Last year's Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) champions Defence Force crashed out at the round of 16 stage of the 2024 CFU Club Shield on July 27 when they were stunned 1-0 by Dominican Republic's Club Atlético Pantoja at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad, Curacao.
The Lloyd Andrews-coached Defence Force team created numerous chances in the knockout encounter and controlled the balance of play for the 90 minutes. However, the Army/Coast Guard combination was undone by a piece of brilliance from Pantoja in the 77th minute, when Luis Espinal beat goalkeeper Christopher Biggette with a wonderful volley from outside the area.
Biggette, a member of T&T's national football team, was hardly tested up to that point, but when Espinal latched on to a flick on from Jeremy Baez from about 25 yards out, the Soca Warriors goalie, who was a few feet off his line, was left clutching at straws as the ball settled in the left corner.
Even after going down, Defence Force had a glorious chance to equalise in the 90th minute, but substitute Dylon King somehow managed to send a left-footed shot over bar from close range after receiving a knock-down from fellow substitute Brent Sam.
Before his team made their entry into the tourney, Andrews told Newsday, "In order to progress out of this tournament, we must win every game. That's our intention."
After the surprise loss, Andrews took the blow on the chin as he rued his team's missed chances.
"We had the better of the chances and we didn't take the chances we got. In football sometimes, when luck doesn't go your way this is what happens," he said, at the post-match briefing.
In the build-up to the game, Andrews said the artificial surfaces in Curacao were posing a challenge to his team. But after a slow start, Defence Force came into their own and fashioned presentable chances through striker Isaiah Leacock and flanker Jelani Felix in the first 15 minutes. Both men flashed their left-footed efforts wide of the mark, though.
Pantoja survived a mad scramble in the area in the 33rd minute, as well as a strong penalty appeal a minute later, when the ball struck the arm of centre back Kleffer Martes in the penalty area.
More chances came Defence Force's way in the second half, but both Rivaldo Coryat and Jameel Cooper were denied from point-blank range by Pantoja goalie Alessandro Baroni. In the 67th minute, the T&T club spurned another glorious chance when centre back Justin Garcia headed wide of the goal after being picked out by a Felix set piece.
In a rare foray into the attacking third in the 77th minute, Espinal dealt a telling blow for Pantoja to send Defence Force packing from the tournament.
"We created too many chances not to come out winners in this game," Andrews said. "I always knew goals win matches, and today, that was proven again."
Pantoja will now play Puerto Rican outfit Metropolitan FA in the quarterfinals on July 30. The finalists of the CFU Club Shield will advance to the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.
SOURCE: T&T Newsday