Grenada international Jamal Charles netted a quick-fire second-half brace to lead AC Port-of-Spain to a 3-0 win over Tiger Tanks Club Sando and top spot in the race for the T&T Premier Football Tier I title at the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar, Arima, on Saturday.
Going into the match, AC PoS with 38 points from 18 matches, trailed leaders Miscellaneous Police FC (39) by one point with a game in hand and knew that all three points against the Southerners would put them in the driver’s seat for their first major national title ahead of Police.
However, in an evenly matched first 45 minutes, it was Club Sando which came the closest to an opener with national defender Shervhonez Hamilton racing past two defenders inside the left side of the 18-yard box before unleashing a left-footed effort past goalkeeper Marvin Phillip but was denied by the first post while John-Paul Rochford and Charles had efforts for AC PoS, which failed to find the opener as well.
The second-half started with a much higher tempo from AC PoS and they were soon ahead in the 49th minute when the 28-year-old Charles ran onto a clever chip pass over the top from Rochford to head past goalkeeper Denzil Smith.
Eight minutes later, an unmarked Charles who missed a few chances in recent previous matches was on spot to turn home a left-sided centre from substitute Nathan Lewis to double his and AC PoS’ tally to 2-0 before he was withdrawn from the action at the expense of Che Benny.
Rochford was then denied a chance to put his team further ahead by a reflex save from Smith on his near post in the 60th minute, and ten minutes later Sedale Mc Lean side-footed his attempt overbar from on the six-yard line after Rochford re-directed a left-sided centre back into his path.
Mc Lean then turned provider for Lewis but the latter could only find the post from the centre of the goal with Smith at full-stretch when it seemed easier to score as AC PoS continued to miss chances to put the match to bed.
Two minutes into time added-on, Benny then capped off the win for AC PoS in stunning style when he collected a pass from about 25 yards out on his favoured left foot and rifled home an unstoppable effort that flew past a Smith at full-stretch and into the back of the net off the underside of the bar as his team move into pole position in the title race with 41 points from 19 matches.
On the final day of the season AC PoS dubbed the ‘Captial City Boyz’ will come up against Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic while the second-placed Wendell Joseph-coached Police FC with 39 points and chasing a first national league title since 1994, their third in club history after triumphs in 1979 and 1991 will host cellar-placed Central FC, yet to win a league match but through to the semifinals of the First Citizens Cup knockout.
The result also ended any chance of Defence Force, third with 37 points retaining its league title as even with a win in their final match over Eagles FC they can only reach 40 points.
Saturday’s result
AC PoS 3 (Jamal Charles 49th, 56th, Che Benny 90+2) vs Club Sando 0
Latest T&T Tier I standings
Teams P W D L F A Pts
1 AC PoS 19 12 5 2 46 21 41
2 Police 19 11 6 2 42 20 39
3 Defence Force 19 11 4 4 35 19 37
4 Club Sando 18 9 5 4 30 24 32
5 LH Rangers 19 8 4 7 38 34 28
6 Caledonia FC 19 6 6 7 32 26 24
7 Pt Fortin Civic 19 6 5 8 26 27 23
8 1976 Phoenix 18 7 2 9 30 35 23
9 Prison Service 20 7 1 12 25 37 22
10 FC Eagles 18 5 4 9 21 28 19
11 Central FC 19 0 2 17 13 67 2
Upcoming matches:
Sunday (May 12):
Eagles FC vs 1976 FC Phoenix, Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago, 5 pm
Final Round:
1976 FC Phoenix vs Caledonia AIA
Club Sando vs La Horquetta Rangers
Police FC vs Central FC
Athletic Club vs Point Fortin Civic
Defence Force vs Eagles FC
