Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 05/Jan 02:32

Sando, Army keep chase as Police hold firm in TTPFL

VIDIA RAMPHAL Miscellaneous Police FC hold a one-point lead at the halfway point of the 2025/26 Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL), after round 11 action on January 3. While defending champion Defence Force and challenger Club Sando picked up crucial victories to keep the heat on, the Lawmen ended round 11 exactly where they started – at the top of the standings. Facing a desperate Terminix La Horquetta Rangers side rooted to the bottom of the table, the league leader showed no mercy with three second-half goals. Joevin Jones lashed in a 50th-minute penalty, before goals by Jabari Mitchell (54th) and Martieon Watson (77th) kept Police on top. The win moves the Lawmen to 25 points, ensuring they retain a slim one-point lead at the summit. For Rangers, Police FC piled more misery on a season that has seen the club concede 23 goals. Club Sando reclaimed second place with a professional 2-0 win over struggling 1976 FC Phoenix. Shackeil Henry broke the deadlock in the 85th minute, before Luke Phillips embellished the scoreline with a last-minute strike. The result keeps the South Trinidad giants on 24 points, and breathing down the neck of Police FC, while maintaining the league’s best goal-difference (+19). For Phoenix, the result keeps them near the bottom of the table on just six points. At the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Defence Force FC overcame a psychological and a tactical test against San Jabloteh to win 3-1. The Army looked set for a comfortable evening when Kaihim Thomas converted a penalty in just the fourth minute after veteran Kevin Molino was brought down. However, the San Juan Kings refused to buckle, answering just before halftime through former talisman Isaiah Leacock. The Jabloteh forward equalised in the 43rd minute – punishing his former employers within minutes of his team hitting the woodwork twice. Tied 1-1 at the break, with a first defeat of the season a real prospect, Defence Force rallied in the second half. Showing the grit of champions, they scored twice unanswered in the second half to secure the three points. In the 68th minute, Isaiah Garcia slotted in the go-ahead goal after Jabloteh goalkeeper Ja-ir Buckmire failed to reel in a corner. Then, with five minutes to go, Thomas’ barnstorming run ended with him squaring to Molino to slot in for a 3-1 win. The victory moves the Defence Force to 23 points, keeping them firmly in third place with two games in hand. Prison Service FC also remained firmly in the dark horse conversation with a solid 3-1 win over Point Fortin Civic. Kyron Williams' seventh-minute goal set Prisons on their way, only for Akeem Redhead to equalise for Civic with a 34th-minute penalty. However, an own goal two minutes later and Weslie John’s 76th-minute strike handed Prison Service the win. They stay in fourth place with 22 points, while Civic continue to struggle on seven points from 11 games. In the early game in Couva, Central FC Reboot and Athletic Club (AC) Port of Spain played out a gritty 1-1 draw that helped neither side’s title ambitions. AC POS looked like shaking off their recent slump when Daneil Cyrus headed them in front in the 19th minute. However, the lead was short-lived, with Central FC, playing their first match in more than two weeks, responding through Maurice Dick in the 24th. Substitute Jaeden Bobb spurned a golden chance to win the match for AC POS, lobbing the ball to the keeper in a one-on-one situation. The draw leaves Central FC in fifth (17 points) and AC POS sixth (16 points), effectively cutting both teams adrift from the top four. Finally, FC Eagles won their second game in a row, edging Morvant Caledonia United 4-3 in a thriller. Caledonia led 2-0 by the 18th minute, before Eagles pulled a goal back through Josiah Edwards in the 41st minute. The Cunupia team then struck three unanswered goals in the second half through Dominic Douglas (57th), Edwards (66th), and veteran Ataullah Guerra (85th) to secure an insurmountable lead. Malachai Celestine scored in stoppage time to give Morvant Caledonia hope at 4-3, but they could not complete the comeback. Action resumes in the TTPFL on January 9 with the commencement of round 12. Results: Club Sando FC 2-0 1976 FC Phoenix Caledonia 3-4 FC Eagles La Horquetta Rangers 0-3 Police FC Prison Service FC 3-1 Point Fortin Civic FC Central FC 1-1 AC POS San Juan Jabloteh 1-3 Defence Force The post Sando, Army keep chase as Police hold firm in TTPFL appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.