Harlem Strikers, Defence Force vie for TTPFL tier-two title

HARLEM Strikers and Defence Force will meet for all the marbles in the TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) tier-two final from 8 pm on June 29 at the Arima Velodrome.

The teams advanced to the final after getting contrasting victories at the Arima venue on June 23.

In the first game of the semifinal double-header, Harlem Strikers made a massive statement when they got a thumping 5-1 win over Matura ReUnited, the team that finished the regular season in top spot on the 15-team tier two table.

Harlem, who finished third on the table, have arguably saved their best form for the playoffs and a pair of braces from Kareem Baptiste and Moses Jaikaran helped them to the comfortable victory over their Matura counterparts.

In the final, Harlem Strikers, who are coached by former Defence Force stalwart Devorn Jorsling, will be aiming to tame the Army/Coast Guard combination.

Defence Force will have their own motivation for the final, though, as their first team lifted the First Citizens Knockout Cup title after defeating TTPFL tier-one champs AC PoS in the final last month.

In their semi, Defence Force's tier-two team needed penalties to get by QPCC after a goalless finish through 90 minutes. With several former first-team players in their ranks, Defence Force held their nerve to get a 5-4 penalty shootout win, with Aaron Lester, Jerome McIntyre, Jemel Sebro, Kellon Serrette and striker Dwight Quintero all converting from the spot.

In the final, Defence Force will be aiming to land more silverware to end their 2023/24 season on a high.

In the preceding third-place playoff in Arima on Saturday, Matura will take on QPCC from 6pm.

1976 FC Phoenix won the inaugural TTPFL tier-two title in 2023, before being accepted to the TTPFL tier one for the 2023/24 season.