Sports
Roneil Walcott
IN the buildup to the first leg of their third-place playoff for the 2025 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, Defence Force interim coach Devorn Jorsling said his team’s goal of qualifying for the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup was still intact.
And after 90 minutes of football at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo on November 25, Defence Force’s most experienced vets Sheldon Bateau and captain Kevin Molino set the tone en route to a comfortable 3-0 win over Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC. Of course, Defence Force still have a return leg to contest away to Cibao on December 2, but they have half the job done as a third-place finish will guarantee them a Champions Cup place.
A string of calls by Surinamese referee Edson Lieveld made for a tetchy atmosphere in the first half as the Cibao contingent felt hard done by as Defence Force opened up a 2-0 lead. By the end of the match, Cibao’s frustrations increased as they had a goal from Jose De La Cruz wiped off after a lengthy VAR check in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time.
However, the man in the middle had little influence on the game’s opener as the 34-year-old Bateau got the first goal for the Army/Coast Guard combination after just three minutes with a towering header from a Joshua Araujo-Wilson corner.
Defence Force wasted little time to get into the danger areas, as they used deep passes from midfield to penetrate the Cibao defence, while goalie Isaiah “Blinky” Williams was in inspired form between the sticks once more for the TT Premier Football League holders as he kept the visitors at bay with some sharp saves to record a second straight clean sheet in the business end of the tourney.
In the 15th minute, Williams showed his agility when he got down low to stop a meaty right-footed volley from striker Rivaldo Correa. Near the half-hour mark, Defence Forces’s makeshift centre forward Shaquille Bertrand had a pair of chances to stretch his team’s lead. But the wide man fluffed his lines on both occasions.
First, in the 26th minute, Bertand put a defender on his back before being denied by goalkeeper Miguel Lloyd from point-blank range, while a retreating tackle from defender Edwarlyn Reyes put him off just three minutes later when it looked harder to miss.
In the 41st minute, Defence Force did get their second goal when Molino converted a spot kick. However, the goal came in controversial fashion and left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Cibao players.
First, Lieveld gave the penalty upon consulting VAR, when Defence Force winger Kaihim Thomas received marginal contact from full back Gabriel Peguero after making a run into the penalty area which took him beyond the byline.
Molino had his initial penalty saved away to Lloyd’s right. However, the referee ordered a retake much to Cibao’s displeasure, with the former national captain making no mistake the second time as he slammed his right-footer into the roof of the net.
Boasting a two-goal lead for most of the second period, Defence Force showed less enthusiasm to attack and relied on the pace of their forwards in their rare forays into the attacking third.
At the other end, the Army defence stood firm as Bateau won most of his aerial duels, while wing backs Jelani Felix and Isaiah Garcia were also solid when called upon. In midfield, Araujo-Wilson and Justin Sadoo were efficient, if not spectacular.
Already with a goal to his name, the 35-year-old Molino showed off his wealth of experience in the 85th minute when he got the ball in the attacking third and shifted his body weight before playing a clinical through pass. At the end of that through pass was substitute Kathon St Hillaire, who showed good composure to shake off his marker before slotting a right-footer hard, low and away from Lloyd’s reach.
With a handsome 3-0 advantage to the Army, Cibao thought they got on the mark in stoppage time after a slick build-up was orchestrated by Walter Acuña. However, De La Cruz’s goal was chalked off and now Cibao will have to engineer a remarkable comeback at home in Santiago de los Caballeros if they are to finish third in the tourney and rob the Trinidadian club of a Concacaf Champions Cup spot.
