Army hit Eagles for six, top TTPFL tree at Xmas

Reigning First Citizens Knockout Cup champs Defence Force (nine points) jumped to the top of the 2024/25 Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) table on December 21, with a thumping 6-0 win over the cellar-placed Eagles FC at the Arima Velodrome.

After starting the season with consecutive 2-1 victories against Miscellaneous Police FC and San Juan Jabloteh, Defence Force showed their offensive prowess against Eagles as they ran out to a 4-0 lead by halftime, before adding two more goals in the second half.

The Densill Theobald-coached team shared the goals around, with five players finding the back of the net. The scoring started in the 26th minute, with Defence Force profiting from an own goal by Eagles defender Derron John.

Defence Force winger Darius Ollivierra then made it 2-0 in the 37th minute, with forward Isaiah Leacock scoring his third goal in as many games with a strike in the 40th minute.

On the stroke of halftime, playmaker and Man of the Match Justin Sadoo got his team's fourth as he outfoxed the keeper with a direct curling attempt from a left-side corner.

The speedy Kendell Hitlal made it 5-0 for the Army/Coast Guard combination in the 61st minute, before midfielder Rivaldo Coryat wrapped up the scoring in the 87th minute to hand Eagles a third straight loss.

With their six-goal haul, Defence Force took the lead on the standings via a superior goal difference over Central FC, who have also recorded three straight wins.

In the first game of an exciting double-header at the St James Police Barracks on December 22, Tobago's 1976 FC Phoenix (six points) soared from seventh to fourth on the 12-team table when they defeated Prisons FC by a 2-1 margin.

Fresh from his Soca Warriors debut against Saudi Arabia on December 17, attacker Jariel Arthur gave Phoenix the lead in the 36th minute. Omri Baird grabbed an equaliser for Prisons in the 50th minute, but the visiting Phoenix regained their lead in the 65th minute when former Defence Force attacker Lashawn Roberts found the target.

Just before the final whistle, Phoenix goalkeeper Duvaughn Daniel came up huge when he preserved the three points by diving to his right to stop a penalty from Seon Thomas.

In the second game of the St James double-header, last season's runners-up Police were held to a 3-3 draw in an end-to-end clash with Jabloteh.

Both teams had their chances to take all three points in the intense affair, and Police appeared to be in control when they assumed a 2-1 halftime lead after goals by Mickaeel "Jem" Gordon and Kwesi Allen.

But just seconds into the second half, Jabloteh's Josiah Baird turned the game on its head when he equalised with a stunning right-footed shot into the top corner from about 24 yards out.

The youthful Jabloteh team took the game to Police in the second half with the introduction of schoolboy Lindell Sween, and their reward came in the 64th minute when striker Elijah Seechan scored with a delightful dink over Soca Warriors goalie Adrian Foncette to make it 3-2. It was Seechan's third goal in as many matches.

Jabloteh barely had time to celebrate their go-ahead goal, though, as Man of the Match Gordon grabbed his brace with a point-blank header in the 67th minute to level the scores.

There was no shortage of drama in the final stages, as Sween hit the base of the post from a tight angle in the 80th minute, with Jabloteh substitute goalie Justin Dos Santos making a brilliant save from close range in the 84th minute.

The TTPFL will continue with a full slate of matches on December 26, with Central FC's clash with reigning champions AC PoS being the marquee fixture.

TTFPL tier one standings:

Team*GP*W*D*L*GF*GA*GD*Pts

Defence Force FC*3*3*0*0*10*2*8*9

Central FC*3*3*0*0*7*1*6*9

AC PoS*3*2*0*1*5*2*3*6

1976 FC Phoenix*3*2*0*1*6*6*0*6

Caledonia*3*2*0*1*4*4*0*6

Police FC*3*1*1*1*8*7*1*4

Prisons FC*3*1*1*1*4*3*1*4

Point Fortin Civic*3*1*0*2*2*4*-2*3

Club Sando*3*0*2*1*2*3*-1*2

La Horquetta Rangers*3*0*1*2*3*5*-2*1

Jabloteh*3*0*1*2*5*8*-3*1

Eagles FC*3*0*0*3*1*12*-11*0