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By Neto Baptiste
The disputed Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) Playoffs decider between Attacking Saints and Freeman’s Village Scorpions, will be contested this month.
This was revealed by the body’s technical director, Sowerby Gomes, who said an agreement has been reached with both teams that the game will be held on September 21st at the technical and training center located on Sir Sydney Walling Highway.
“The ABFA would have claimed culpability on it and we want to make this game happen and as a result we have gone forward. A lot of the faults as it relates to the game playing and when it was supposed to be played should have been executed much earlier. For instance, Attacking Saints would have had two of their players that they brought in that played the season with them… The game should have been played when those two players were here before they leave. We should have put our foot down and set the date for that particular game. As a result of that, those players had to travel back to their respective home country so now we will be looking to assist Attacking Saints in bringing those players back so their team could be looking just as how they looked at the end of the season,” he said.
Attacking Saints FC and Freeman’s Village Scorpions were left in limbo following the postponement of their crucial playoffs fixture on May 1st after Scorpions failed to show for the clash, later claiming they had informed the FA of their unavailability due to several players having work commitments.
Gomes said the teams in question are in full preparation mode for the contest that will determine which team competes in the Premier Division for the 2025/26 season.
“What is happening right now, is that both teams are meeting to see how best they can get their team back in the same shape as where they were at the end of the season. Communication was happening between the ABFA and the respective teams behind the scenes,” he said.
Attacking Saints were relegated to the playoffs after finishing fifth from bottom on the standings in the Premier Division while Scorpions ended their First Division campaign in third place, one position down from automatic promotion.
The clash between the two teams is crucial to decide who will play in the Premier Division next season after both teams had beaten SAP FC by 4-1 margins in their previous encounters. SAP finished fourth in the First Division to earn a spot in the playoffs.
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