TTEC beat Plipdeco 4-3 recently to be crowned champions of the Super Industrial Services Limited Industrial Football League and take home the first prize of $10,000 in an exciting match at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.
Plipdeco went into the match undefeated and favourites against TTEC who they humiliated 7-1 in their previous meeting.
Plipdeco looked to be heading for a repeat of that performance when mere seconds after the opening whistle Lorne Leacock scored the opener to shock the TTEC supporters. Sekon Alves responded for TTEC, bursting through down the right to score the equaliser.
TTEC grabbed the lead soon after when Dwayne Peters’ low drive found the back of the net.
Damian Charles, made it 3-1 before the half, turning brilliantly to elude his markers and then firing past the Plipdeco goalkeeper.
Plipdeco had a mountain to climb in the second period but got some help when TTEC’s Johan Andrew received his marching orders for bringing down Ajamu Matterson in the box.
Leacock stepped up to score the resulting free-kick to reduce the deficit but any chance of a comeback ended when Charles struck again to extend his team’s lead to 4-2. Nolan Mohammed gave Plipdeco a glimmer of hope when he netted five minutes from time to bring them within one but it was too late as TTEC held on for the victory to spark celebrations among their supporters.
In the earlier third/fourth play-off, NGC beat IPSL 3-2 to claim the $2,000 prize.
IPSL captain, Hade Stuart put his team into the lead after a bit of trickery but Shaka Bethel produced a brilliant solo effort to restore parity before the break.
IPSL grabbed the lead again upon the resumption with Shadrack Faria stroking the ball past the NGC goalie.
However, NGC would not be toppled easily and levelled the match in the dying stages through Shae Bethel to send this game into extra time.
With momentum on their side, NGC seemed to have that extra spark in their play. And Joel Julien capitalised on an exhausted IPSL defence to blast the game-winner for NGC and break the hearts of the IPSL team.