Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, and Central FC both secured contrasting wins in the T&T Premier Football League on Wednesday night to stay in the hunt to secure a top-three position by May 28 deadline given to the T&T Football Association by CONCACAF for qualification to the two revamped confederation club competitions, namely the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield, and the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup.
The two competitions are part of CONCACAF’s new club ecosystem announced in September 2021 and will serve as qualifiers for Confederation-wide competitions.
And on Wednesday night, with Tiger Tanks Club Sando securing a comfortable 3-1 win over Morvant Caledonia AIA earlier in the day led by a hat-trick from Nathaniel James to close the gap on leaders AC Port-of-Spain to one point, the pressure was on the other clubs around them on the table to pick up full points in their matches.
At the Phase II La Horquetta Recreation Ground, La Horquetta, the host Rangers were eager to exact revenge on AC PoS following their 2-1 last-minute loss to their rivals on Sunday last at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar.
And the spectators barely had time to settle into their seats when Rangers went ahead inside 49 seconds courtesy of a one-time volley from Isaiah Raymond on the near post past two defenders and a stunned goalkeeper Marvin Phillip, off a corner by Kaihim Thomas.
Ten minutes it was Raymond again, this time firing home through a crowd of players after AC PoS failed to deal with a threatening move by Rangers.
The game then looked over for the visiting league leaders AC PoS in the 32nd minute when
Thomas, the architect of Rangers’ opener extended his team’s lead to 3-0, firing past Phillip low to his right from about 25-yards out, after being put through by fellow former national Under-20 teammate Real Gill, who was making his return to the starting line-up after an injury lay-off.
However, four minutes before the half-time interval, AC PoS was provided with a lifeline by captain Duane Muckette as he guided a right-footed shot into the top left-hand corner of the net past the hapless dive of goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire, off an assist from fellow T&T international teammate John-Paul Rochford, at the edge of the 18-yard box.
AC PoS then had a chance to narrow the gap even further in the 65th minute when St Hillaire was whistled for a foul on striker Jomoul Francois by referee Kwinsi Williams, however, the Rangers custodian redeemed himself by keeping out Muckette’s weak attempt low to his right.
It went from bad to worse for AC PoS six minutes later as Francois, to earn his team another penalty, threw himself to the ground under a challenge from Daniel David, and was shown a second yellow card for simulation to leave his team to fight the rest of the way with ten men.
But as has happened so often in matches, the ten men of AC PoS dug deep and were rewarded with another goalscoring chance, from the penalty spot after midfielder Che Benny was hacked down in the 18-yard by David, and this time Benny stepped up and rifled home a left-footed effort off the hands of St Hilliare into the net to reduce the deficit to 2-3.
AC PoS then had another chance to snatch an unlikely share of the points, but Jaydon Prowell, the scorer of the late goal to earn his team the win on Sunday last, saw his effort thwarted by an alert St Hillaire as the host held on for the win to climb to 25 points from ten matches, in the third spot, level with Defence Force, and five adrift of AC PoS with two matches in hand.
Up at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima, former India-based T&T striker Willis Plaza scored in the 28th, and 66th minutes after Ricardo John’s 17th-minute opener for Central FC in a 3-0 thumping of Prisons Service to cement their hold on fifth spot with 22 points
Earlier on Wednesday, at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, former national Under-20 striker Nathaniel James marked his return from a one-match suspension with a hat trick to fire Tiger Tanks Club Sando to a 3-1 thumping of Morvant Caledonia AIA to push their tally 29 points, one behind AC PoS.
The son of former Queen’s Royal College stand-out Mark James, Nathaniel didn’t disappoint as he netted in the 27th minute, 60th and 90+2 for a 3-0 cushion before Phillip Tinto got a consolation item for Morvant Caledonia.
In the opening match at La Horquetta, Defence Force needed goals from Brent Sam five minutes into time added-on at the end of the first half, and Jameel Cooper in the 67th to come from behind twice and earn a share of the points with lowly San Juan Jabloteh, which led twice through strikes from former national ‘Beach Soccer’ stand-out, Kevon ‘Showtime” Woodley, first in the 35th, and then 2-1 in the 49th minute, in his first start for his new club.
In the opening match at Arima, W Connection and Cunupia FC drew 1-1 while Police FC was also held to a 1-1 draw by visitors Point Fortin Civic at the St James Police Training Barracks, Ground, St James
T&T was last represented at the Caribbean club competition in 2018 by former regional powerhouses, and both former winners, W Connection (2006, 2009) and Central FC (2015 & 2016).
This was because North East Stars, the 2017 T&T Pro League champions (now known as AC Port-of-Spain), and W Connection, the 2017 T&T Pro League runners-up, were not allowed to compete in the 2019 CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championship through no real fault of theirs, as TTFA did not properly execute its club licensing programme.
Yesterday Results
Defence Force 2 (Brent Sam 50, Jameel Cooper 66) vs San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Kevon Woodly 35, 48)
AC Port of Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 41, Che Benny 42) vs La Horquetta Rangers 3 (Isaiah Raymond 1, 11, Kaihim Thomas 32)
W Connection 1 (Craig Wilson 73) vs Cunupia FC 1 (Romario Williams 75)
Prisons Service FC 0 vs Central FC 3 (Ricardo John 17, Willis Plaza 28, 66)
Club Sando FC 3 (Nathaniel James 27, 60, 92) vs Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Phillip Tinto 94)
Police FC 1 (Jabari Mitchell 31) vs Point Fortin Civic 1 (Luke Phillips 56)
RELATED NEWS
Bateau rues slow start, Rangers beat leaders AC PoS.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
ANOTHER THRILLER
TERMINIX La Horquetta Rangers showed their intention from kick-off and never looked back during Wednesday night’s sequel against Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football leaders AC Port of Spain who had beaten them just four days earlier.
It was all a far cry from Sunday when a few miles away at the Larry Gomes Stadium, AC Port of Spain won 2-1, with a late Jaden Prowell goal handing Rangers a first loss of the season. On Wednesday night, Rangers were all business and leading by three first half goals before AC Port of Spain rallied and just fell short at 3-2. Both parties agreed afterwards that the match was a great endorsement for the TT Premier League.
“Credit to Rangers, very good game. They did the job in the first half,” stated Gilbert Bateau, AC Port of Spain’s assistant coach.
However, Bateau felt the Port of Spain-based “Capital Boyz” had done enough to leave La Horquetta with a point.
“AC Port of Spain arrived late. Nevertheless, it was another thriller,” Bateau stated.
Despite evidence to the contrary, coy Rangers owner Richard Ferguson maintained that AC Port of Spain outplayed his team, “over the entire 90 minutes”.
“We managed to save one penalty and we were a bit lucky,” Ferguson said. “They are the best team in the tournament, I feel.”
Playing at home before a big crowd, Rangers were all business in the first half and displayed none of the aversion to goal shown by Defence Force in the opening match of the double-header. Real Gill and Kaihim Thomas terrorised, as AC Port of Spain struggled to match the early intensity. But it was unheralded Man-of-the-Match Isaiah Raymond, who broke through early and spectacularly.
With just 49 seconds on the clock, Raymond flicked Thomas’ corner-kick in at the near post and Rangers were ahead 1-0. Raymond added a second ten minutes later to double up the score and Thomas then put a low shot deep into the corner of goalie Marvin Phillip’s net for 3-0.
The Capital Boyz began to fight back when captain Duane Muckette swept the ball high past Rangers goalkeeper Jabari St Hillaire for 3-1, giving the league leaders some hope going into the half-time break. They got even closer when Che Benny converted an 82nd minute penalty, leaving the home team hanging on at the end. Had Muckette not missed a 66th minute penalty, AC Port of Spain would have been level. But Rangers goalkeeper St Hillaire read the spot kick perfectly, having himself committed the infringement by fouling slippery winger Jamoul Francois, who had escaped the poor defensive work of centre-back Leslie Russell.
Earlier on the night, Defence Force wasted a tonne of chances when drawing 2-2 with a San Juan Jabloteh side they had beaten 2-1 on Saturday.
Strengthened by the addition of 36-year-old veteran striker Kevon “Showtime” Woodley and national youth midfielder Jaheim Faustin to the squad via the transfer window, Jabloteh were dangerous. Woodley lived up to his “Showtime” alias by scoring twice, as Jabloteh led both times.
For Defence Force, national winger Reon Moore was penetrative until reaching the goal, and striker Brent Sam was doing his very, very best to convince national coach Angus Eve to keep him out of the CONCACAF Gold Cup squad, by missing easy chances. However, the lanky striker eventually headed home a corner to pull the “Army” level just before the first half ended. In the second half, Woodley shot low and found the far corner to put Jabloteh up 2-1 and Defence Force got level again through Jameel Cooper.
Other matches saw Tiger Tanks Club Sando moving into second with a 3-1 win over slumping Morvant Caledonia United. They got a hat-trick from Nathaniel “Natty” James, the national youth striker. Veteran former national striker Willis Plaza also got a brace as Central FC shut out bottom-placed Prisons FC 3-0.
TTPFL RESULTS:
• Terminix La Horquetta Rangers 3 (Isaiah Raymond 1st, 11th, Kaihim Thomas 32nd) AC Port of Spain 2 (Duane Muckette 41st, Che Benny pen 82nd)
• Club Sando FC 3 (Nathaniel James 27th, 60th, 92nd) Morvant Caledonia United 1 (Phillip Tinto 94th)
• Defence Force 2 (Brent Sam 50th, Jameel Cooper 66th) San Juan Jabloteh 2 (Kevon Woodly 35th, 48)
• Central FC 3 (Ricardo John 17th, Willis Plaza 28th, 66th) Prisons Service FC 0
• W Connection 1 (Craig Wilson 73rd) Cunupia FC 1 (Romario Williams 75th)
• Police FC 1 (Jabari Mitchell 31st) Point Fortin Civic 1 (Luke Phillips 56th)
TTPFL STANDINGS
Team P W D L GF GA GD PTS
1. AC Port of Spain 12 10 0 2 32 9 +23 30
2. Club Sando 12 9 2 1 25 12 +13 29
3. La Horquetta Rangers 10 8 1 1 35 13 +22 25
4. Defence Force 11 8 1 2 25 9 +16 25
5. Central FC 12 7 1 4 25 15 +10 22
6. W Connection 12 4 2 6 12 16 -4 14
7. Police 11 4 1 6 16 20 -4 13
8. Point Fortin 12 3 2 7 9 15 -6 11
9. San Juan Jabloteh 12 2 2 8 12 25 -13 8
10. M Caledonia Utd 12 2 2 8 10 26 -16 8
11. Cunupia 12 2 2 8 8 25 -17 8
12. Prison Service 12 2 2 8 6 30 -24 8
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