"They have nothing on us. We're ready and waiting to take the League title away from them."
Those were the fighting words of Cunupia FC head coach, Michael De Four, as his team prepares to try to ruin FC Santa Rosa's season by taking away, not one, but two trophies from the Eastern-based outfit.
With FC Santa Rosa topping the Super League table on 60 points from 25 matches (with a goal difference of 50), a draw against De Four's team this Sunday at the Larry Gomes Stadium when both teams clash from 3.30 pm, will assure them of reclaiming the title. However, they failed to beat Cunupia FC in their first encounter this season, drawing 1-1, and De Four made it clear his team will be looking for a win, which could allow second-placed Queen's Park (57 points from 25 games, goal difference of 49) to rise to 60 points as well and pip the Arima team for the crown on goal difference.
After Sunday's big clash, Cunupia and FC Santa Rosa meet again a week later in the League Cup final.
"This would be our way of salvaging the better part of the season and also erasing Santa Rosa's claim on being the best. They cannot beat us. We drew the first time we met this year and it's no secret they could beat everybody but us. They don't have anything on us," De Four said. Cunupia are currently fifth with 44 points from their 25 matches, but De Four warned his men have emerged as Santa Rosa's bogey team.
The coach indicated that in their debut season last year, they defied the odds and placed third in the Super League (which consolidated its Premiership and Championship divisions into one), but in that season, Santa Rosa failed to topple them in both meetings. "We were the only team they couldn't beat and we were relatively new. Now, everyone knows we're the team to beat. Everybody wants to play us and bring their best side to beat us. I'd call us the W Connection of the Super League," he boasted.
De Four is also ready to wrest the League Cup from his rivals despite what he deemed a "topsy-turvy and inconsistent season." He pointed to his star forward and the league's top-scorer, Kevon "Showtime" Woodley as the standout this year with 22 goals, and one of the key assets in derailing Santa Rosa's trophy aspirations. Prisons FC midfielder Nathan Julien is second on 18, with Queen's Park's Sean da Silva third on 16, but De Four believes he has the best attacker in all competitions and Woodley will be adding to his tally against the leaders.
He also referenced the rest of his squad, particularly Ghanian midfielder, Michael Darko and Theon James, as players who could stop their rivals in their tracks. He said the lack of pressure was also going to play in Cunupia's favour, although he was wary of Santa Rosa's attacking dynamo Kishun Seecharan.
"We have nothing to lose. Anytime we play football, we come out for a fun time, but once we're at our best, we're relatively unbeatable. For these two games, all we need is composure and discipline and this will see us get at least one trophy lifted in the League Cup," the coach concluded, adding he hopes someday to bring their bravado and brand of football to the Pro League.
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