Police knocked out of Caribbean Cup after draw with Mt Pleasant

Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) club Miscellaneous Police FC were knocked out of the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup on September 26 when they were held to a goalless draw by Mt Pleasant Football Academy at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo.

In their final match in Group A, Police needed a win to keep their semifinal hopes alive. However, their wasteful play in front of goal saw them sharing the spoils with the Jamaican club and wrapping up the group phase with five points from their four matches.

Police are currently third in the five-team group, and with the top two teams advancing to the semis, the lawmen have now joined 2023/24 TTPFL champs AC PoS through the exit door.

Mt Pleasant (four points) came into the match below Police in the standings, and both teams created a host of chances in the open affair as a combined 35 shots were sent towards goal.

In the first half, veteran Police forward Kevon Woodley was heavily involved in two of his team's more promising moments, but they were denied by the combination of the upright and Mt Pleasant custodian Shaquan Davis.

In the 24th minute, after getting a flick on from winger Mark Ramdeen, Woodley slammed a left-footed volley past an unmoved Davis and off the base of the post. Just eight minutes later, Police squandered arguably their best chance of the game as winger Kadeem Hutchinson was denied by Davis in the six-yard box after the goalie parried a tame right-footed shot from Woodley.

In the 37th minute, Mt Pleasant also showed their lack of sharpness in front of goal when Kimoni Bailey passed a right-footed effort well wide of the mark with Adrian Foncette's goal at his mercy.

Just two minutes into the second half, Foncette was counting his lucky stars when a deep, right side cross from Jahshaun Anglin beat him and crashed off his far post.

Foncette did keep Police in the game as the second half wore on, though, with timely saves to deny Bailey and substitute Nathaniel James, who was thwarted at point-blank range after dancing past a challenge from defender Rakim Cabie in the 78th minute.

James, who made his Soca Warriors debut last March, is one of several TT players now campaigning in the Jamaican Premier League.

There was no happy ending for James or his countrymen on the opposite team, though.

Both teams created good chances in the dying stages, with Police subs Kwesi Allen and Xavier Rajpaul sending efforts wide of the mark.

Foncette was also a busy man late on, and he made a desperate save to deny substitute Nicholas Nelson who broke free of the defence in the 88th minute.

With AC PoS and Police's fate now sealed, this is the second straight season the TT teams failed to progress beyond the group stage of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

Mt Pleasant will still have the chance to advance when they host the second-placed Real Hope (five points) on October 3.

Last season, AC PoS and inaugural TTPFL champs Defence Force were eliminated after finishing fifth and third respectively in Group A play.