Sports
Roneil Walcott
FIRST Citizens Knockout Cup holders Defence Force will begin their title defence against TT Premier Football League (TTPFL) tier two team Evolution FC when the main phase of the tournament kicks off next week.
The winners of this year’s tournament will receive a $100,000 cash prize, with the runners-up receiving $50,000. The draw for the tournament was held at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on April 29, with a number of intriguing matches being put on the table.
With a total of 33 teams across the TTPFL tier one (12) and tier two (21) divisions, the competition will first kick off with a playoff match between tier two strugglers Miscellaneous Laventille United and RSSR from 4 pm on May 1. Laventille United and RSSR currently occupy the last two spots in group one of TTPFL tier two and have accumulated the fewest points in the division thus far. The winner of their playoff match will meet Matura ReUnited in the round of 32.
Reigning TTPFL tier one champs AC Port of Spain have been drawn against Club Sando’s tier two team in the round of 32, with the winner of their match set to face the winner of the Defence Force/Evolution match in the last 16.
Last season, striker Isaiah Leacock scored a hat-trick to propel Defence Force to the title in a final matchup against his former club AC PoS.
Point Fortin Civic, tier one’s bottom-placed club, will face one of the tier table-toppers Malabar Youngstars in the opening round, with 1976 FC Phoenix set to meet Defence Force’s rampant tier two team which has gone on an unbeaten 13-game run to start their campaign. Phoenix are currently ninth on the 12-team tier one table.
Another interesting matchup will see Miscellaneous Police FC, last season’s tier one runners-up, squaring off with competitive tier two outfit QPCC FC. MIC Central FC Reboot, who sit second in tier one, will play tier two’s defending champs Harlem Strikers.
There are also a couple of all-tier one matches that should entice the neutrals. A battle of the youth will take centre stage when the third-placed San Juan Jabloteh meet the eighth-placed Terminix La Horquetta Rangers, with Caledonia scheduled to face Eagles FC. Caledonia are seventh on the tier one table, with Eagles just moving from the foot of the table after playing to a 4-4 draw with Police on the weekend.
A few tier two rivalries will also be renewed, as Guaya United will tackle San Fernando Giants, with UTT playing Union Hall United. Union Hall and UTT are both third in their respective tier two groups, with Guaya and San Fernando Giants occupying fifth and sixth spots in their tier two group.
The round of 32 in the First Citizens Cup is expected to kick off on May 7. League officials said the full schedule will be released once the playoff between Laventille United and RSSR is played.
