Local football is back and it’s under new management. Well, it’s still under the TTFA obviously, but new people are running it.
Match week 1 of the new TT Premier Football League is in the books. It’s been too long that Trinidad and Tobago has been without local football, and now its back and hopefully, better than ever. This will be a weekly summary of the matchweek’s games and, as a bonus, I’ll throw in some goal highlights because you, the reader, deserve nice things. Let’s get started.
The opening two games featured former Pro League powerhouses W Connection and Central FC, with the club from Couva taking the tie in a 2-0 win. Akeem Roach will be credited with the first goal of the new League. A Keron Cummings spot kick early in the 2nd half made it two and W Connection couldn’t get one past the keeper for the rest of the game.
Next up on Friday night was a young, Club Sando team versus the home favorite, Point Fortin Civic FC. The team from the 2nd city took the early lead in the 13th minute from a free kick, with center-back Josiah Cooper at the right place at the right time to get a foot on the ball to redirect it into goal. Fun fact, not really: that was their only shot on goal.
They held on to the lead and defended well right until the 78th minute when another center-back, this time Ronnell Paul of Civic, found the ball at the penalty spot and managed to sneak a shot past Miles Goodman to make it a 1-1 draw. Two goals scored by defensive players. Strikers, step your game up.
On Saturday’s only game, AC Port-of-Spain (formerly the North East Stars) dominated the Defence Force 3-0 thanks to a penalty from Duane Muckette, Jaydon Prowell scoring after a beautiful assist from Brian Armstrong and Che Benny putting one more past the army to make them surrender.
La Horquetta Rangers and Police FC were supposed to play that day as well. Rangers’ first two games against the Armed Services (Police and Defence Force) have been rescheduled due to the team playing practice games in Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as part of a preseason tour. A pre-season tour, where the season has started already. Okay Rangers.
Finally on Sunday we had Caledonia Morvan United with a 2-0 victory over Cunupia FC with uniforms obviously inspired by PSG (hopefully no copyright infringement lawsuits are incoming). Osafa Simpson capitalized off some bad clearance work from Stephen Julien. Sean Bonval with a lob into the box, Julien with a swing and a miss, and Simpson makes him pay.
The 2nd goal was scored by Bonval after another “CunOOPSYia” mistake, this time by Rondell Gibson. Gibson actually was looking to clear the ball after seemingly winning the ball back, but he fumbled on his ball control skills. Bonval capitalizes and James Saunders hits us a funny.
The final game of the weekend was between San Juan Jabloteh and Prison Services F.C. Prisons president Jude Gordon boasted of the team’s fitness, but it looks like Johnny Britto wasn’t fit to score this penalty that Jesse Peters saved which could have given them the lead. The game finished in a draw. No goals, no fun.
Q Sports 