled home a free-kick into the top right-hand corner, but it was too little too late.
With the win, their tenth in 12 matches, Rangers pushed their points tally to 32, five more than Defence Force while Police FC and Deportivo Point Fortin are third with 24 points each from 11 and 12 matches, respectively.
In Friday’s opening match, Isaiah Hudson scored as early as the ninth minute and Nartheon Watson, in the 92nd to secure a 2-0 victory for Deportivo PF against Central FC.
On Saturday at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, Moruga FC was to face Cunupia FC while AC Port-of-Spain came up against Defence Force and on Sunday, Police hosts Real West Fort United at the St James Police Training Barracks, Long Circular Road, St James from 5 pm.
Friday’s results
Deportivo Point Fortin 2 (Isaiah Hudson 9th, Nartheon Watson 92nd) vs Central FC 0
La Horquetta Rangers 2 (Ataulla Guerra 31st, Kadeem Corbin 60th) vs Central Soccer World 1 (Simon Joseph 89th)
Today’s match:
Police FC vs Real West Fort, St James Police Training Barracks Ground, Long Circular Road, St James, 5 pm.
Latest standings
Teams P W D L F A GD Pts
1. La Horquetta Rangers 12 10 2 0 52 16 36 32
2. Defence Force 11 8 3 0 35 7 28 27
3. Police FC 11 8 0 3 31 15 16 24
4. Deportivo PF 12 7 3 2 26 11 15 24
5. Cunupia FC 11 4 1 6 16 23 -7 13
6. Central Soccer World 12 4 1 7 15 22 -7 13
7. AC PoS 11 3 3 5 22 25 -3 12
8. Real West Fort 11 3 2 6 14 29 -15 11
9. Central FC 12 1 3 8 17 38 -19 6
10. Moruga FC 11 0 0 11 7 49 -36 0
Leading scorers
10 - Jameel Boatswain (Defence Force), Ataulla Guerra (La Horquetta Rangers)
9 - Kevon Woodley (Cunupia FC)
8 - Brent Sam (Defence Force), Kadeem Corbin (La Horquetta Rangers)
7 - Reon Moore (Defence Force),
6 - Mickaeel Gordon (Police FC), Sedale Mc Clean (AC Port-of-Spain), Che Benny (AC Port-of-Spain),
5 - Tyrone Charles, Isaiah Lee (La Horquetta Rangers), Keron Cummings (Real West Fort)
4 - Akinola Gregory, Hughton Hector (Deportivo PF), Kemron Purcell, Jabari Mitchell, Kareem Freitas (Police), Romario Burke, Leonardo Da Costa (Central FC), Ross Russell Jr (La Horquetta Rangers), Josimar Belgrave (Real West Fort)
3 - Aikim Andrews Junior Assoon, Real Gill (La Horquetta Rangers), Joel Lewis, Gabriel Nanton (Police FC), Keasean St Rose (Central FC), Kemuel Rivers, Moses Jaikaran (Central Soccer World), Andrei Pacheco (Deportivo PF), Jamali Garcia (Defence Force), Shackiel Henry (Deportivo PF),
2 - Mark Ramdeen, Ezekiel Kesar, Nathaniel Garcia, Isaiah Hudson (Deportivo PF), Jomoul Francois, Jamal Creighton, Daniel David (La Horquetta Ranges), Kerville Jeremiah (Moruga FC), Renaldo Francois, (Central FC), Leandro Da Costa (Central FC), Atiba Charles (Moruga), Ryan Frederick, Nicholas Dillion (Central Soccer World), Kwasi Allen (Cunupia FC)
RELATED NEWS
AC POS upset Defence Force, Rangers go five points clear.
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday).
AC Port of Spain produced a shock 4-3 win over Defence Force at the Arima Velodrome on Saturday, and Terminix La Horquetta Rangers moved five points clear at the top of the 10-team standings, on Match Day 12 of the Ascension Football Tournament.
On Friday, Rangers earned a hard-fought 2-1 win over Central Soccer World, in the second of back-to-back matches at the La Horquetta Recreation Ground, Arima.
Ataullah Guerra (31st minute) and Kadeem Corbin (60th) were the goal-getters for Rangers. Simon Joseph pulled one back for Central Soccer World, with a freekick in the 89th.
Rangers have tallied 32 points from 12 games, with Defence Force and Police both on 27, but Defence Force have a goal difference of plus 27, compared to Police’s plus 17.
Deportivo Point Fortin remain fourth with 24 points, followed by AC Port of Spain (15), Cunupia FC (14), Central Soccer World (13), Real West Fort United (11), Central FC (six) and Moruga FC (one).
Deportivo Point Fortin continued their fine form of late with a 2-0 triumph over Central FC. Isaiah Hudson (ninth) and Matheon Watson (90th) found the back of the net for Point Fortin.
On Saturday, in the first of back-to-back matches at the Arima Velodrome, Cunupia FC’s struggles continued as they were held to a goalless draw by Moruga FC. This result saw Moruga earning their first point, in their 12th attempt.
Police needed a second half stoppage-time winner from Elijah Belgrave to earn a 1-0 victory over Real West Fort United, at the Police Barracks in St James, on Sunday.
But Defence Force failed to bridge the gap between themselves and Rangers, as they fell to their first defeat in the tournament.
Jameel Neptune put AC Port of Spain in front after 19 minutes, as he got ahead of Defence Force’s goalkeeper Christopher Biggette and headed a cross from the left by playmaker Che Benny, into the back of the net.
However, Defence Force equalised eight minutes later, after winger Reon Moore met a corner from Jelani Felix and diverted the ball to striker Dwight Quintero, who finished from inside of the six-yard box.
Benny was at the heart of the AC Port of Spain attacks, and he played instrumental roles in a pair of goals, within the space of seven minutes.
In the 30th, Benny slipped a pass to a goal-bound Neptune, who guided his left-footed shot past an advancing Biggette.
In the 37th, Benny’s quickly-taken freekick found Shawndell Augustus who lobbed the Defence Force goalie with a right-footed effort.
Brent Sam reduced the deficit for Defence Force, on the stroke of half-time, with a freekick to the right of the wall and away from keeper Jadel Poon-Lewis.
Moore won a penalty in the 59th minute, when he was tackled by Poon-Lewis, with Sam sending the keeper the wrong way with his spot-kick.
With the scores locked at 3-3, Benny had a chance to restore AC Port of Spain’s advantage in the 74th, but his penalty was denied by Biggette.
However, Benny would have the final say in a pulsating contest two minutes later.
One of the most consistent performers in this year’s tournament, Benny collected a pass from substitute Duane Muckette, wrong-footed the pair of Kevon Goddard and Justin Garcia, and neatly placed his right-footed shot into the back of the net.