Leaders Guaya goes after tricky Phoenix.
There will be absolutely no room for error for the top two teams in the T&T Super League; Hydrotech Guaya United and second placed FC Santa Rosa, when action continues today at various venues across T&T.
At Bon Accord ground in Tobago, leaders Guaya on 49 points, face a tricky test from 1976 Phoenix, one of the top four teams in the National FA Cup tournament this year and which is likely to fancy its chances at 5pm this afternoon.
The Tobagonians, for all their attractive football this season, are in sixth position on standings with 31 points, by virtue of an inferior goal difference behind seasoned campaigners Defence Force.
The last meeting between the teams ended in a comfortable 3-1 triumph for Guaya at its home base in Guayaguayare. But Phoenix will have in mind, their 3-2 win over the team from Trinidad’s South East coast two years ago in Tobago.
Guaya coach Ron La Forest has assured his team will be treating every match as a final. Only recently Guaya, considered one of the fastest developing teams in local football, copped the Caribbean Football Trust League (CFTL) League Cup title by whipping Prisons 4-2 at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Balmain Couva, and it will be going after its counterparts today for maximum points.
“We cannot afford to slip up now because there are teams on our backs that will benefit. We have been on a roll so far but will not take Phoenix or any other team for granted. We will be putting our best foot forward and once we play to our true potential we should win.” said the ex-national player and coach who described Phoenix as one of the better playing teams in the league.
Guaya Manager Jameson Rigues took his troops to the sister-isle two days earlier to prepare, saying Phoenix has been playing better football of late and he did not want to be caught in a similar situation like two years ago when they went over to the sister-isle on the same day to take on Phoenix.
At the Arima Velodrome however, Keith Look Loy, the Santa Rosa coach and his assistant Jovan Rochford will not be on the bench as his team faces Police FC at 3:30pm. They have agreed to sit out the match at the request of the League’s referees, angered by the punishment the Santa Rosa officials received from the League’s Disciplinary Committee for abusing referee Cecile Hinds almost a month ago.
Like Guaya, the Big Cannons cannot afford to lose against the Lawmen, as a win for , coupled with a loss for Guaya, can see them take the lead position with one round of games to go.
2017 TTSL STANDINGS
Team P W D L GF GA GD PTS
1 Guaya United 20 15 4 1 58 19 39 49
2 FC Santa Rosa 20 14 2 3 51 15 36 47
3 Cunupia FC 20 12 3 5 42 28 14 39
4 UTT 20 10 2 8 37 34 3 32
5 Defence Force FC 20 9 4 7 40 29 11 31
6 1976 Phoenix FC 20 9 4 7 35 30 5 31
7 QPCC 20 9 3 8 30 29 1 30
8 Wasa FC 20 6 6 8 30 37 -7 24
9 Police FC 20 5 5 10 25 42 -17 20
10 Club Sando Moruga 20 4 4 12 37 48 -11 16
11 Bethel United 20 2 4 14 18 55 -37 10
12 Siparia Spurs 20 1 4 15 20 57 -37 9
TODAY’S TTSL MATCHES
Club Sando Moruga vs Defence Force- 3:30 at Grand Chemin Recreation Ground, Moruga
Cunupia FC vs Bethel United FC- 3:30pm @Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima
FC Santa Rosa vs Police FC- 3:30pm @Arima Velodrome, Arima
WASA FC vs Siparia Spurs- 4:30pm @WASA Head Office Grounds, St Joseph
1976 Phoenix FC vs Guaya United- 5pm @Canaan Bon Accord Recreation Grounds, Tobago
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