Another week of the T&T Premier Football League is in the books! South teams on the rise. Teams to the west dropped points. Police and Prisons are struggling, and that’s never a good thing, football or otherwise. Let’s review:
Cunupia & Connection Bounce Back
Just like the Big Sean song, Cunupia FC and W Connection rebounded from their opening week Ls with stronger performances, which resulted in 3 points for both teams.
First with W Connection, with Isaiah Hudson scoring early in the first half. Police were trying to build up play but Hudson anticipates the backwards pass and just springs for the steal. Jahmalee Barclay and Hudson are now between the defenders. Barclay gets a touch to Hudson who splits the Police defenders and puts it right of Shakeem Darius.
Police would respond with some craftiness by Jabari Mitchell. Tackled just outside the penalty area, Mitchell catches W Connection sleeping and takes a quick free kick which finds Kareem Freitas for the equalizer.
Connection would take back the lead for good with a terrific goal kick from Shakeem Darius, headed on by Nathan Quashie, with Barclay getting a ground cross in to Neil Benjamin Jr. for the eventual game winner for the Green team.
In the 2nd game of the double-header, Cunupia FC overcame their defensive woes and possibly have an early contender for goal of the season in a 2-0 victory over San Juan Jabloteh. Jaimol Layne scores from 20 yards out; a fantastic goal that the keeper just couldn’t save. Later in the game, off a Cunupia corner. Jabloteh goalie Jesse Peters with the initial deflection but is out of position. It’s a scramble for the ball in the box until Rondell Gibson finds it and slots it home to double Cunupia’s advantage.
Jabloteh: Two games with no goals to start the season. That’s not an ideal way to be competitive in the sport.
Baird Bangs Up Prisons; Cale/Central stalemate
An Omri Baird brace gives Point Fortin Civic their first win of the season against Prison Services FC who have shown that once again were not in a scoring mood. On top of that their defending was atrocious. Civic had many more opportunities to score and could have had as many as four or five. For Baird, he gets an unintentional assist from Shackeil Henry (Proud to be Pres) and then follows it up with another goal from a throw-in. Look at the tape. Shotty defending to say the least.
In the later game, it was a battle at the top of the table with Central FC and Morvant Caledonia United looking for back-to-back wins.
Caledonia drew first blood in the 27th minute when Brandon Semper delivers a free kick right to the head of captain Carlyle Mitchell. Later in the 77th minute, Ricardo John would equalize the game with a low header after the ball ricocheted off the goalkeeper.
Both teams look like early favorites for the title two weeks in.
A tALE OF tWO cITIEZ
Final game of the weekend pitted league leaders A.C. Port-of-Spain against Club Sando; a battle of two clubs from the big cities. Club Sando came to the game with reinforcements however with the likes of Josiah Trimmingham, Kareem Riley and Nathaniel James, fresh off of international duty against Jamaica. It was James who delivered the decisive blow late in the game to give Club Sando (my team!) their first win of the season.
Club Sando were a bit more potent in the attack this game. Last week against Civic: only 5 shots with the one goal being the only one on target. This week: 9 shots, 7 on target with James’ goal being the most significant. AC POS weren’t bad either with a bit more possession on the ball, 6 shots with 4 on target, but Miles Goodman was determined to let nothing get by him. Kudos to Jadel Poon-Lewis with the 6 saves.
Sando with the bragging rights this rounds. Back to the drawing board for the talented side from Town.
Q Sports 