标签： Trinidad and Tobago

Naparima College achieved a remarkable clean sweep of all 2025 Secondary Schools Football League honors by securing the prestigious Coca-Cola National Intercol title with a narrow 1-0 victory over Signal Hill Secondary at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on December 10.

The decisive moment arrived in the 22nd minute when Signal Hill goalkeeper Kaleb Romeo committed a critical handling error, allowing a routine cross from Jabari Rodriguez to slip through his gloves and ricochet into his own net. This unfortunate blunder proved sufficient for Southern champions Naparima to claim the season’s ultimate prize, adding to their previously secured league title and South Zone Intercol championship.

Despite dominating possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match, Naparima faced tense final moments as Signal Hill’s substitute attackers J’Meke Watkins and Damario Henry intensified their pursuit of an equalizer. However, Naparima’s defensive unit—featuring Jeremiah Daniel, Elijah Edwards, and Antonio Hills—remained impenetrable, preserving their slender advantage until the final whistle.

Midfielder Jacob O’Reilly earned Man of the Match honors for his exceptional distribution and consistent midfield control, orchestrating Naparima’s attacking movements throughout the ninety minutes. Though numerous chances were squandered—including several from forward Riquelme Phillips—Naparima’s overall superiority justified their historic achievement.

The victory marked a second disappointing outcome for Tobago’s Signal Hill against Naparima this season, having previously fallen 2-1 in November’s league encounter. Following the match, Naparima head coach Angus Eve expressed immense pride in his squad’s dedication and performance, noting, ‘The players demonstrated tremendous consistency and executed our game plan perfectly tonight.’

As the final whistle sounded, Naparima’s hundreds of traveling supporters erupted in celebration while players momentarily clashed on the field before joining their school band in triumphant festivities. Goalkeeper Mikhail Clement proudly waved the college flag atop the goal frame, symbolizing the completion of an extraordinary triple crown campaign.

Following Trinidad and Tobago’s unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Parliamentary Secretary for Sport David Nakhid has called for comprehensive rebuilding efforts to secure qualification for the 2030 tournament. The national team finished third in their CONCACAF group behind Jamaica and Curaçao, with the latter securing automatic qualification to the 2026 World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Trinidad and Tobago’s football history shows only one World Cup appearance at the 2006 tournament in Germany, making the recent qualification failure particularly disappointing for the football-loving nation. Jamaica remains in contention through the intercontinental playoffs scheduled for March.

In statements made outside parliament on December 9, Nakhid emphasized the necessity for structural improvements: “We must persevere and rebuild. As a nation with strong football traditions, our recent performance was inadequate. We cannot afford to consistently miss World Cup cycles. With proper development pathways and synchronization between our efforts and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s vision, we can realistically target 2030 qualification.”

Nakhid, who serves as parliamentary secretary at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, acknowledged some progress under current coach Dwight Yorke, who assumed leadership in November 2024 with the specific objective of World Cup qualification. However, Nakhid noted that the TTFA must evaluate whether the results achieved under Yorke’s tenure met expectations.

The future of Yorke’s leadership remains uncertain with only six months remaining on his contract, raising questions about whether he will continue to guide the team through the rebuilding phase or if new leadership will be sought to pursue the 2030 qualification campaign.

In a rescheduled second-round encounter of the Cricket West Indies/Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board Under-23 Cup, Steelpan Titans clinched their inaugural tournament victory with a commanding five-wicket triumph over Soca Strikers Under-19. The match unfolded on December 9 at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.

Batting first after being sent in, Soca Strikers posted a competitive total of 144/9 within their allotted 28 overs. Their innings was propelled by aggressive batting displays from Darius Battoosingh, who smashed a rapid-fire 47 runs from merely 27 deliveries, and opener Salem Khan, who contributed a steady 43 from 49 balls.

The Titans’ bowling attack proved exceptionally effective in containing the Strikers’ batting lineup. Calvin Loubon emerged as the standout performer, claiming an impressive four wickets for just 20 runs. Nick Ramlal demonstrated his all-round capabilities by securing three crucial wickets for 17 runs, while pace bowler Jane Agard supported effectively with two dismissals for 22 runs.

In response, Steelpan Titans reached the victory target of 146 runs with five wickets in hand, achieving the total in just 26.3 overs. The chase was masterfully anchored by Nick Ramlal, who remained not out on a match-winning 56 runs. He received valuable support from opening batsman Riyaad Mohammed, who added 32 runs to the tally, and Jayden Kent, who contributed 20 runs to the successful pursuit.

For the previously unbeaten Soca Strikers U19, this defeat marks their first loss in two matches. Their bowling efforts were led by Daron Dhanraj, who took two wickets for 13 runs, and Renaldo Fournillier, who captured two wickets for 31 runs.

The U23 Cup competition continues on December 10 with third-round fixtures, featuring Steelpan Titans facing Scarlet Blazers at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, while Soca Strikers U19 will seek redemption against Cocrico Warriors at the National Cricket Centre.

In a nail-biting championship finale, Operations HQ secured the inaugural Valiance 3×3 Inter-Station Basketball Competition title with a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Port of Spain Prison on December 5. The thrilling conclusion unfolded at the Youth Transformation and Rehabilitation Centre (YTRC) Gymnasium, showcasing exceptional defensive prowess from both finalists.

Tournament standout Michael Straker earned Most Valuable Player honors after delivering an impressive 24-point performance throughout the competition. The championship game saw Straker account for all five of his team’s points, demonstrating remarkable composure under pressure.

The title match was characterized by strategic, deliberate play with both teams implementing disciplined defensive structures. Scoring opportunities proved scarce throughout the intense matchup, with each possession carrying significant weight. Operations HQ ultimately created a decisive late-game advantage to claim the historic victory.

In the third-place playoff, host team YTRC delivered a resilient performance despite losing a key player to injury. The squad demonstrated exceptional collective effort and late-game composure to edge Garage 10-9 in another tightly contested battle.

The two-day tournament (December 4-5) featured eight teams representing various divisions within the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service. Following group stage matches on the opening day, all teams advanced to the knockout bracket phase.

Assistant Commissioner of Prisons Ricardo Dass praised the event’s success, noting strong participation and engagement levels that met organizational objectives. He indicated the tournament has potential to become an annual fixture, possibly with multiple editions each year to support staff wellness and national qualification ambitions.

Final tournament standings placed Operations HQ first, followed by Port of Spain Prison, Youth Transformation and Rehabilitation Centre, Garage, Administration, Golden Grove Prison, Maximum Security Prison, and Operations.