With a top three spot assured at the end of Sunday’s Match Day 18 programme, second-placed Defence Force, and third-placed Tiger Tanks Club Sando will go into their respective matches today needing a win to join leaders AC Port-of-Spain as qualifiers to the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield (two clubs) while the third-placed team will compete in the confederation’s lower-level tournament, the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup (one).
As it stands, AC Port-of-Spain leads the 12-club table with 45 points from 17 matches, just two ahead of the in-form Defence Force while Club Sando is next with 41 points, but cannot be caught by fourth-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, who has 37 points.
This after, AC PoS held off Central FC 3-2 on Thursday thanks to a Che Benny strike while the Army/Coast-Guard combination, unbeaten since a 2-0 Match Day Six loss to Club Sando, one of only two losses this season, moved into second spot on the table exacting revenge by a similar 2-0 margin against Club Sando, who slipped to third with the defeat.
And boosted by the transfer of national Under-20 winger Kaihim Thomas from Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, Defence Force will be confident of another win today (Sunday), against W Connection at the same Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella from 4 pm to cement their qualification as the second team to the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield competition, as well as stay in the hunt for the inaugural with five matches left to play for each club.
Club Sando, on the other hand, will be hoping for the ‘Savonetta Boys’ to pull off a shock win against the visiting Defence Force while it targets full points against a rejuvenated Police FC at the St James Police Barracks Training Ground, Long Circular Road, St James from 4 pm as well.
Leaders AC PoS will also be involved in an early kickoff versus cellar-placed Cunupia FC at Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar while Rangers hosts Prisons Services at La Horquetta from 6 pm; Point Fortin Civic entertains Central FC at Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin from 6 pm, and San Juan Jabloteh welcomes Morvant Caledonia AIA to the Ato Boldon Recreation Ground, Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan from 4 pm.
(See page 62)
Sunday's matches
W Conenction vs Defence Force, Mannie Ramjohn Stadium, Marabella, 4 pm
Police FC vs Club Sando, St James Police Barracks Grd, St James, 4 pm
AC Port-of-Spain vs Cunupia FC, Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, 4 pm
La Horquetta Rangers vs Prisons Service, La Horquetta Rec. Grd, La Horquetta, 6 pm
Point Fortin Civic vs Central FC, Mahaica Sporting Complex, Point Fortin, 6 pm
San Juan Jabloteh vs Morvant Caledonia AIA, Ato Boldon Rec. Grd, Bourg Mulatresse, San Juan, 4 pm
Latest standings
Place Team P W D L F A Pts
1* AC PoS*17*15*0*2*48*13*45
2*Defence Force*17*14*1*2*40*11*43
3*Club Sando*17*13*2*2*36*16*41
4*L.H Rangers*17*12*1*4*52*24*37
5*Police*17*9*1*7*35*29*28
6*Central FC*17* 8*1*8*30*33*25
7*W Connection*17*5*4*8*17*23*19
8*Pt Fortin Civic*17*5*3*9*15*20*18
9*Morvant Caledonia*17*3*2*12*17*43*11
10*Prisons Service*17*3*2*12*10*42*11
11*Jabloteh*17*2*3*12*19*39*9
12*Cunupia FC*17*2*2*13*10*36*8