T&T Defence Force claimed a dramatic 2-1 win over AC Port-of-Spain in a winner-take-all T&T Premier Football League Tier decider watched by a crowd of more than 2,000 spectators at the Arima Municipal Stadium, Arima on Saturday night.
With the win, the “Teteron Men” took home the $125,000 title with 56 points from 22 matches, while AC Port-of-Spain who started the match with a two-point advantage and just needed a draw, had to settle for the $75,000 runner-up cheque after leading the 22 rounds of football for most of the season, ended with 55 points.
The Defence Force was last crowned champions in 2019 of the defunct T&T Pro League.
Needing to win against AC PoS, Defence Force was on the front foot from the onset and took the match to the slow-starting AC Port-of-Spain with goalkeeper Jadel Poon-Lewis being called up to make numerous saves to keep the league leaders in the contest.
However, despite their early dominance and chances created Defence Force had nothing to show at the half-time whistle as both teams went into the break still goalless and all to play for.
On the resumption, Defence Force led by coach Lloyd Andrews started the better of both teams with Reon Moore seeing a side-footed effort from close range skim the bottom of the left-sided post from a Darius Ollivierra right-sided cross in the 52nd minute.
Six minutes later at the other end, Che Benny had AC PoS’s best chance, a header which crashed off the crossbar after he was picked up by Duane Muckette’s flighted ball in the 58th.
However, the breakthrough finally came for 20th domestic league champions Defence Force when lanky defender Justin Garcia headed home a deep right-sided corner, his seventh of the season, from Justin Sadoo at the far post for a deserved 1-0 lead in the 65th.
Two minutes, Defence Force moved a step closer to clinching the title when mid-season transfer Kaihim Thomas connected with a right-sided centre from Kendell Hitlal, on the right-footed volley, while falling back to put the ball out of the reach of Poon-Lewis for a 2-0 cushion and within sight of the $125,000 winner’s prize.
With nine minutes left in the contest Thomas almost got a second goal on the night, and his team’s third when he unleashed a stinging right footer from at the top of the 18-yard box, however, he was denied by the crossbar, with the ball ricocheting back into play, and off the back of a sprawling Poon-Lewis away for a corner.
There was still a chance for AC Port-of-Spain to get into the match as substitute Haile Beckles, did his best to lift his team, with a long-range strike slamming into the bottom of the left post, with Defence Force goalkeeper Christopher Biggette beaten.
Three minutes into time added on, AC PoS finally pulled a goal back when a left-sided freekick from John-Paul Rochford was re-directed back across the goal mouth by Maurice Ford for Muckette to guide over the line just ahead of a challenge from Biggette.
In the end, Defence Force survived a few nervous moments to secure the win and lift the title.
Down at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, Tiger Tanks Club Sando ended the season on a high with a 2-0 win over Heritage Point Fortin Civic thanks to strikes from Nathaniel James, his league-best 15th of the season, as early as the eighth minute, and Isaiah Thompson, in the 89th.
With the win, Club Sando, who like Defence Force and AC Port-of-Spain will now focus on Concacaf Club competitions in August, ended with 48 points from their 22 matches, ten adrift of the league champions, and five behind the runners-up for the third spot and $50.000.
In the opening match at Arima, Police dashed any chances of Terminix La Horquetta Rangers ending in the third spot with a 1-0 result via a Kadeem Hutchinson 21st-minute goal to cement the fifth spot with 39 points. The focus now shifts to the knockout competition which will involve the Tier II clubs as well.
Yesterday’s Results
Defence Force 2 (Justin Garcia 63rd, Kaihim Thomas 66th) vs AC Port-of-Spain 1 (Duane Muckette 90+3)
Police FC 1 (Kadeem Hutchinson 21st) vs La Horquetta Rangers 0
Club Sando 2 (Nathaniel James 8th, Isiaiah Thompsomn 89th) vs Point Fortin Civic 0
FINAL 2023 LEAGUE STANDING
Pos Team P W D L F A Pts
1. Defence Force 22 18 2 2 53 16 56
2. AC PoS 22 18 1 3 63 18 55
3. Club Sando 22 15 3 4 43 22 48
4. LH Rangers 22 14 1 7 62 31 43
5. Police 22 12 3 7 43 32 39
6. Central FC 22 11 1 10 38 41 34
7. Point Fortin Civic 22 7 4 11 21 27 25
8. W Connection 22 6 4 12 19 36 22
9. San Juan Jabloteh 22 6 4 12 35 46 22
10. Morvant Caledonia United 22 5 2 15 24 50 17
11. Prisons Service 22 3 3 16 16 61 12
12. Cunupia FC 22 2 2 18 13 50 8
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