Realistically there is no chance pippin 2010-2011 Digicel Pro League Championship leaders Defence Force for the title following Tuesday’s Round Two Match Day Seven slate of matches.
The Soldiers (now 37 points) defeated closest challengers Caledonia AIA 2-0 in the second clash of a Hasely Crawford Stadium double header to extend their lead at the top to six points while the Morvant/Laventille club dropped into third with their 30 points.
Second half goals by Jemel Seabro and Devon Jorsling helped the Ross Russell coached side to overcome a stern Caledonia AIA contest, which saw the Soldiers essentially win this season’s League Championship.
Defending champs bmobile Joe Public now second with 31 points after defeating St. Ann’s Rangers 2-1 at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Tuesday afternoon with a pair of first half goals by Marcus Joseph remains the only team with a chance contesting Defence Force for the title with W Connection suffering a 1-0 defeat against North East Stars at the Ato Boldon Stadium and slipping fourth.
However the chance of pippin Defence Force for the title remains an unrealistic one for the Lions with just two matchdays remaining and a very poor goals difference.
If Defence Force were to lose their remaining matches against San Juan Jabloteh and St. Ann’s Rangers while Joe Public win their two remaining matches against Police FC and North East Stars, it still wouldn’t guarantee the Derek King coached side the title because of the healthy goals difference enjoyed by the Soldiers.
Tuesday’s top of the table clash between Defence Force and Caledonia AIA was truly that of a Final with both sides backed strongly by their supporters and complimented by the Digicel promotional girls at the Port of Spain venue.
Jerwyn Balthazar had the first real effort of the keenly contested match in the 12th minute with a low shot on target however it was thwarted by Caledonia goalkeeper Kevin Graham who carries the same name as the Defence Force number one.
Balthazar then provided a cross in the 25th minute in what should have given the Soldiers the early lead however Ross Russell Jr. showed some nervousness when he spilled wide to the disappointment of many.
Defence Force goalie Kevin Graham later pulled off a decent save to shutout Densill Theobald's low crack on goal after the Caledonia midfielder was played by teammate Kareem Joseph.
It seemed that the night wasn't in Defence Force's favour when rookie Jemel Seabro, starting in first senior team match, spilled high with the goal at his mercy three minutes into the second period after a play between Jorsling and Balthazar broke down with the ball falling lose on the right.
But in the 56th minute Seabro changed the nature of the game putting Defence Force ahead 1-0 tapping in a low Corey Rivers freekick past Caledonia's Jamaican goalie Graham.
Graham was later left to dry in the 77th minute when a through-ball played to Devon Jorsling by Balthazar left his defence beaten and allowing the Defence Force ace-goalscorer to slip an easy shot past him for a 2-0 score.
Following the final whistle Defence Force celebrated the victory but not in the climax of winning the title.
Maybe Defence Force wants to know for certain, so a win or a draw on Friday against San Juan Jabloteh from 8pm at the Hasely Crawford Stadium will definitely erase any doubts. Meantime Caledonia, in third with 30 points, will now look at their chances of the runners-up spot.
Defence Force 2—0 Caledonia AIA
Jemel Seabro 56', Devon Jorsling 77'
Teams
Defence Force—Kevin Graham, Corey Rivers (capt.), Keston Williams, Devon Jorsling (Yellow) (Richard Roy 85th) (Yellow), Jerwyn Balthazar, Sean Narcis, Dexter Pacheco, Rondell Elcock, Aklie Edwards, Ross Russell Jr., Jemel Seabro(Kerry Joseph 69th).
Coach—Ross Russell.
Caledonia AIA—Kevin Graham, Stephan David (capt.), Nuru Abdullah Muhammad, Jean-Luc Rochford (Hayden Vincent 71st), Ryan Stewart, Kareem Joseph, Walter Moore (Yellow), Akim Armstrong (Conrad Smith 81st), Keyon Edwards (Abdallah Phillips 89th), Daneil Cyrus, Densill Theobald.
Coach—Jamaal Shabazz
Full Round Two Match Day Seven results
Joe Public 2—1 St. Ann's Rangers
Marcus Joseph 8', 39' ; Kwame Wiltshire 76'
FC SouthEnd 0—3 San Juan Jabloteh
; Hector Sam 7, Jerrel Britto 73', Robert Primus 83'
Ma Pau SC 3—1 Police FC
Leslie Fitzpatrick 7', Lyndon Andrews 16', Seon Power 86' ; Noel Williams 1'
W Connection 0—1 North East Stars
; Charles Pollard 78’
Defence Force 2—0 Caledonia AIA
Jemel Seabro 56', Devon Jorsling 77'