Five franchise holders, Petrotrin, Chancellor Hotel, Shanghai Construction Group International (SCG), CNG Company of T&T, and Boom Champions 94.1 have already been made public since recent start to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) while the last holder for the franchise, Wave, is set to be announced in time for Wednesday’s lone fixture.
The league kicked off on Thursday with a double-header at the Police Barracks in St James, the same venue set to host the lone match on Wednesday when Rush and Petrotrin Oilers clash in their debuts from 6 pm.
With two goals each from national midfielder Tasha St Louis and T&T’s 2010 U-17 World Cup player, Jo-Marie Lewis, Boom Champions Fuego trumped SCG Dragons 5-3, while Chancellor Angels—led by another brace from national skipper Maylee Attin-Johnson—eased past Wave 3-0.
Wednesday’s match will see the balance of drafted national youth and senior team players in action for the lone franchise dedicated to players with NCAA restrictions, Petrotrin Oilers. They face off against a CNGC Rush team that boasts the likes of T&T’s nifty winger Ahkeela Mollon, one of the most recognised woman footballers in the region, along with other top national players, Rhea Belgrave and Janine Francois, second round draft pick, Emily Cota, who starts in goal for the US Virgin Islands and other quality players. That team is led by Marlon Charles, who was replaced by Randy Waldrum as T&T women’s team head coach prior to T&T final stage of Fifa Women’s World Cup qualifiers last year.
His opposite number on the day will be Rajesh Latchoo, T&T’s women U-15 head coach, who was given the assignment of leading Petrotrin Oilers for the tournament.
After Wednesday, Petrotrin Oilers will return to action on Saturday in one of the two double-header matches carded to play at the Palo Seco Velodrome.