分类： sports

In a spectacular display of offensive prowess, Pleasantville Secondary School secured a resounding 5-0 victory against St Joseph’s Convent San Fernando in the Secondary Schools Football League’s girls’ south zone intercol final. The championship match, held December 2 at Couva’s Ato Boldon Stadium, witnessed winger Zara Chase emerge as the undeniable star with a second-half hat-trick that dismantled the opposition.

Despite controlling first-half proceedings, the reigning girls’ Big 5 champions only managed a single goal before halftime—a 13th-minute finish from Kaeley Martin, expertly set up by midfielder Ayoka Muhammad’s precision through pass.

The match transformed dramatically after the interval as Pleasantville, under coach Brian London, returned with intensified determination. The breakthrough came swiftly when St Joseph’s goalkeeper Amara Bhagan mishandled a long-range effort in the 47th minute, presenting Chase with an opportunistic close-range tap-in.

Demonstrating remarkable individual skill, Chase doubled her tally merely two minutes later, elegantly navigating past multiple defenders before slotting a left-footed strike into the far corner. The relentless offensive continued as captain Natalia Gosine converted a 56th-minute penalty with composed accuracy following a handball violation.

Chase completed her hat-trick moments later, cutting inside from the left flank and driving a powerful right-footed finish past the goalkeeper at the near post. Bhagan partially redeemed herself with a critical foot save denying Chase a fourth goal in the 62nd minute, while Gosine nearly added another with a late long-range effort that sailed just over the crossbar.

The final whistle confirmed Pleasantville’s successful defense of their south zone intercol championship, advancing them to the national intercol semifinals against the north zone victors.

Two prominent Trinidad and Tobago cycling clubs have initiated urgent legal proceedings against the national cycling federation regarding athlete selection protocols for the upcoming 2026 Pan American Track Cycling Championships. The JLD Cycling Academy and Heatwave Cycling Club, represented by sports attorney Dr. Emir Crowne, filed a comprehensive 198-page legal submission to the High Court on December 1 seeking immediate intervention.

The core dispute centers on the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation’s (TTCF) decision to conduct mandatory selection trials on January 17, 2026—just four weeks before the February championships in Chile. The clubs contend this scheduling directly violates the federation’s established selection policy, which explicitly requires trials to be held at least twelve weeks prior to international competitions.

According to the legal filing, the clubs allege multiple procedural violations by the TTCF leadership. The federation executive reportedly ratified the January trial date during an emergency council meeting without following proper governance procedures, which the plaintiffs characterize as an abuse of power. The clubs further argue that the TTCF had been aware since June 2025 of the Pan Am Championships’ rescheduling to February yet failed to adjust the domestic racing calendar accordingly.

The controversial trial timing poses particular concern for internationally ranked athletes like world number 23 Alexi Costa-Ramirez, who formally expressed concerns to the TTCF that the schedule disruption could jeopardize preparation cycles and competitive performance. Costa-Ramirez and other elite riders advocate for discretionary selection based on objective criteria including world rankings and recent competitive results rather than what they term ‘impromptu trials.’

The TTCF has mounted a robust defense against these allegations. The federation maintains that the January trial date received unanimous approval during a September 2025 planning meeting attended by all member clubs, including the claimants. This decision was subsequently confirmed during a November emergency meeting where all clubs exercised voting rights. The federation’s legal representative, attorney Zelica Haynes-Soo Hon, emphasizes that trials remain mandatory unless a National Championship has occurred within three months of the international event, with discretionary selection only permissible when no rider qualifies through formal trials.

With both parties at an impasse, the High Court now faces the task of determining whether the federation violated its own regulations and the legitimate expectations of its member clubs and athletes.

In a stunning reversal of fortunes, Trinidad and Tobago’s Defence Force FC secured qualification for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup despite suffering a 2-1 defeat against Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC in their Caribbean Cup third-place playoff encounter on December 2. The match, played at Santiago de los Caballeros, culminated in dramatic fashion with both the decisive goal and subsequent post-match altercation occurring during stoppage time.

Entering the second leg with a commanding 3-0 aggregate advantage from their home fixture at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Defence Force appeared poised for comfortable progression. However, Cibao mounted an extraordinary first-half comeback with Rivaldo Correa and Yunior Peralta finding the net during stoppage time to narrow the aggregate deficit to 3-2.

The match turned decisively in the 59th minute when Defence Force goalkeeper Isaiah Williams, hailed as ‘Blinky’ by teammates, produced a spectacular penalty save against Correa after a handball decision against right-back Isaiah Garcia. This critical intervention revitalized the Trinidadian side, who had been under sustained pressure throughout the second half.

The climactic moment arrived in the 94th minute when veteran captain Kevin Molino, largely contained throughout the match, engineered a brilliant counterattack. Molino shrugged off defensive challenges along the right flank before delivering a precision pass to substitute Darius Ollivierra, who converted from close range to secure the vital away goal.

The aggregate 4-2 victory triggered immediate celebrations from the Defence Force contingent, though the euphoria quickly gave way to confrontation as players from both teams engaged in an on-field altercation following the final whistle. Despite the tense conclusion, Defence Force’s third-place finish guarantees their participation in next year’s continental championship alongside Caribbean Cup finalists Mount Pleasant Football Academy and Universidad O&M FC.

The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) Patriots men’s football team has achieved a spectacular double victory, culminating their outstanding Tertiary Sport Association of TT (TSATT) season with both league and knockout titles. On November 24, the Clayton Morris-coached squad delivered a commanding 5-1 performance against USC Hummers at the UTT O’Meara Campus to claim the TSATT knockout championship.

This decisive victory secured the team’s qualification for the prestigious International University Sports Federation (FISU) America Football World Cup qualifiers, scheduled for July 2026 in Peru. The Patriots will join their female counterparts, who also earned qualification, representing UTT on the international stage.

The path to the final showcased the team’s resilience when they overcame UWI in a dramatic penalty shootout on November 20. After battling to a 1-1 draw in regulation time, UTT emerged victorious with a 4-2 penalty triumph. The final match saw the team operating at peak performance, with Andre Alfred delivering an exceptional hat-trick and Tyrone Rago contributing a brace to secure the comprehensive victory.

This marks the second appearance for the UTT men’s team in the FISU America qualifiers, following their participation in the 2022 edition hosted in Mexico. Meanwhile, the women’s team prepares for their third qualification campaign, having previously competed in both the 2022 and 2024 tournaments.

In an official statement, UTT expressed pride in their athletes’ accomplishments: “UTT is proud to celebrate the achievements of its men’s football team and wishes them continued success in upcoming endeavours.” The university community now looks forward to supporting both teams as they prepare to represent Trinidad and Tobago in international competition.

In a fiercely contested national intercol quarterfinal match characterized by physical intensity and dramatic late-game ejections, St Augustine Secondary School advanced to the SSFL boys’ semifinals with a narrow 1-0 victory against Carapichaima East Secondary. The decisive moment occurred in the sixth minute when captain Giovanni Hospedales converted a penalty kick with clinical precision after a handball violation in the box.

The match escalated dramatically in the 88th minute when a physical altercation between St Augustine’s Elijah Baptiste and Carapichaima’s Keilon Forde resulted in straight red cards for both players. The incident began when Baptiste’s attempted control of a long ball resulted in accidental contact with Forde, who responded with a retaliatory strike to the head. The confrontation required intervention from both teams and technical staff to restore order.

Despite being reduced to ten men, St Augustine maintained their defensive composure during extended stoppage time. Goalkeeper Tyrese Henry faced a critical moment when his clearance attempt rebounded off an attacker, creating a dangerous scramble in the penalty area that was ultimately cleared by his defenders.

Carapichaima East had earlier appealed for a penalty seconds after halftime when Damarion Boswell went down under pressure from Raeland Dillon, but referee Jovann Peters dismissed the claims. St Augustine created several additional scoring opportunities, with Mikel Murray missing a close-range chance in the 54th minute and Hospedales seeing a long-range effort saved by Carapichaima goalkeeper Jayden Meharris, who delivered multiple impressive stops throughout the match.

The victory sets up a semifinal confrontation between St Augustine and south zone champions Naparima College, who demonstrated their offensive prowess with a 4-0 win in their zonal final. The upcoming match will determine which team advances to the national championship final.

St Joseph’s Convent Port of Spain (SJCPoS) delivered a breathtaking performance on December 3, securing the 2025 north zone championship with an emphatic 7-0 victory against Holy Name Convent at Hasely Crawford Stadium. The commanding win propels SJCPoS into the national intercol semifinals as they pursue consecutive Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Coca-Cola girls’ titles.

The match transformed into a showcase of offensive brilliance as national team defender Kaitlyn Darwent transitioned to midfield duties, contributing two goals while earning Player of the Match honors. The 17-year-old captain, fresh from representing Trinidad and Tobago in their Concacaf W Qualifiers triumph over Barbados days earlier, demonstrated exceptional leadership and technical prowess throughout the encounter.

SJCPoS established overwhelming dominance early, netting five goals within the first 34 minutes. Sydney Pollard initiated the scoring barrage in the 12th minute, followed by Darwent’s first strike four minutes later. Kara Cooper then delivered a rapid brace with goals in the 27th and 31st minutes, before Scarlett Cole extended the advantage to 5-0 before halftime.

Despite resilient goalkeeping from Holy Name’s Sorcha Cumming in the second half, SJCPoS added two additional goals through Darwent (48th minute) and Pollard (76th minute) to complete the devastating result.

The victory sets up a highly anticipated national semifinal clash against south zone champions Pleasantville Secondary—a rematch of last year’s dramatic final decided by penalties. Adding intrigue to the matchup, Pleasantville secured a Super Cup victory against SJCPoS earlier this season, establishing a compelling narrative of competitive rivalry.

In the other semifinal pairing, east zone winners Five Rivers Secondary will confront Tobago champions Signal Hill Secondary, who earned their place with a 3-0 defeat of Bishop’s High School on the same day. Signal Hill’s victory featured goals from Leia-Marie Balfour, Alliyah Baptiste, and Shaquana Brown.

In a dramatic reshaping of Trinidad and Tobago’s football landscape, Signal Hill Secondary School has emerged as a formidable force that has permanently altered the competitive dynamics of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL). Under the guidance of head coach Downie Marcelle, the Tobago-based team came within touching distance of claiming the 2025 premiership title, ultimately falling 2-1 to traditional giants Naparima College in their November 27 showdown.

The significance of Signal Hill’s campaign extends far beyond their final-match disappointment. Their seismic victory over Presentation College on October 11 at Manny Ramjohn Stadium served as a watershed moment that compelled Trinidad coaches to scout the Tobago outfit with unprecedented seriousness. Naparima’s coach Angus Eve resorted to intensive video analysis to decode Signal Hill’s high-intensity, aggressive style—a testament to their disruptive impact on the established football order.

Marcelle’s philosophy centers on structured gameplay rather than raw athleticism, implementing clear pressing triggers, purposeful transitions, and a continuity system fed by his Ball Blasters Youth Academy—recent national U-17 club champions. This methodology has produced a squad where most starters share championship pedigree and tactical cohesion.

The psychological dimension of their campaign proved equally crucial. Marcelle’s innovative approach included team-building exercises at the beach and cricket matches to maintain rhythm during postponed fixtures. The team adopted Jamaican reggae artist Popcaan’s ‘Firm and Strong’ as their anthem following the Presentation victory, creating an emotional soundtrack that fueled their conviction throughout the season.

While acknowledging the legendary legacy of former coach Bertille St Clair—whose teams built Signal Hill’s reputation through bullish brilliance and produced talents like current national team coach Dwight Yorke—Marcelle recognizes that tangible silverware remains the final hurdle to full restoration of the fear factor associated with Signal Hill’s glory days.

With the Tobago Zone Intercol finals against Speyside Secondary approaching at Dwight Yorke Stadium, and their sights firmly set on making history as Tobago’s first SSFL premiership champions in 2026, Signal Hill has delivered an unambiguous message to Trinidad’s football establishment: the rising tide of Tobago football represents a permanent shift in the balance of power.

The Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (TTCF) celebrated its most accomplished international competitors during its annual awards ceremony on November 29 at the National Cycling Centre in Balmain, Couva. Sprint specialist Nicholas Paul and endurance cyclist Teniel Campbell received top honors as the federation’s 2025 most outstanding male and female international cyclists, respectively, following a year of remarkable achievements.

Paul dominated the Pan American Track Cycling Championships in Paraguay last April, securing an impressive triple crown in the men’s team sprint, individual sprint, and 1km time trial events, while adding a silver medal in the keirin. Though he narrowly missed the podium at the World Championships with fourth and seventh place finishes in sprint and keirin events, Paul continued his winning streak with sprint gold at the Summer Slam in the United States in July. Most recently, he claimed keirin gold at the ongoing Bolivarian Games in Lima, Peru.

Campbell demonstrated exceptional versatility throughout the 2025 season, capturing double gold in both the women’s individual time trial and road race at the Caribbean Elite Road Cycling Championships in Belize this October. Her Pan American performances included gold in the points race and bronze in the elimination race at the Track Championships, complemented by dual bronze medals in the time trial and road race at the Pan American Road Continental Championships in April. The elite cyclist also achieved second place at Belgium’s Grote Prijs Yvonne Reynders event in August and placed 23rd in a competitive field of 44 riders at the UCI Road World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda.

The ceremony also recognized emerging talent, with Campbell’s younger brother Akil receiving the President’s Cup for his promising performances across local, regional, and international circuits as a rising endurance specialist. Akil Campbell additionally claimed top honors for elite division one men, while Miami Blazers professional Alexi Costa-Ramirez earned the women’s equivalent.

San Fernando-based Rigtech Sonics received the distinction of best club, with junior accolades awarded to Trishton Jaichan (PSL) and Cassidy Samaroo (Madonna Wheelers). The federation further celebrated developing talent across multiple age categories, from tinymites to masters divisions, highlighting the depth of Trinidad and Tobago’s cycling future.

Trinidad and Tobago’s cycling team has made an impressive mark at the Bolivarian Games in Ayacucho-Lima, Peru, with standout performances from Nicholas Paul and Makaira Wallace. On December 2, Paul secured the country’s first gold medal by dominating the men’s sprint event at the Costa Verde Pan-American Complex in Lima.

Paul faced Colombian competitor Kevin Quintero in the final, defeating him in consecutive rides to claim victory. This triumph followed his exceptional qualifying round on December 1, where he posted the fastest time of 9.686 seconds. Colombian cyclists Cristian Ortega and Quintero recorded the next best times of 9.955 and 9.997 seconds respectively.

Paul’s path to gold included quarterfinal success against Chile’s Robert Castillo and a semifinal advancement due to the disqualification of Venezuela’s Alberto Torres. Quintero also progressed by overcoming his compatriot Ortega.

Meanwhile, rising star Makaira Wallace contributed to Trinidad and Tobago’s medal count with a bronze in the women’s keirin on December 1. Wallace finished second behind Colombia’s Juliana Rendon in her classification ride to reach the final, where she claimed third place behind gold medalist Stefany Cuadrado of Colombia and Venezuela’s Jalymar Rodriguez.

Wallace continued her strong form on December 2, qualifying third fastest in the women’s sprint with a time of 11.273 seconds. Colombian cyclists Cuadrado and Luna Alvarez led qualifying with times of 10.722 and 11.238 seconds respectively. Wallace then defeated Venezuela’s Carleany Martinez in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals.