Army maintain slight TTPFL lead; Sam brace floors Rangers

TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) holders Defence Force (32 points) maintained their two-point lead atop the 2025/26 TTPFL table on January 17 when they eked out a 1-0 victory against last season's runners-up MIC Central FC Reboot (17 points) at the Dwight Yorke Stadium in Bacolet, Tobago.

Meanwhile, at the Mahaica Sporting Complex in Point Fortin on January 18, the second-placed Club Sando (30 points) got a 1-0 victory of their own when a second-half goal from veteran defender Elton John just saw them edging the cellar-placed Point Fortin Civic (seven points).

In the second game of the Bacolet double-header, it took a moment of brilliance from Defence Force centre back Shirwin Noel who sealed all three points against Central with a wonder-strike in the eighth minute. In what was an otherwise scrappy affair which was starved of clear-cut chances or moments of quality in the attacking third, Noel brought the house down in Bacolet with a wicked right-footed volley into the far corner of goalkeeper Jabari Brice's goal after a Kaihim Thomas cross was headed to the edge of the area. In the 16th minute, Thomas tried to add to his season-haul of seven goals, but saw his cheeky, low free kick just kept out.

The sixth-placed Central tried to muster a response before the end of the half, but forward Kadeem Corbin shot wildly over bar after playmaker Daniel David split the Defence Force backline with a perfect through pass.

The game's physicality increased in the second half, but with Central failing to find top gear from an attacking standpoint, the league leaders rarely look threatened. Defence Force came close to finding the net again in the 73rd minute, but Thomas saw a left-footed shot well-saved from a tight angle after Christian Bailey and new signing Joevin Jones combined on a counter-attack.

In the first game in Bacolet, home team 1976 FC Phoenix (nine points) got a much-needed victory and moved from 12th to tenth when they blanked the eighth-placed Caledonia AIA 2-0.

Though the first half was eventful, the teams went into the break goalless. Late in the first half, though, "Cale" were reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Thane Devenish was sent off in the 40th minute for retaliating to a tackle from Luis Anzola by shoving the latter player to the ground in the penalty area.

Phoenix did their business quickly in the second half, as goals from attackers Sherwin Lovell (48th minute) and Teejay Cadiz (50th minute) saw them opening up an unassailable lead as they notched their third win of the season. Cadiz's clinical strike at the end of a flowing counter-attack took him to the top of the league's scoring charts with nine goals.

In Point Fortin on January 18, 2023/24 champs AC Port of Spain (22 points) capitalised in the latter stages of their match against Terminix La Horquetta Rangers as they strolled away with a 4-0 win. Trinity College East standout Deisean Plaza got the scoring started for AC PoS in the 13th minute as they took a 1-0 lead to the half. In the dying stages of the match, a pair of substitutes put the game to bed for AC PoS as lanky forward Brent Sam scored a brace in the 87th and the second minute of stoppage-time, with flanker Sedale McLean putting the icing on the game with a goal in the third minute of stoppage-time.

AC PoS consolidated fifth spot with the result, with Rangers slipping to 11th. At the Phase 2 La Horquetta recreation ground on January 21, Defence Force will have the chance to stretch their lead to five points when they meet Central in a rescheduled round-one match from 8 pm. Phoenix will meet Cale in the other rescheduled fixture from 6 pm.

TTFPL tier one standings:

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

Defence Force*12*10*2*0*28*10*18*32

Club Sando*13*10*0*3*33*7*26*30

Police FC*13*8*3*2*27*14*13*27

Prisons*13*8*2*3*22*12*10*26

AC Port of Spain*13*6*4*3*22*16*6*22

MIC Central FC*12*5*2*5*19*23*-4*17

Jabloteh*13*4*3*6*22*29*-7*15

Caledonia*12*4*1*7*23*24*-1*13

Eagles FC*13*3*1*9*20*28*-8*10

1976 FC Phoenix*12*3*0*9*14*30*-16*9

La Horquetta Rangers*13*2*3*8*11*30*-19*9

Point Fortin*13*2*1*10*10*28*-18*7