The Second annual Lucozade Sport Goal Shield, which is the first knockout tournament in the 2010/2011 Digicel Pro League season, kicks off tomorrow at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya.
W Connection won the inaugural competition last year, courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Defence Force.
This time around, Defence Force has set the season ablaze with ten straight victories, so they will be the early favourites for the title, when the final takes place on August 13.
Due to the refurbishment of the five major stadia, ahead of the 2010 FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup here in Trinidad and Tobago (in September), all of the matches in this year’s Goal Shield will take place at Macoya.
This year’s champion will be guaranteed a minimum of $20,000, while $1,000 will be added for every goal scored in the quarter-final, $2,000 for every semi-final goal and $3,000 for every final goal (by the said team).
The runners-up will get at least $10,000, with $500 added for every goal in the quarter-final, $1,000 for every semi-final goal and $1,500 for every final team (by that said team).
The tournament’s Leading Goal Scorer, as well as the Most Valuable Player, will each collect $1,500.
According to the tournament’s rules, the top six teams, after Round One Match Day Eleven, automatically sealed spots in the quarter-final phase, while the teams placed seventh, eighth and ninth will be featured in the Goal Shield First Round.
And, the last two teams in the Pro League standings will participate in a penalty shoot-out, half-an-hour before the scheduled kick-off for the First Round, to determine the final entrant into the Goal Shield.
FC South End and Police, the table-proppers, will engage in the shoot- out tomorrow, from 5.30 pm, while the First Round will begin at 6 pm..
St Ann’s Rangers will oppose Tobago United while, two hours later, the winner of the South End-Police tussle will meet North East Stars.
The quarter-finals will take place on July 30 and 31. On July 30, Defence Force will face the winner of North East against South End/Police while Connection will meet Caledonia AIA.
A day later, Joe Public will square off against Rangers/Tobago while Ma Pau will oppose San Juan Jabloteh.
The semi-finals will be contested on August 6 and the final will be staged a week later.