分类： sports

In a surprising turnaround, Point Fortin Civic secured a decisive 2-0 victory against Caledonia AIA in their TT Premier Football League encounter at Manny Ramjohn Stadium on January 24. The match marked a significant departure from Civic’s usual home ground at Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin, a change that proved strategically advantageous for the struggling team.

The breakthrough came in the 67th minute when forward Adica Ash netted the opening goal, breaking the deadlock after a scoreless first half. As Caledonia intensified their offensive efforts seeking an equalizer, former Trinidad and Tobago Under-17 winger Jeremiah Niles delivered the decisive blow in the 87th minute, securing all three points for Civic.

Niles’ exceptional performance throughout the match earned him the Man of the Match accolade, recognizing both his clinical finish and overall contribution to Civic’s impressive team display.

This victory represents only Civic’s third win of the season, elevating them to ten points and moving them from bottom position to 11th place in the 12-team standings. Conversely, Caledonia’s disappointing form continues as they remain stagnant in eighth position with 13 points from 14 matches.

The TTPFL action was set to continue on January 25 with a crucial double-header at Ato Boldon Stadium featuring the league’s top three teams. Second-placed Club Sando (30 points) faced third-placed Miscellaneous Police FC (27 points) in the evening’s first fixture, while league leaders Defence Force (33 points) prepared to meet bottom-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers (9 points) in the late match.

Meanwhile, the scheduled match between 1976 FC Phoenix and Eagles FC has been postponed to an undetermined date, affecting the mid-table dynamics of the competition.

While track athletes typically command the most attention at athletic competitions, the spotlight shifted decisively to field event specialists during the Wright Foundation’s Power in the Field Classic held January 24 at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.

The event showcased remarkable performances from emerging talents who demonstrated exceptional prowess across various disciplines. Mercury’s Jafari Edwards emerged as a double champion in the boys’ under-17 category, securing gold in both long jump with a winning leap of 6.41 meters and high jump with a clearance of 1.75 meters. His long jump victory came after a tense competition with Memphis Pioneers’ Zayne Martin, who nearly overtook him with a final attempt of 6.37 meters.

Burnley Athletic Club’s Peyton Winter delivered a spectacular triple crown performance in the girls’ under-20 category, dominating shot put (12.91m), javelin (28.85m), and discus (35.73m). Her shot put victory was particularly notable as she outperformed Tenique Vincent, the recently crowned Female Multi-event Athlete of the Year, who managed 10.10 meters.

Vincent later redeemed herself by claiming the girls’ under-20 high jump title with a clearance of 1.65 meters, while her twin brother Tyrique Vincent, the Male Multi-event Athlete of the Year, triumphed in the boys’ under-20 long jump with an impressive 7.07-meter effort.

The competition also featured standout performances from Kaizen Panthers’ Kaori Robley (girls’ under-20 long jump, 5.21m), QRC Athletic Club’s La Queen Welch (girls’ under-17 high jump, 1.64m), and Ascend Athletic Club’s Daryan Boyce who edged out clubmate Nykel Gomez in a thrilling boys’ under-20 discus contest with a throw of 44.45 meters.

These results highlight the growing depth of field event talent in Trinidad and Tobago’s athletic landscape, with multiple athletes showing potential for future regional and international success.

Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards has expressed strong optimism about the nation’s youth football development programs as multiple national teams engage in critical CONCACAF competitions. The association’s commitment to developing young talent appears to be yielding promising results across various age groups.

The under-17 women’s team, currently competing in Willemstad, Curaçao, demonstrated remarkable resilience in their opening match against hosts Curaçao on January 24, fighting back to secure a 2-2 draw after trailing twice. Under coach Ayana Russell, the squad faces crucial Group F matches against Barbados (January 28) and El Salvador (February 1), with the group winner and two best second-place teams advancing to the final qualification round.

Edwards emphasized the significance of these developments in an official statement: “The TTFA is encouraged by the continued progress being demonstrated across our national youth programmes. We extend our full support and best wishes to our under-17 women’s national team as they continue their CONCACAF qualifying campaign.”

The men’s youth teams are similarly positioned for important competitions. The under-17 squad, guided by coach Randolph Boyce, will host the CONCACAF Men’s Under-17 qualifiers from February 3-12, facing Barbados, Mexico, Saint Martin, and Sint Maarten. Meanwhile, Marvin Gordon’s under-20 team will compete in their qualifiers in Costa Rica from February 23 to March 4.

Preparation matches have shown encouraging results. The under-20 team displayed offensive prowess with decisive victories over St Vincent and Grenadines (6-0) and AC Port of Spain’s second team (5-0), though they were held to a 1-1 draw by Grenada in their final preparatory match.

The association’s technical development efforts extend beyond the pitch, with acting technical director Devin Elcock recently attending a FIFA Technical Leadership Workshop in Barbados from January 12-16. Edwards highlighted this comprehensive approach: “By investing in our young players, providing meaningful international exposure and strengthening our technical leadership, we’re laying a solid foundation for sustained success.”

This strategic focus on youth development represents a concerted effort to elevate Trinidad and Tobago’s football program to greater regional and international competitiveness.

In a spectacular display of football dominance, Defence Force FC delivered a devastating 9-0 thrashing to Terminix La Horquetta Rangers during their TT Premier Football League encounter on January 25 at Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva. This commanding performance extends Defence Force’s lead at the summit of the 2025/26 table to three points as they continue their title defense campaign.

The Army/Coast Guard combination showcased their offensive firepower through new acquisitions Nicholas Dillon and Joevin Jones, who each recorded impressive hat-tricks. The scoring onslaught began early with Jones opening the account in the 12th minute, followed by quick successive goals from central defender Jamali Garcia (16th minute) and midfielder Rivaldo Coryat (21st minute), establishing a 3-0 halftime advantage.

The second half witnessed an equally explosive performance as Defence Force netted three additional goals within ten minutes after the restart. Dillon secured his first goal alongside contributions from Jones and playmaker Kevin ‘Nash’ Molino, pushing the scoreline to 6-0 by the 57th minute. Jones completed his hat-trick in the 61st minute, while Dillon sealed the historic victory with his third goal during second-half stoppage time.

The match also served as an integration platform for recent defensive signings Triston Hodge and Keston Julien, who made their appearances ahead of the team’s upcoming Concacaf Champions Cup clash against Philadelphia Union commencing February 18.

In the evening’s earlier fixture, second-placed Club Sando maintained pressure on the leaders with a narrow 1-0 victory over third-placed Miscellaneous Police FC, courtesy of Tarik Lee’s 22nd-minute strike—his ninth goal of the season.

The TTPFL action continues on January 28 with MIC Central FC Reboot facing San Juan Jabloteh, followed by Prisons FC versus AC Port of Spain in another double-header event at Couva.

Barrackpore West Secondary School demonstrated remarkable volleyball prowess on January 23rd, securing three consecutive victories in the Secondary Schools Volleyball League’s Under-17 boys’ division at Pleasantville Indoor Sporting Arena. The reigning Under-15 champions from last season transitioned seamlessly to the higher age bracket, overwhelming opponents with strategic precision and athletic excellence.

The team’s commanding performance began with a hard-fought triumph against ASJA Boys’ College San Fernando. After dropping a tightly contested opening set 23-25, Barrackpore mounted a spectacular comeback, taking the subsequent sets 25-15 and 15-6. Their momentum continued with identical 25-19, 25-14 scorelines against both Fatima College and Naparima College, showcasing consistent dominance across multiple matches.

Fatima College recovered impressively from their defeat to Barrackpore, securing two victories of their own. They overcame ASJA in a competitive encounter with scores of 25-23 and 25-20, followed by another solid performance against Naparima College, prevailing 25-17 and 25-21.

Naparima College avoided a complete shutout by claiming a dramatic three-set victory against ASJA. After splitting the first two sets (25-15, 22-25), the Lewis Street squad from San Fernando clinched the decisive third set 15-13 in a nail-biting finish.

The SSVL competition was scheduled to resume at Aranguez North Secondary School on January 25th, featuring matches in the girls’ Under-17 and boys’ open categories.