Army win 2nd leg 1-0, but miss out on Caribbean Cup final

TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) holders Defence Force delivered a fighting performance as they edged Mount Pleasant Football Academy 1-0 in the second leg of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup semis in Jamaica on November 5, but their efforts weren't enough as they lost out 5-2 on aggregate. Mount Pleasant will now advance to the final where they will face either Universidad O&M FC or last season's runners-up Cibao FC. Those teams were scheduled to play the second leg of their semifinal tie after press time on November 6.

Needing to overturn a 5-1 deficit from the first leg at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo last month, the Army/Coast Guard combination had a tall order at the National Stadium in Kingston. The visitors could not have asked for a better start as captain and playmaker Kevin Molino scored in the 13th minute to give their improbable comeback dreams a glimmer of hope. By the end of the contest, Defence Force had just 32 per cent possession as they relied on rapid counter-attacks to try and break down a resolute Mount Pleasant defence.

The game's lone item saw those counter-attacking tactics work like a charm as Molino dashed into the box to finish from close range after winger Shaquille Bertrand got in behind the defence to set up the former player with some fine hold-up play.

The move for the goal was one of the rare moments of joy for Defence Force in the attacking third as they had just six shots in the match, with three of those being on target. At the other end, goalkeeper Isaiah Williams was in good form for Defence Force as he made a total of seven saves as he did his part to give his team life in the tie.

In the 25th minute, Williams made an awkward save to keep out a left-footed curler from Alex Marshall, before coming off his line smartly in the 40th minute to stop Raheem Edwards who looked destined to put Mount Pleasant on the scoresheet.

With clear-cut chances few and far between for Defence Force, they had an opening in the 44th minute but Bertrand couldn't quite control his header at the far post after meeting a Joshua Araujo-Wilson corner.

Although they didn't get the goals necessary for a fairytale comeback, it was a much-improved showing by the Army in the second leg as they gave Mount Pleasant a good, physical battle and also put their bodies on the line defensively.

A few minutes into the second half, Defence Force winger Kaihim Thomas went on a solo run but his eventual shot from outside the area was well-saved by goalkeeper Tafari Chambers. In the 71st minute, Chambers made another good save as he got down low to keep out a firm drive by Bertrand who was well-found with a diagonal ball by defender Curtis Gonzales.

In the 81st minute, the hosts thought they had an equaliser but attacker Shaqueil Bradford had his close range effort cancelled out for offside after a VAR check. In the end, Mount Pleasant didn't need any more goals to advance as their first-leg riot ensured smooth progression to the final – booking them a spot in next year's Concacaf Champions Cup in the process.

Defence Force can also move on to the Champions Cup, but will need to win the third-place playoff against Cibao or O&M FC.