Table-toppers San Juan North Secondary (24 points) and the third-placed Naparima College (21 points) will meet in a pivotal Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) premier division top-three clash from 3.45 pm on Saturday at the San Juan school's ground in Bourg Mulatresse.
With just six matches left for both teams in the 2023 league season, a lot will be on the line when the two SSFL powerhouses square off, as the top three teams are separated by just three points.
San Juan have lost just one match this season – a 5-2 loss at home versus Fatima College – and are coming off resounding wins over the premier division's two Tobago schools, Bishop's and Speyside Secondary.
San Juan have scored ten goals in their last two matches without conceding at the other end, and will look to the in-form Lindell Sween, who has scored a team-high eight goals.
Naparima, four-time premier division champions, are fresh from a convincing victory of their own, as they spanked Bishop's 4-0 in San Fernando on Wednesday. Tevin Pantor scored a hat-trick in that game for "Naps" to take his season's tally to nine goals – the joint-highest in the division. On Saturday, outspoken Naparima coach Travis Mulraine will look to Pantor for inspiration as the visitors aim to topple the league-leaders in their backyard.
In the televised encounter at Serpentine Road in St Clair, Queen's Royal College (QRC) will do their best to bounce back from the 7-1 thumping they received from Fatima on Wednesday when they entertain fellow north-zone school East Mucurapo Secondary at QRC Grounds from 3.30 pm.
A stone's throw away, at St Mary's Grounds on Serpentine Road, the hosts St Mary's College will meet the visiting Speyside Secondary in another 3.30 pm kickoff.
Both teams will aim to bounce back from midweek losses, as St Mary's were whipped 3-0 by Trinity College East and Speyside were beaten 4-0 by San Juan.
At the Manny Ramjohn Stadium training field in Marabella, Pleasantville Secondary will entertain Malick Secondary as they seek to add to their solitary win. Pleasantville defeated Chaguanas North Secondary 2-0 on Wednesday to move from the foot of the 16-team table to 14th spot.
Meanwhile, at the Manny Ramjohn Stadium, the fifth-placed Presentation College San Fernando (17 points) will host 13th-placed Trinity East. Presentation slipped from fourth spot on Wednesday after succumbing 3-0 to defending champions St Benedict's College.
At Fatima College Grounds in Mucurapo, the second-placed Fatima (22 points) will tackle the seventh-placed Arima North Secondary (16 points). The reigning national intercol champions Fatima slammed seven goals past QRC on Wednesday, and will have an eye on taking San Juan's spot atop the standings when the "Dial Dynamos" of Arima journey to Mucurapo.
At the Edinburgh 500 Recreation Grounds in Chaguanas, the cellar-placed Chaguanas North will have a tough task on their hands when they play host to the fourth-placed Benedict's, who finally seem to be finding their form after a sloppy start to their premier-division title defence. Benedict's (17 points) moved up three spots on the table with their impressive win over Presentation in the last round.
Rounding off the action at the Plymouth Recreation Grounds in Tobago, the relegation-threatened Bishop's will face the sixth-placed St Anthony's College (16 points).
SSFL premier division Standings:
Team GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts
1.San Juan North 9*8*0*1*28*10*18*24
2.Fatima 9*7*1*1*34*5*29*22
3.Naparima 9*7*0*2*40*7*33*21
4.St Benedict's 9*5*2*2*19*8*11*17
5.Presentation Sando 9*5*2*2*12*6*6*17
6.St Anthony's 9*5*1*3*25*14*11*16
7.Arima North 9*4*4*1*14*5*9*16
8.Speyside 9*4*1*4*12*17*-5*13
9.St Mary's 9*4*0*5*23*29*-6*12
10.Malick 9*3*1*5*23*15*8*10
11.East Mucurapo 9*3*1*5*9*20*-11*10
12.QRC 9*3*0*6*14*19*-5*9
13.Trinity East 8*2*2*4*11*11*0*8
14.Pleasantville 9*1*1*7*6*39*-33*4
15.Bishop's Tobago 8*1*0*7*4*24*-20*3
16.Chaguanas North 9*1*0*8*3*48*-45*3