Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 28/12/2024 09:19

Army stay perfect, whip Rangers 6-2 in Premier Football League

THERE were goals aplenty in Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) 2024/25 action on December 26, with a total of 32 goals being scored in six matches as fans had a Boxing Day to savour. Last season's runners-up Miscellaneous Police FC (seven points), Club Sando (five points) and league leaders Defence Force (12 points) were the most convincing winners on the day. In the second game of a double-header at the Arima Velodrome, Defence Force maintained their perfect record to start the season with a 6-2 victory over the 11th-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers. Defence Force fell behind early to a Josiah Edwards goal, but they soon assumed control and stormed to a 3-1 lead at the half as Shaquille Bertrand, Brent Sam and playmaker Kevin Molino found the net. Molino and Sam scored in identical fashion as they both headed home from close range after lovely wing play down the left. In the second half, the Army/Coast Guard combination drove home their advantage when Sam converted a 49th-minute penalty after Molino was fouled in the area. Rangers cut the deficit to 4-2 in the 77th minute, but coach Densill Theobald's Defence Force team secured the points with two late strikes. In the 83rd minute, attacker Isaiah Leacock scored for the fourth game running when he lobbed goalie Miles Goodman, with fellow substitute Rivaldo Coryat scoring from just inside the area five minutes later upon receiving a Leacock layoff. In the first game in Arima, defending champs AC PoS (nine points) snapped Central FC's winning streak when they got a 2-1 victory. The "Capital Boys" opened the scoring through Haile Beckles in the 13th minute, before Central equalised through a 34th-minute penalty from veteran striker Kevon "Showtime" Woodley. In the 74th minute, AC PoS clinched their third win of the season when Sedale McLean registered his second goal of the young campaign. Despite the loss, Central (nine points) stayed in second spot on the 12-team table, with AC PoS remaining in third. At the Mahaica Sporting Complex in Pt Fortin, Club Sando heaped more pressure on the struggling Eagles FC when they got a thumping 7-1 win. The teams were locked at 1-1 in the 34th minute, but Sando turned up the heat with five of their goals coming in the second half. Isaiah Hudson bagged a brace to lead Sando to their first win of the season, with five other players scoring a goal apiece. In the other Mahaica match, San Juan Jabloteh (four points) also grabbed their first win of the campaign when they got a 3-1 comeback victory against hosts Pt Fortin Civic. Secondary Schools Football League star Derrel Garcia copped the Man of the Match award, with Jabloteh's goals coming from Andell Fraser, Keanu John and Trevis Byron. At the St James Police Barracks, Caledonia AIA (nine points) moved one spot up to fourth when they got a dramatic 2-1 comeback win against 1976 FC Phoenix (six points). Trailing after Phoenix's Jariel Arthur scored in the 17th minute, Caledonia were rescued in the dying moments of the game through a brace from Jean-Heim McFee who scored the winning item in stoppage-time. In the other game in St James, Police continued their high-scoring trend at home when they whipped Prisons FC 5-1. Levin Caballero gave Prisons hope when he cancelled out Joevin Jones' first-half penalty with a goal in the 54th minute. However, the Lawmen quickly regained control with a double from Kwesi "Jep" Allen, who jumped to the top of the TTPFL scoring charts after netting his fifth goal in three games. Joshua Sitney and new signing Mickaeel Gordon rounded off the scoring as Police moved up one spot to fifth. Prisons dropped two places to ninth with the heavy loss. The TTFPL action will resume on January 3 with Defence Force and AC PoS scheduled to meet in an appetising heavyweight clash. TTFPL tier one standings: Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts Defence Force FC*4*4*0*0*16*4*12*12 Central FC*4*3*0*1*8*3*5*9 AC PoS*4*3*0*1*7*3*4*9 Caledonia*4*3*0*1*6*5*1*9 Police FC*4*2*1*1*13*8*5*7 1976 FC Phoenix*4*2*0*2*7*8*-1*6 Club Sando*4*1*2*1*9*4*5*5 Jabloteh*4*1*1*2*8*9*-1*4 Prisons FC*4*1*1*2*5*8*-3*4 Point Fortin Civic*4*1*0*3*3*7*-4*3 La Horquetta Rangers*4*0*1*3*5*11*-6*1 Eagles FC*4*0*0*4*2*19*-17*0 The post Army stay perfect, whip Rangers 6-2 in Premier Football League appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.